Research objectives

• Researcher in the Apple Breeding group, with a focus on molecular genetics/breeding and biotechnology
• Fire blight resistance research in the genus Malus
• DFG funded Research project: Map-based cloning and functional analyses of the fire blight resistance candidate gene (FB_Mfu10) of Malus fusca
• Investigating fire blight resistance mechanism of Malus fusca
• Overexpression of FB_Mfu10 in susceptible backgrounds
• CRISPR/Cas9 mediated knock-out of FB_Mfu10 in Malus fusca
• Investigating the presence of a putative second resistance factor in two F’2 populations
• Development of genetic linkage maps and QTL-mapping
• Application of genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) and next generation sequencing (NGS) techniques
• Development of closely linked markers suitable for marker-assisted selection

Memberships/Activities

• German Society for Plant Sciences (DBG)
• Gesellschaft für Pflanzenzüchtung e. V. (GPZ)
• Editorial Board BMC Research Notes
• Editorial Board BMC Plant Biology
• Review Editor Frontiers in Plant Science (Plant Breeding and Plant Pathogen Interactions Sections)
• Guest Lecturer: Agrobiotechnology (MSc course), Department of Plant Breeding, Justus-Liebig-Universität (JLU) Giessen
• Guest Lecturer: Plant Breeding (Bachelors), University of Applied Sciences (HTW) Dresden
• Supervision of students’ theses and internships

DFG funded Projects:

Map-based cloning and functional analyses of the fire blight resistance candidate genes (FB_Mfu10) of Malus fusca

Term: 2020-01-01 – 2023-03-31

Elucidating the fire blight resistance inherited from Malus fusca and functional analyses of candidate genes underlying the resistance QTL on linkage group 10

Term: 2023-01-01 – 2025-12-31

Publications in the Julius Kühn-Institut