Tailoring the Tomato Genome for NextGen Agriculture

Dr. Dilip R. Panthee is an Associate Professor and Tomato Breeder at the Department of Horticultural Science at North Carolina State University. His expertise includes plant breeding, genetics, genomics, QTL mapping, molecular marker development, and marker-assisted selection. His tomato breeding program focuses on improving disease resistance, yield, and fruit quality using conventional and molecular approaches. He has released 13 hybrid tomato cultivars and 19 tomato breeding lines. Dr. Panthee has published over 95 journal articles, 10 book chapters, and more than 85 abstracts and research reports. He has mentored numerous graduate students, Post-Doctoral Research Scientists, Research Scholars, and Visiting Scientists. He has received ten professional awards for his contributions to the scientific community, including the Fulbright Specialist Award, Julian C. Miller Sr. Distinguished Research Award, and Vegetable Breeding Excellence Award.

Prof. Chittaranjan Kole is an internationally renowned academician with a distinguished professional career of over 40 years. His original scientific contributions in Plant Genomics and Biotechnology have earned global recognition. His scholarly publications include 170 research articles, predominantly in peer-reviewed international journals, 35 book chapters, and over 200 books published by globally reputable publishers. His academic achievements have been acknowledged by seven Nobel Laureates. Prof. Kole’s research contributions have been recognized with several international awards and fellowships. He has served as a faculty member, Head of Department, Dean, or Vice Chancellor in three universities in India, and as a Visiting Professor in three universities in the USA. Currently, Prof. Kole serves as the Founding President of Genome India International and also leads two other international organizations: the International Climate Resilient Crop Genomics Consortium and the International Consortium on Phytomedomics and Nutriomics.