Professor
Tofazzal Islam
Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (IBGE), Gazipur Agricultural University, Gazipur 1706, Bangladesh
Title: Integrated Omics and CRISPR-Based Genome Editing for Managing Fearsome Wheat Blast Disease
Wheat blast, a destructive disease caused by the fungal pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae pathotype Triticum (MoT), poses a significant threat to global food security. Since its emergence in Brazil in 1985, the disease has spread rapidly, with recent outbreaks in Bangladesh (2016) and Zambia (2018) highlighting its pandemic potential. Using omics technologies and a framework of open data sharing, we identified a clonal MoT lineage in both Asia and Africa, which originated from independent introductions from South America. To address this threat, we developed a rapid, point-of-care diagnostic kit utilizing CRISPR-Cas12a technology and genome-specific markers. This kit is now used for early warning and surveillance of the disease across Asia, Africa, and South America. We also applied CRISPR-Cas genome editing to develop durable blast-resistant wheat varieties. Our approaches include editing wheat susceptibility genes (S-genes) and introgressing the major resistance gene Rmg8 into high-yielding varieties. Transcriptomic analysis of wheat leaves from the first epidemic outbreak revealed new potential susceptibility gene (S-gene) targets for future editing, further advancing our efforts. This lecture details our genomics and genome editing strategies, showcasing how global collaboration and innovative technologies are critical to managing this devastating disease.
Biography of the presenting author
Professor Md Tofazzal Islam is a distinguished academic and the Founding Director of the Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (IBGE) at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University. He holds BScAg (Hons.) and MSc(Ag) degrees (First-Class-First) from Bangladesh Agricultural University, and MS and PhD degrees from Hokkaido University, Japan.
Internationally recognized for pioneering research in molecular biology, genomics, and genome editing for climate-smart agrobiotechnology, he established IBGE with state-of-the-art laboratories and secured over $15 million in international grants. During the 2016 wheat blast epidemic, he led a collaboration of over 30 global experts to identify the pathogen’s origin and developed a CRISPR-based diagnostic kit now used for early surveillance across Asia, Africa, and South America.
Professor Islam’s major research contributions include decoding the year-round fruiting jackfruit genome, mapping the Hilsa fish probiotic microbiome, and discovering over 50 novel bioactive metabolites with potent anti-phytopathogen activity. He has held prestigious postdoctoral and visiting professorships at institutions including Hokkaido University (JSPS), the University of Goettingen (Alexander von Humboldt), and West Virginia University (Fulbright). With over 350 publications, 14,500 citations, and an h-index of 60, his work appears in top-tier journals like Nature Plants and Nature Communications. He is also Chief Editor for two Springer Nature book series.
He is an elected Fellow of the Bangladesh Academy of Sciences, the American Phytopathological Society, and The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), and a recipient of the BAS Gold Medal and the Commonwealth Innovation Award. His research is funded by organizations including the World Bank and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Presenting author details
Full name: Md Tofazzal Islam, FBAS, FTWAS, FAPS
Contact number: +8801714001414
Email: tofazzalislam@gau.edu.bd
LinkedIn
ORCID: 0000-0002-7613-0261
WebsiteCategory: (Oral presentation)