JOIN US THIS YEAR
Meeting
This is the preeminent genome science and technology conference for top global researchers, leaders, and innovators.
ABOUT
AGBT Ag will bring together the world’s leading genome researchers, data scientists, breeders, policy influencers, funders, and technology innovators
from the global North and South who wish to embrace opportunities to redesign terrestrial and aquatic agriculture. Because of its focus on the integration of genomics and agriculture, AGBT Ag is uniquely positioned to enable and enhance communication among stakeholders in order to address the escalating needs of a changing earth.
EVERY ALL-INCLUSIVE TICKET PACKAGE INCLUDES:
- Hotel accommodations
- Access to all scientific sessions, poster presentations, and social events
- Meals during the entire conference
- Transportation from the airport to conference hotel on AGBT shuttles
Space is limited. You are encouraged to register early.
AGBT-Ag is the global space where the brightest minds and most prodigious influencers in the world of genomics and agriculture converge to foster new and ground-breaking innovation. Join us in San Antonio, Texas, March 27-29th, 2023 at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country!
For more information on how to register, click here.
415
Attendees
186
Universities and Governments
95
Companies
93
CEOS, CMOS, and CSOS
Graphic shows: 2022 In-Person Demographics
What the Experts Are Saying
The conference will help catalyze global partnerships and collaborations, stimulate opportunities for training and capacity building in science and technology, and focus attention on the development and implementation of data-driven strategies to enhance environmental sustainability and global food security.
Susan McCouch, Professor of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Cornell University and member of the AGBT Scientific Organizing Committee
We bring together the world’s leading scientists and leaders to connect and join their thinking for bolder and transformative efforts in dealing with the two greatest challenges of our generation: How to feed our world equitably and sustainably? And how to keep our planet safe with available resources for future generations.
Appolinaire Djikeng, Director and Chair of Tropical Agriculture and Sustainable Development of the Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health (CTLGH), and member of the AGBT Scientific Organizing Committee.
One of humanity’s greatest challenges is to sustainably produce more food on existing agricultural lands. AGBT Ag fosters the needed dialogue and exchange of ideas to bring about the fourth agricultural revolution.
Sarah Hearne, chair of the AGBT Ag conference and Principal Scientist and maize geneticist at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)
Our work is aimed at developing sustainable agriculture around feeding the population. That’s why having a conference like AGBT Ag, bringing experts across various fields, is really exciting.
Charlie Johnson, 2022 Organizing Committee Member and Executive Director Genomics & Bioinformatics, Texas A&M AgriLife
AGBT Ag is a big opportunity for communities to start talking across the disciplines a little bit more so that we can identify opportunities and spaces where we can scale existing technologies.
Sarah Hearne, Chair of the AGBT Ag conference and Principal Scientist and maize geneticist at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)
AGBT Ag is looking at bringing the best members of the scientific community, the best science; it’s bringing industry—and ensuring that we have real partnerships to make sure we have end-to-end interventions.
Appolinaire Djikeng, Professor and Chair for Tropical Agriculture and Sustainable Development and Director of Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health at the University of Edinburgh
2023 Featured Speakers

Robin Buell

Mark Cooper

Antonio Augusto Franco Garcia

Gregor Gorjanc

Ben Hayes

Farhad Hormozdiari

Dr. Joanna (Jo) Newton, OAM

Lindiwe Majele Sibanda

Rob Martienssen

Anna Sonesson

Leena Tripathi
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University of Georgia
In July 2021, Dr. C. Robin Buell joined the University of Georgia as the Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar Chair in Crop Genomics in the Department of Crop & Soil Sciences and the Center for Applied Genetic Technologies. Prior to joining UGA, she was a University Distinguished Faculty and MSU Foundation Professor of Plant Biology at Michigan State University (2007-2021), an Associate Investigator at The Institute for Genomic Research (1999-2007), and as Assistant Professor at Louisiana State University (1997-1998).
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The University of Queensland
Professor Mark Cooper is Chair of Prediction Based Crop Improvement at The University of Queensland, and a global leader in quantitative genetics and plant breeding. His work involves integrating genomic prediction and crop growth models into an ‘end to end’ framework for crop improvement.
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University of Sao Paulo, Brazil
The ultimate goal of my research projects is trying to have a better understanding of the genetic architecture of quantitative traits, specially (but not exclusively) for polyploids, with emphasis on sugarcane. This could be useful for breeding programs and for geneticists interested on complex traits.
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University of Edinburgh
I lead the HighlanderLab, which focuses on managing and improving populations using data science, genetics, and breeding. We focus on populations used for food, feed, and fibre production We are particularly interested in: (i) methods for genetics and breeding, (ii) design and optimisation of breeding programmes, and (iii) analysis of data to unravel biology and to find new ways of improving populations.
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University of Queensland
Professor Hayes has extensive research experience in genetic improvement of livestock, crop, pasture and aquaculture species, with a focus on integration of genomic information into breeding programs, including leading many large scale projects which have successfully implemented genomic technologies in livestock and cropping industries.
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HealthAI Team at Google Research
Farhad Hormozdiari, a research scientist in the HealthAI team at Google Research, where he combines genetic data and machine learning techniques to improve disease understanding for a diverse set of populations. His long-term research aim includes utilizing genetics and machine learning for better social good. Recently, Farhad has grown his interests and focus in leveraging deep learning and statistical genetics to understand plant genomics and improve crop resistance to climate changes.
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Agriculture Victoria Research, Australia
Passionate about research that delivers tangible benefits for farmers, since obtaining a PhD in animal breeding and genetics from the University of New England, Jo’s work has focused on practical tools to illustrate the benefit of better herd-improvement decisions on farm. Jo currently works as a research scientist for Agriculture Victoria on the DairyBio initiative where she uses a multi-disciplinary approach in developing and valuing decision support tools that enable more informed breeding and management decisions on-farm. As a 2018 Endeavour Postdoctoral Fellow, Jo spent 6 months as a visiting scientist Teagasc Moorepark, Ireland.
Jo has a history of active involvement across the wider agricultural sector across numerous not-for-profit organisations, particularly in advocacy and support of young people in agriculture. Jo was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2020 for her service to agriculture through her advocacy and support of young people, volunteering, and contribution to dairy research.
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University of Pretoria
Prof. Lindiwe Majele Sibanda is a recognized leader, practicing farmer and esteemed policy advisor with a career spanning 30 years. She currently serves as Chair of the CGIAR System Board, Extraordinary Professor, University of Pretoria, South Africa, and Council Chair, National University of Science and Technology, Zimbabwe.
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Cold Spring Harbor Lab
Rob Martienssen studies epigenetic mechanisms that shape and regulate the genome, and their impact on transposable elements, first discovered by Barbara McClintock at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. These mechanisms underlie clonal propagation of oil palm, with implications for rain forest conservation, and of aquatic plants, including the humble duckweed, that are being engineered in the Martienssen lab for biofuel production and carbon sequestration.
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Norwegian food research institute (Nofima)
I work with the design of breeding schemes, including marker-assisted and genomic selection schemes, and with QTL mapping. I also work with the management of genetic variation, i.e. managing inbreeding, both at the level of relationship and at the genomic level.
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Director- Eastern Africa Hub
Dr. Leena Tripathi is the Director of Eastern Africa Hub and Leader of the Biotechnology Program at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA). She is leading the transgenic and gene-editing research at IITA. She has been involved in plant biotechnology research for more than 25 years, with specific interests in crop improvement.
Scientific Organizing Committee

Daniela Lourenco
Associate Professor at the University of Georgia Daniela Lourenco is an Associate Professor in Animal Breeding, Genetics, and Genomics at the University of Georgia in the United States. She has […]

Xiaofeng Cao
Xiaofeng Cao, principle investigator at the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, is a geneticist recognized for her work on epigenetic regulation in higher plants. She […]

Jack Dekkers
Dr. Jack Dekkers, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Animal Science at Iowa State University focuses his research on quantitative and statistical genetics, including the integration of quantitative and molecular genetics and genomics […]

Appolinaire Djikeng
Director General, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Senior Director, CGIAR Livestock-based systems. Professor Appolinaire Djikeng is Director General of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and Senior Director for the […]

Alison Van Eenennaam
Dr. Alison Van Eenennaam is a Cooperative Extension Specialist in the field of Animal Genomics and Biotechnology in the Department of Animal Science at University of California, Davis. She received […]

Michel Georges
Michel Georges is Professor in Genetics and Genomics at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Liège in Belgium. He heads the Unit of Genetics of the GIGA […]

Sarah Hearne
Sarah Hearne, principal scientist at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), focuses on identification and application of native genetic variation for crop improvement. Working with multi-disciplinary teams she […]

Charlie Johnson
Charles Johnson is director and founder of the Texas A&M AgriLife Genomics and Bioinformatics Service (TxGen), a multimillion-dollar agrigenomics research unit within Texas A&M AgriLife Research, part of the Texas […]

Renee Lafitte
Renee Lafitte is Deputy Director for Crops R&D in the Agricultural Development group at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. She has a background in crop physiology, agronomy, and agro-ecology, […]

Nathan Lakey
Nathan Lakey is President and Chief Executive Officer of Orion Genomics, a company bringing cutting edge scientific expertise, innovation, proprietary technologies and commercial and academic partnerships throughout the globe to change […]

Susan McCouch
Susan McCouch is the Barbara McClintock Professor of Plant Breeding and Genetics in the School of Integrative Plant Science at Cornell University. She also serves as Director of the Cornell […]

Len Pennacchio
Dr. Len Pennacchio is a Senior Scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (LBL), Deputy Director of the Joint Genome Institute, and Adjunct Professor at the University of California Berkeley. He […]

Bruce Walsh
Bruce Walsh is a professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at the University of Arizona. He is coauthor (with Mike Lynch) of the two leading graduate textbooks on quantitative genetics […]

Susan Wessler
Susan Wessler is Distinguished Professor of Genetics and the Neil and Rochelle Campbell Chair for Innovation in Science Education at the University of California Riverside. In 2011 she was elected […]
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Associate Professor at the University of Georgia
Daniela Lourenco is an Associate Professor in Animal Breeding, Genetics, and Genomics at the University of Georgia in the United States. She has been working in this field since 2004 and her current interests include the use of genomic information to increase rates of genetic progress, the development of methods for genomic evaluations, and the use of computational algorithms to analyze large data. Her research group has been working on genomic selection in beef and dairy cattle, swine, poultry, and fish. They have been involved in the development and implementation of single-step genomic evaluations for several breeding companies and breed associations. The software and algorithms developed by her group are being used for genomic evaluations around the world.
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Xiaofeng Cao, principle investigator at the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, is a geneticist recognized for her work on epigenetic regulation in higher plants. She is known particularly for her studies on dynamic histone methylation, small RNA as well as arginine methylation controlling transposon activities govern genome stability and affecting genome-wide co-transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation during development.
Xiaofeng was born and grew up in Beijing, China. She has a bachelor’s in applied biochemistry from Peking University in 1988, a master’s in biochemistry from China Agricultural University in 1991, and a PhD from the College of Life Sciences, Peking University in 1997. She was a postdoctoral research fellow at Washington State University and a research associate at the University of California, Los Angeles. She became a PI in 2003 at the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology (IGDB), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). She has led the Center for Genome Biology at IGDB and is the co-director of the Centre of Excellence for Plant and Microbial Science, jointly established by CAS and the John Innes Centre (UK). She was elected CAS Academician, a TWAS Fellow, a member of IEAS, and International member of National Academy of Sciences. She is a member of the National Committee of CPPCC.
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Dr. Jack Dekkers, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Animal Science at Iowa State University focuses his research on quantitative and statistical genetics, including the integration of quantitative and molecular genetics and genomics for QTL mapping, genome-wide association studies, and genomic prediction and selection; design and economic aspects of breeding programs for livestock.
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Director General, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI),
Senior Director, CGIAR Livestock-based systems.
Professor Appolinaire Djikeng is Director General of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and Senior Director for the Livestock-based systems of the CGIAR. At ILRI and the CGIAR he leads the premier global
Appolinaire has expertise and interest in Genomics with applications in agriculture (both animals and crops), Human and environmental health. Appolinaire serves on numerous science advisory boards and has received many awards including the Nelson Mandela Peace Award.
Prior to ILRI, Appolinaire was Director of the Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health (CTLGH) and based at the Roslin Institute and Chair for Tropical Agriculture and Sustainable Development at the University of Edinburgh. He has over 20 years’ research and institutional experience in academia and in international not for profit research institutions in the USA, Africa and UK.
Appolinaire is affiliated with The Roslin Institute, The University of Edinburgh (UK) as Professor, with the University of South Africa, College of Agriculture, and environmental science as Distinguished Professor, and with the University of Queensland, Center for Animal Science (Australia) and Honorary Professor.
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Dr. Alison Van Eenennaam is a Cooperative Extension Specialist in the field of Animal Genomics and Biotechnology in the Department of Animal Science at University of California, Davis. She received a Bachelor of Agricultural Science from the University of Melbourne in Australia, and both an MS in Animal Science, and a PhD in Genetics from UC Davis. Her publicly-funded research and outreach program focuses on the use of animal genomics and biotechnology in livestock production systems. Her current research projects include the development of genome editing approaches for cattle. She serves as the bovine genome coordinator for the USDA National Animal Genome Research Program, and is an elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). She has given over 650 invited presentations to audiences globally, and uses a variety of media to inform general public audiences about science and technology. She frequently provides a credentialed voice on controversial scientific topics, and has appeared on national media including The Dr Oz Show, NPR, Science Friday, and the Intelligence Squared debate series. She appeared in the 2017 documentary “Food Evolution” narrated by science-communicator Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson. A passionate advocate of science, Dr. Van Eenennaam was the recipient of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) 2010 National Award for Excellence in Extension, American Society of Animal Science (ASAS) 2014 National Extension Award, the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) 2014 Borlaug Communication Award, University of California – Davis 2019 James H. Meyer Distinguished Career Achievement Award, and ASAS 2019 Rockefeller Prentice Award in Animal Breeding and Genetics.
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Michel Georges is Professor in Genetics and Genomics at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Liège in Belgium. He heads the Unit of Genetics of the GIGA Research Institute in the same university. Georges was born in Antwerp, Belgium in 1959. He obtained his DVM degree at the University of Liège in 1983, followed by a degree in Molecular Biology at the Free University of Brussels in 1985. From 1985 to 1988 he worked in the laboratories of Gilbert Vassart at the Free University of Brussels and Roger Hanset at the University of Liège. He obtained is habilitation from the University of Liège in 1991. From 1989 to 1993 he was senior scientist, then director of research at Genmark Inc. and adjunct professor in the Department of Human Genetics in Salt Lake City, Utah. Since 1994 he has been heading the Unit of Animal Genomics at the University of Liège. He played an instrumental role in establishing the GIGA Research Institute. Georges was awarded the Wolf Prize in Agriculture in 2007, and the Francqui Prize in Biomedical Sciences in 2008.
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Sarah Hearne, principal scientist at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), focuses on identification and application of native genetic variation for crop improvement. Working with multi-disciplinary teams she explores, harnesses, re-combines and develops applications in the areas of genomics, informatics and biometrics, in order to leverage data synergies and more efficiently and effectively identify and use high value genetic variation in targeted breeding.
She currently leads Seeds of Discovery initiative (SeeD) of CIMMYT and the trait discovery and deployment space of the Excellence in Breeding Platform. Her science is complemented by emphasis on data management and equitable, IP-sensitive knowledge sharing; facilitating access to data, tools, services, germplasm, advice and training for other researchers and breeders.
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Charles Johnson is director and founder of the Texas A&M AgriLife Genomics and Bioinformatics Service (TxGen), a multimillion-dollar agrigenomics research unit within Texas A&M AgriLife Research, part of the Texas A&M System. The center conducts next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics research with collaborators in 42 countries, working with hundreds of different groups including other universities and companies. His current internal research is centered around low-cost high throughput genotyping methods supporting AgriGenomics.
Dr. Johnson grow up on a farm in Northern Michigan, receiving his PhD from Texas A&M University and has worked for more than two decades in genomics and bioinformatics research, leading highly successful research teams in both industry and academia.
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Renee Lafitte is Deputy Director for Crops R&D in the Agricultural Development group at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. She has a background in crop physiology, agronomy, and agro-ecology, with experience in technology discovery and product development for both intensive agriculture and resource-limited cropping systems. Prior to her current appointment, Renee was a Research Fellow at DuPont Pioneer and then at DowDuPont, where she focused on application of new phenotyping and remote sensing technologies for crop improvement, gene discovery, and the evaluation of new microbial and crop protection products. Previously, Renee worked for 20 years in the CGIAR system, based at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines, and at the Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) in Mexico.
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Nathan Lakey is President and Chief Executive Officer of Orion Genomics, a company bringing cutting edge scientific expertise, innovation, proprietary technologies and commercial and academic partnerships throughout the globe to change how the world approaches feeding, fueling and healing itself. Lakey was awarded the top 40 under 40 award (2004 St. Louis), presented the governor’s top technology award (2005 Missouri), and he currently serves as Chairman of the Investment Advisory Committee, Biogenerator, and on the Patient Care Committee of the Board of Missouri Baptist Hospital. He has more than 20 years of experience in genomics. Prior to the founding of Orion Genomics, he was Director of DNA Sequencing at Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc., in Cambridge, Massachusetts (1994-98), where he built and operated Millennium’s DNA sequencing platform, and helped form three strategic business units – Millennium Predictive Medicine, Millennium Biotherapeutics and Cereon Inc. Before joining Millennium, Mr. Lakey held various positions with Molecular Dynamics (Sunnyvale, CA), Ambion Inc (Austin TX) and Harvard Medical School, Department of Genetics, in George Church’s laboratory. Mr. Lakey received a B.A. in Biochemistry from the University of Texas (Austin), and an MBA from Washington University Olin School of Business (St. Louis) where he received the C. William Emory Executive MBA Award. Mr. Lakey holds multiple issued patents in the U.S. and abroad.
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Susan McCouch is the Barbara McClintock Professor of Plant Breeding and Genetics in the School of Integrative Plant Science at Cornell University. She also serves as Director of the Cornell Initiative for Digital Agriculture. She received her PhD from Cornell in 1990 and spent 5 years with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines before joining the Cornell faculty in 1995. She is known for developing the first molecular genetic map of rice and for her key and sustained role in turning rice into a model for genetics and breeding research. Her work provides a critical foundation for rapid trait identification and cultivar development, and her contribution to the development of databases and software tools has facilitated the sharing of data and accelerated rice breeding worldwide. In collaboration with USDA colleagues, her group released the first red-pericarp rice variety in the US in 2018. She currently serves as founding member and Chair of the Board of Directors for the DivSeek International Network, a not-for-profit member-driven organization dedicated to the characterization and use of genetic variation in crop improvement. She has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Presidential Award from the Crop Science Society of America (2016), an Honorary Ph.D. from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University in India (2015), the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities (2012), the Golden Sickle Award for the advancement of international rice research (2007), and the Outstanding Faculty Award from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell (2006), and has contributed extensively to educational initiatives and international outreach. She is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a recently elected member of the National Academy of Sciences.
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Dr. Len Pennacchio is a Senior Scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (LBL), Deputy Director of the Joint Genome Institute, and Adjunct Professor at the University of California Berkeley. He received his PhD in Genetics from Stanford University and served as an Alexander Hollaender Distinguished Fellow at LBL. He has authored over 140 publications and received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) from the White House for his contributions to the Human Genome Project and understanding mammalian gene regulation in vivo. Dr. Pennacchio has an extensive background in mammalian genetics and genomics as well as with DNA sequencing technologies and their application to address outstanding issues in both the biomedical, energy, and environment sectors. He serves in numerous advisory roles such as NHGRI’s Genome Sequencing Program and the Centre for Genomic Research at the University of Liverpool and is an Instructor for the Leena Peltonen School of Human Genomics. He also is an Organizer and Co-Chair of both annual Advances in Genome Biology & Technology (AGBT) meetings as well as a “Systems Biology of Gene Regulation and Genome Editing” meeting hosted by Cold Spring Harbor Asia. Currently his research is heavily focused on understanding the spectrum of DNA mutations that contribute to human disease through in vivo functional studies.
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Bruce Walsh is a professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at the University of Arizona. He is coauthor (with Mike Lynch) of the two leading graduate textbooks on quantitative genetics (Lynch & Walsh 1998 Genetics and Analysis of Quantitative Traits; Walsh & Lynch 2018 Evolution and Selection of Quantitative Traits).
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Susan Wessler is Distinguished Professor of Genetics and the Neil and Rochelle Campbell Chair for Innovation in Science Education at the University of California Riverside. In 2011 she was elected Home Secretary of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences (NAS), the first women to hold this position in its 150-year history. She is a plant molecular geneticist known for her contributions to the field of transposon biology and plant genome evolution. A native of New York City, she received a Ph.D. in biochemistry from Cornell University (1980) and was a postdoctoral fellow at the Carnegie Institution of Washington (1980-1982). She began her career at the University of Georgia in 1983 where she remained until moving to UC Riverside in 2010.
Wessler has contributed extensively to educational and diversity initiatives. As a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professor (2006), she adapted her research program for the classroom by developing the Dynamic Genome (DG) Course where incoming freshman can experience the excitement of scientific discovery. The DG course is currently taken by over 500 students/year. As NAS Home Secretary, she has spearheaded initiatives that have led to a 40% increase in the number of women elected to membership in the NAS.
She is the recipient of several awards including the Stephen Hales Prize (2011) from the American Society of Plant Biologists, the Excellence in Science Award from FASEB (2012) and the McClintock Prize for Plant Genetics and Genome Studies (2015). She is a member of the National Academy of Sciences (1998), the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2007), the American Philosophical Society (2013), and a Foreign Member of the Royal Society (2017).
The Genome Partnership convenes the world’s most revered genome science and technology conferences, bringing together top global researchers, leaders, and innovators in human health and agriculture. The Genome Partnership has been proudly organizing The Advances in Genome Biology and Technology (AGBT) meetings since 1999. The Genome Partnership, based in St. Louis, is a not-for-profit organization and its mission is to advance research, promote education, and expand commerce in genome science and technology. For more information visit www.agbt.org.
