BRANDE BRUCE HERTEL WULFF: PIONEER IN PLANT GENETICS 🌾
INTRODUCTION
Brande Bruce Hertel Wulff is a distinguished plant geneticist renowned for his groundbreaking work in cereal crop disease resistance. His research has significantly advanced our understanding of plant-pathogen interactions, leading to the development of disease-resistant wheat varieties.
EARLY ACADEMIC PURSUITS
Wulff’s academic journey began with a Bachelor of Science in Plant Biology from the University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK, where he graduated with first-class honors in 1997. He subsequently pursued a Ph.D. at The Sainsbury Laboratory, Norwich, completing it in 2001.
PROFESSIONAL ENDEAVORS
Wulff’s career trajectory includes:
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Postdoctoral Researcher: The Sainsbury Laboratory, Norwich, UK (2002-2004); IBMCP-CSIC, Valencia, Spain (2004-2008); IBMP-CNRS, Strasbourg, France (2008-2010).
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Research Manager: The Sainsbury Laboratory 2Blades Group, Norwich, UK (2010-2014).
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Group Leader: John Innes Centre, Norwich, UK; Tenure Track (2014-2018), Tenured (2018-2021).
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Associate Professor: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia (2021-present).
CONTRIBUTIONS AND RESEARCH FOCUS ON Plant Pathology
Wulff’s research focuses on cloning disease resistance genes from wild relatives of wheat and integrating them into cultivated varieties. Notable contributions include:
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Gene Discovery: Identified the wheat stem rust resistance gene Sr43, encoding an unusual protein kinase.
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Genomic Resources: Developed a wheat resistance gene atlas to aid breeding programs.
IMPACT AND INFLUENCE
Wulff’s work has led to the development of wheat varieties with enhanced resistance to diseases like stem rust and blast fungus, contributing to global food security.
ACADEMIC CITATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS
With an H-index of 48 and over 16,000 citations, Wulff has authored 83 papers, 5 book chapters, and holds 8 patents. Selected publications include:
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“The wheat stem rust resistance gene Sr43 encodes an unusual protein kinase.” Nature Genetics, 2023.
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“A wheat kinase and immune receptor form the host-specificity barrier against the blast fungus.” Nature Plants, 2023.
HONORS & AWARDS
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2021-2025: US$4.2M from KAUST, RDIA, USDA-NIFA, and 2Blades Foundation.
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2010-2021: £3.6M from BBSRC, 2Blades Foundation, Newton Foundation, EU, Limagrain, Monsanto, and Bayer.
LEGACY AND FUTURE CONTRIBUTIONS
Through his research and mentorship, Wulff continues to influence the field of plant genetics, paving the way for future advancements in crop improvement.
FINAL NOTE
Wulff’s dedication to plant genetics has led to innovations in crop disease resistance, ensuring sustainable agricultural practices.
NOTABLE PUBLICATIONS
A single NLR gene confers resistance to leaf and stripe rust in wheat
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Authors: D. Sharma, R. Avni, J.J. Gutierrez-Gonzalez, A. Minz-Dub, A. Sharon
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Journal: Nature Communications
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Year: 2024
Origin and evolution of the bread wheat D genome
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Authors: E. Cavalet-Giorsa, A. González-Muñoz, N. Athiyannan, B.B.H. Wulff, S.G. Krattinger
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Journal: Nature
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Year: 2024
Harnessing landrace diversity empowers wheat breeding
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Authors: S. Cheng, C. Feng, L.U. Wingen, S. Huang, S. Griffiths
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Journal: Nature
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Year: 2024
The wheat powdery mildew resistance gene Pm4 also confers resistance to wheat blast
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Authors: T. O’Hara, A. Steed, R. Goddard, C. Uauy, P. Nicholson
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Journal: Nature Plants
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Year: 2024
Single amino acid change alters specificity of the multi-allelic wheat stem rust resistance locus SR9
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Authors: J. Zhang, J. Nirmala, S. Chen, M.N. Rouse, E.S. Lagudah
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Journal: Nature Communications
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Year: 2023