Crop breeding for drought stress tolerance

Mostafa Abdelrahman, PhD, Texas Tech University, USA

Dr Abdelrahman is a research scientist and faculty member at the Institute of Genomics for Crop Abiotic Stress Tolerance at Texas Tech University (TTU). He obtained his Master’s degree in agricultural bioproduction from Yamaguchi University (Japan) and later earned a PhD in plant genetics and stress physiology from Tottori University (Japan). Dr Abdelrahman's academic journey began by analyzing defense-responsive genes in Allium and Asparagus plants using integrated metabolomic and transcriptomic approaches. He also delved into the genetic diversity of wheat and soybean populations, particularly in relation to drought and heat stress tolerance. At TTU, his research focuses on exploring plant-microbe interactions to improve crop resilience against abiotic stresses, thereby advancing our understanding and abilities in enhancing crop resilience.

Ahmad M. Alqudah, PhD, Qatar University, Qatar

Dr Alqudah is an assistant professor of plant biology and molecular genetics at Qatar University. He received his BSc and MSc in Crop Production with a focus on abiotic stress physiology from Jordan University of Science and Technology. His PhD in Plant Breeding and Genetics was earned from Martin Luther University in Halle-Wittenberg (Germany). Following that, he held positions as a postdoctoral and tenure-track researcher at various research organizations specializing in cereal genetics. Dr Alqudah has played a significant role in identifying genomic regions and genes associated with stress tolerance, using cutting-edge next-generation sequencing technology and advanced bioinformatics in genomics and transcriptomics. Additionally, he is an expert in plant molecular techniques such as gene cloning and editing.

Vijay Gahlaut, PhD, Chandigarh University, India

Dr Gahlaut is an assistant professor at the University Centre for Research & Development, Chandigarh University (India). He has 12 years of experience in research and teaching, specializing in crop biotechnology, bioinformatics, and genomics. Dr Gahlaut's research has focused on identifying genomic regions, epialleles, and candidate genes on wheat chromosomes associated with water and heat stress tolerance, employing various bioinformatic and genomic approaches. His contributions include over 50 scientific articles published in esteemed journals, as well as several book chapters. Recently, he was inducted as a Member of the National Academy of Sciences (NASI), India.

Daoquan Xiang, PhD, National Research Council Canada, Canada

Dr Xiang is a molecular biologist bringing extensive expertise to the fields of developmental biology, molecular genetics, and functional genomics, with a particular focus on seed biology, meristem, and stem cell regulation in plants. His research emphasizes plant architecture, nutritional dynamics, anti-nutritional components, and resilience mechanisms against abiotic stressors. Dr Xiang employs cutting-edge genomics methodologies, including next-generation sequencing, RNA-seq, ATAC-seq, metabolomics, and genome editing, to investigate these research areas. He also utilizes advanced genomic strategies such as single-cell genomics and high-throughput SNP genotyping. Currently, his research is dedicated to identifying and characterizing crucial regulatory genes in important crops like canola, pea, and wheat, aiming to understand their roles in seed development and agronomic traits.