Brian Staskawicz

Brian Staskawicz serves as the Director of Sustainable Agriculture and has made significant contributions to the field of plant pathology and agricultural sustainability. He has collaborated with notable scientists such as Jennifer Doudna, Jill Banfield, David Savage, and Steve Jacobsen on a study published in Cell about CRISPR systems in viruses. Additionally, Staskawicz co-authored a comprehensive review covering 50 years of breakthroughs in plant immunity. His current work focuses on developing sustainable solutions for plant disease resistance, aimed at enhancing global food security. Staskawicz is also pioneering innovative methods to reduce methane emissions from rice farming. These methods involve using genomic approaches to alter the methane production processes in soil microbes. Furthermore, he is actively involved in testing technologies that address critical agricultural issues in regions where CGIAR operates. His projects include removing cyanide from cassava and combating diseases in essential crops such as wheat, rice, and bananas.