Dhondup Lhamo, from the United States, is a research associate within the Crop Improvement and Genetics Research Unit at the USDA-ARS-WRRC in Albany, CA. Her work in Dr. Steven Xu’s lab is centered on harnessing the genetic diversity inherent in close and wild relatives of wheat. Her aim is to uncover novel resistance sources, loci and genes that could combat major fungal pathogens and pests of wheat. Through genome-wide association studies, she identifies candidate genes for disease resistance, subsequently validating their functions and mechanisms through advanced techniques such as genetic engineering, molecular genetics, transcriptomics and proteomics.

Lhamo completed her BA in molecular biology (2014), followed by a PhD in plant biology (2021), both from the University of California, Berkeley, CA. Her doctoral research was focused on understanding the plant adaptation to nutrient deficiencies using genomic and transcriptomic approaches. Her interest in crop research stems from her childhood experiences on a family farm.

Education

• PhD in Plant Biology, University of California Berkeley, 2021
• BA in Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley, 2014