Host: Professor Jesse Poland

Abstract:
Cytogenetics is a hybrid science that combines cytology and genetics. It explores the chromosome number and morphology by staining techniques (karyotype analysis). It establishes the function and dynamics of chromosomes during cell division which eventually shed light on the chromosome structure modifications, chromosome behavior in relation to recombination, transmission, and expression of genes. My recent study focuses on 1) discovery and utilization of novel homoeologous recombination promotor for wheat crop improvement by chromosome engineering; 2) discovery of a novel genetic element conferring herbicide resistance in weeds and its potential application in genetic engineering.

Bio:
Dal-Hoe Koo completed his Ph.D. in biology at Chungnam National University in South Korea. In his PhD research he worked on the cytogenetic analysis of cucumber genome. In 2007, he entered the US as postdoc in the Department of Horticulture, University of Wisconsin-Madison. His postdoctoral research was understanding the epigenetic modification of functional centromere in maize and rice. He moved to the Kansas State University as Research Assistant Professor, and he recently promoted as Research Associate Professor. His research focuses on developing pre-breeding materials for wheat crop improvement by chromosome engineering.