Position Title
Assistant Project Scientist
- Genome Center
Lab member
2016-present
Education
2014 Ph.D. Plant Pathology and Molecular Biology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
2011 M.Sc. Plant Pathology and Entomology, Wageningen University, The Netherlands
B.Sc. Plant Science, Haramaya University, Ethiopia
Research Topic
Host-induced gene silencing (HIGS), wheat stripe rust, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus parasiticus, aflatoxin.
Research Summary
We aim to reduce wheat stripe rust infection and development by silencing gene transcripts vital to the rust pathogen. We use similar approach to silence Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus vital genes and genes involved in aflatoxin biosynthesis; thereby reduce aflatoxin contamination in maize and peanut. In both projects, transgenic wheat, maize and peanut plants expressing the respective RNAi constructs will be generated and evaluated against their respective pathogen.