UGA Tifton Campus
Office:  NESPAL 116

Akshaya Biswal, an Assistant Research Scientist, spearheads a dynamic research program dedicated to advancing peanut genetics and breeding. His mission is to enhance peanut yield, quality, and disease resistance, aligning with the evolving needs of the industry and the State of Georgia. With an extensive background spanning over two decades, Dr. Biswal is a seasoned expert in molecular plant breeding, biochemistry, and precision genetic technologies, including genetic engineering and genome editing.

Prior to joining the University of Georgia (UGA), Dr. Biswal developed a high efficiency genetic transformation protocol that paved the way for seamless genome editing in elite wheat varieties that has been published in Frontiers in Plant Science. Presently, his research is focused on unraveling the functional mechanism underlying host resistance to the devastating peanut stem rot disease. Additionally, he is engaged in enhancing the peanut genetic transformation and genome editing tools which is very important for peanut genetics and genomics.

Apart from his research endeavors, Dr. Biswal is also involved in various professional and scholarly activities at UGA, underscoring his commitment to scientific excellence and innovation.

Appointments

• 95% Research
• 5% Service

Education

• B.S., Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, India, 1994
• M.S., Biotechnology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India, 1996
• Ph.D., Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad, India, 2010