Sambasivam Periyannan's Biography

Sambasivam Periyannan, Research Scientist, CSIRO

Dr Sambasivam (Sam) Periyannan, a Research Scientist at the Cereal Rust Research teams of CSIRO Agriculture & Food and Australian National University, Canberra, is an expert on the molecular genetic analysis of plant-pathogen interactions. As lead researcher and team member, Sam cloned five disease resistance genes in wheat. Further in collaboration with John Innes Centre, UK, Sam identified a rapid resistance gene isolation technology called “MutRenSeq” which is based on mutagenesis, gene capture and next generation sequencing. Currently, using the MutRenSeq platform, his research is focused on isolation of additional rust resistances aimed towards the development of gene cassettes for durable rust resistance. Subsequently as an Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Research Fellow, he also works on the molecular biology of wheat-stripe rust interaction.