Awais Khan (plant geneticist)

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Awais Khan
Awais Khan 2019.jpg
Born1977 (age 4647)
Alma mater Georg-August University, Gottingen, Germany
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zurich, Switzerland
Known for Plant Genetics ,
Plant Genomics ,
Crop improvement ,
Genetics and Genomics of Apples
Scientific career
Fields Agriculture
Institutions International Potato Center (CIP)
Cornell University

Awais Khan (born 1977) is a Pakistani-American plant geneticist and an associate professor at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University. [1] [2]

Contents

His research focuses on genetics of disease resistance in apples, [1] crop improvement, sustainable agriculture, and food security. [2] Prior to taking this position, he was leading a global research program on genetics of adaptation and abiotic stress tolerance in potatoes and sweetpotatoes, at the International Potato Center (CIP), Lima, Peru [3] [4] .

Biography

Khan was born in a small village called Tahlian in Pallandri, Azad Kashmir (the Pakistani-administered part of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region) and was from a humble financial background. His primary-level education was at a "taat school," where the students sat on a jute mat (taat) on the ground and he also helped his parents raise crops and livestock. [2]

He earned a PhD from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zurich, Switzerland on fire blight of apples, and an MSc from Georg-August University, Gottingen, Germany, with further research experience at the University of York, UK and University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, United States. [1] [2]

He has published in several high impact scientific journals including Science, Nature Genetics, and Genome Research. [5] His research on rapid decline of apple trees, fire blight, genetics, and genomics of apples has been also highlighted in popular magazines, including Science Magazine, The Economist, New York Times, and Forbes. [6] [7] [8] [2] In 2022, Dr. Khan co-led a research and completed a chromosome-scale genome sequence assembly of Honeycrisp apples. [9] [10]

Selected publications

Source: [5]

Sources

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Awais Khan". CALS. 13 October 2022. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Wight, Andrew. "This Researcher's Mission Is To Help Farmers Find A Hardier Apple". Forbes. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  3. admin (6 July 2015). "CIP Partners with NC State, Others in Gates Foundation-Funded effort to accelerate improvement of OFSP". International Potato Center. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  4. admin (17 June 2016). "DROUGHT-RESISTANT POTATO RESEARCH ACROSS CIP ALIGNS WITH UN OBSERVANCE ON DESERTIFICATION". International Potato Center. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  5. 1 2 "Awais Khan". scholar.google.com. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  6. "Something is rapidly killing young apple trees in North American orchards. Scientists are stumped". www.science.org. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  7. "Young apple trees are dying, and no one understands why". The Economist. ISSN   0013-0613 . Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  8. Robbins, Jim (2 December 2019). "Fire Blight Spreads Northward, Threatening Apple Orchards". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  9. "Honeycrisp genome will help scientists breed better apples". CALS. 13 October 2022. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  10. "Cornell scientists are building a stronger apple". RochesterFirst. 19 October 2022. Retrieved 20 February 2023.

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