Andrew Paterson's Biography

Andrew Paterson, Professor/Director, University of Georgia

Andrew H. Paterson, Ph.D. is a Distinguished Research Professor at the University of Georgia, and the head of the Plant Genome Mapping Laboratory (www.plantgenome.uga.edu). Prof. Paterson’s research uses genomic tools and approaches to study crop improvement, plant biodiversity, and molecular evolution. His lab has contributed to knowledge of sorghum, cotton, sugarcane, peanut, Miscanthus, switchgrass, Bermuda grass, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, rice, tomato, maize, and other crops, as well as several major weeds, one nitrogen-fixing bacterium (Azospirillum), and a group of viruses important in poultry. He received his B.S. (Summa Cum Laude, 1982) in agriculture from the University of Delaware, and his M.S. (1986) in plant breeding and Ph.D. (1988) in plant genetics from Cornell University, undertaking postdoctoral studies with Steven Tanksley at Cornell. From 1989-1991 he was employed by the E. I. DuPont Company, also serving as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Delaware. In 1991, he joined the faculty of Texas A&M University, where he was promoted to the Christine Richardson Endowed Professorship in 1996. He moved to the University of Georgia in 1999, where he became a Distinguished Research Professor in 2002. He has authored or co-authored more than 260 refereed publications, 58 book chapters, edited 4 books, and given more than 180 professional presentations.