Plant genomics, bioinformatics, reverse-genetics, genetic diversity, crop improvement, induced mutation, development of novel tools for functional genomics, crop diversity in the context of climate change and variation

Since 2001 I have developed and led training efforts for researchers from many countries with a focus on developing countries. For 9.5 years working at the UN, I hosted approximately 5 visiting researchers per year that worked in my group for between 3-6 months. I also developed training courses and traveled to different countries to teach students and professional research scientists. Each training activity is listed below.

*Developer and leader, TILLING workshops in Seattle (2001-2007, 44 total).

*Expert lecturer, FAO/IAEA Inter-regional Training Course on Mutant Germplasm Characterization, Seibersdorf, Austria (2004-2007, 4 workshops, 80 students).

*Expert lecturer, INTEGRAL (Intensifying Training in Europe on Genomic Research Activity in Legumes), TILLING Practical, John Innes Centre (JIC), Norwich, UK (September 13- 15,2006).

*Lecturer and organizer, GABI (German Plant Genomic Program), TILLING workshop, Institute for Plant Breeding, Christian-Albrechts University, Kiel, Germany (April 1-3, 2008).

*Lecturer, Regional Training Course on the application of Technology Packages to breeding based on mutation induction and efficiency enhancing biotechnologies, Plant Breeding Unit of the FAO/IAEA Joint Programme, Seibersdorf, Austria (April 7-11, 2008).

*Lecturer, Regional Training Course on mutation breeding approaches to improving protein and starch quality. Southern Cross University, Lismore, Australia (March 23-27, 2009).

Lecturer, Joint FAO/IAEA International Training Course on Novel Biotechnologies and Molecular Technologies for Enhancing Mutation Induction Efficiency. Seibersdorf, Austria (November 2-December 4, 2009).

*Lecturer, Joint FAO/IAEA Group Scientific Visit on induced mutations for crop improvement in developing countries. Seibersdorf, Austria (February 1-5, 2010).

Course director and lecturer, Regional Training Course on DNA sequencing and TILLING. Turkish Atomic Energy Authority, Ankarak, Turkey (April 26-30, 2010).

*Course director and lecturer, Ineterregional Training Course on Mutation Induction and Breeding for Cereal (Wheat and Barley) Rust Resistance and Climate Adaptation. Seibersdorf, Austria (June 7-18, 2010).

*Lecturer, Regional Training Course on Use of Induced Mutations (TILLING) and DNA Markers in Cereal Genetics and Breeding. University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland (September 15-17,2010).

*Lecturer, Regional Training Course on Methodologies and Mechanisms for Screening against Abiotic Stresses. Seibersdorf, Austria (June 4-8, 2012).

*Course director and lecturer, Training workshop on enzymatic extraction and biochemical purification for mutation discovery. Seibersdorf, Austria (May 2009 and August 2012).

*Lecturer, Regional Training Course on Plant Mutation Breeding: Mutation Induction, MutationDetection and Pre-breeding. Seibersdorf, Austria (June 3-14, 2013).

*Lecturer, Regional Training Course on Mutation Induction Techniques and Supportive Breeding and Biotechnologies for Wheat and Barley. Seibersdorf, Austria (July 1-5, 2013).

*Lecturer, Interregional Training Course on Breeding Techniques for Mutant Traits with SpecialReference to Ug99, Seibersdorf, Austria (November 25-29, 2013).

*Guest Lecturer, Post-Gradulate International Master degree program on Nuclear and IonizingRadiation Technologies, University Institute of Advanced Studies of Pavia, Pavia, Italy (January 7-8, 2014).

*Guest Lecturer: “Spezielle Pflanzenzuchtung” University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences BOKU, Vienna, Austria (June 4, 2014).

*Lecturer: “First National Workshop on TILLING in Crop Plants”, Repository of Tomato Genomics Resources, University of Hyderabad, India (April 20-24, 2015).

*Guest Lecturer: “Plant Breeding: principles and methods”. University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences BOKU, Vienna, Austria (November 4, 2015).

*Lecturer: “Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences TILLING workshop”, Nanning, China (November 16-19, 2014).

*Lecturer: “Second National Workshop on TILLING in Crop Plants”, Repository of Tomato Genomics Resources, University of Hyderabad, India (December 14-18, 2015).

*Mentor & supervisor, 3 month to 1 year fellowship trainees from developing countries (over 30 students, 2007-2016).

*Lecturer: “Training course on low-cost methods for characterization of mutant plants”, Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute, Karaj, Iran (July 26-27, 2016).

*Lecturer: ”Training Course on Mutation Induction in Coffee”, Plant Breeding and Genetics Laboratory, Seibersdorf, Austria (October 3-7, 2016).

*Lecturer: “Mutagenesis as a plant research and breeding tool”, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden (November 14-17, 2016).

*Lecturer: “Third National Training Workshop on TILLING and Genome Editing in Crop Plants”, Repository of Tomato Genomics Resources, University of Hyderabad, India (January 29- February 2, 2018)

Dissemination of research results and transfer of technologies has been a key component of my work. My research has involved the development and adaptation of molecular biology tools to facilitate crop improvement and plant functional genomics. In addition to the training courses I have listed in the section titled “Human Capital Training”, I have presented my research at national and international conferences and spoken as an invited speaker at academic institutions (40 since 2010). I have also published my research as peer-reviewed research articles, review chapters and books (65 in total since 2001). I have specifically written and published work that contains detailed protocols with the goal of facilitating technology transfer and dissemination. These are listed below.

Edited books:

Till, B.J., Jankowicz-Cieslak, J., Huynh, O.A., Beshir, M., Laport, R.G., and Hofinger B. J (2015). Low-Cost Methods for Molecular Characterization of Mutant Plants (Springer International Publishing).

Jankowicz-Cieslak, J., Tai, T.H., Kumlehn, J., and Till, B.J. (2016). Biotechnologies for Plant Mutation Breeding: Protocols (Springer International Publishing).

Articles:

Mago, R., Till, B., Periyannan, S., Yu, G., Wulff, B.B.H., and Lagudah, E. (2017). Generation of Loss-of-Function Mutants for Wheat Rust Disease Resistance Gene Cloning. Methods Mol. Biol. 1659, 199–205.

Jankowicz-Cieslak, J., and Till, B.J. (2016). Chemical Mutagenesis of Seed and Vegetatively Propagated Plants Using EMS. In Current Protocols in Plant Biology, (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.), 1, 617-635.

Cooper, J.L., Henikoff, S., Comai, L., and Till, B.J. (2013). TILLING and ecotilling for rice. Methods Mol. Biol. 956, 39–56.

Till, B.J., Zerr, T., Comai, L., and Henikoff, S. (2006). A protocol for TILLING and Ecotilling in plants and animals. Nature Protocols 1, 2465–2477.

Till, B.J., Colbert, T., Codomo, C., Enns, L., Johnson, J., Reynolds, S.H., Henikoff, J.G., Greene, E.A., Steine, M.N., Comai, L., et al. (2006). High-throughput TILLING for Arabidopsis. Methods Mol Biol 323, 127–135.

Till, B.J., Colbert, T., Tompa, R., Enns, L.C., Codomo, C.A., Johnson, J.E., Reynolds, S.H., Henikoff, J.G., Greene, E.A., Steine, M.N., et al. (2003). High-throughput TILLING for functional genomics. Methods Mol Biol 236, 205–220.

Book Chapters:

Hofinger, B.J., Huynh, O.A., Jankowicz-Cieslak, J., and Till, B.J. (2017). A Protocol for Benchtop Extraction of Single-Strand-Specific Nucleases for Mutation Discovery. In Biotechnologies for Plant Mutation Breeding, (Springer International Publishing), pp. 241–251.

Huynh, O.A., Jankowicz-Cieslak, J., Saraye, B., Hofinger, B., and Till, B.J. (2017). Low-Cost Methods for DNA Extraction and Quantification. In Biotechnologies for Plant Mutation Breeding, J. Jankowicz-Cieslak, T.H. Tai, J. Kumlehn, and B.J. Till, eds. (Springer International Publishing), pp. 227–239.

Jankowicz-Cieslak, J., and Till, B.J. (2017). Chemical Mutagenesis and Chimera Dissolution in Vegetatively Propagated Banana. In Biotechnologies for Plant Mutation Breeding, (Springer International Publishing), pp. 39–54.

Jankowicz-Cieslak, J., Mba, C., and Till, B.J. (2017). Mutagenesis for Crop Breeding and Functional Genomics. In Biotechnologies for Plant Mutation Breeding: Protocols, J. Jankowicz-Cieslak, T.H. Tai, J. Kumlehn, and B.J. Till, eds. (Springer International Publishing), pp. 3–18.

Johnson, S.D., Taylor, D.R., Tai, T.H., Jankowicz-Cieslak, J., Till, B.J., and Jalloh, A.B. (2017). Field Evaluation of Mutagenized Rice Material. In Biotechnologies for Plant Mutation Breeding, (Springer International Publishing), pp. 145–156.

Till, B.J., Hofinger, B.J., ?en, A., Huynh, O.A., Jankowicz-Cieslak, J., Gugsa, L., and Kumlehn, J. (2017). A Protocol for Validation of Doubled Haploid Plants by Enzymatic Mismatch Cleavage. In Biotechnologies for Plant Mutation Breeding, (Springer International Publishing), pp. 253–262.

Lee, L.S., Till, B., Hill, H., Huynh, O., and Jankowicz-Cieslak, J. (2014). Mutation and Mutation Screening. In Cereal Genomics, R.J. Henry, and A. Furtado, eds. (Humana Press), pp. 77–95.

Cooper, J.L., Henikoff, S., Comai, L., and Till, B.J. (2013). TILLING and ecotilling for rice. Methods Mol. Biol. 956, 39–56.

Till, B.J., Zen, T., Comai, L., and Henikoff, S. (2012). A protocol for TILLING and eco-TILLING. In Plant Mutation Breeding and Biotechnology, Q.Y. Shu, B.P. Forster, and H. Nakagawa, eds. (Cambridge, Mass.: CABI International), pp. 269–286.

Till, B.J. (2010). Mutation Detection in Plants by Enzymatic Mismatch Cleavage. In The Handbook of Plant Mutation Screening, (Wiley-Blackwell), pp. 131–148.