PAWAN KUMAR
Cotton Molecular Breeding Lab.
NESPAL
2356 Rainwater road
Tifton, Ga-31794
Ph: 229-386-3477 (Lab) / 229-848-4584 (cell)
Email: pawanks76@gmail.com
pawanks@uga.edu
EDUCATION
Doctor of Philosophy
Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Genomics (PBGG)
Area of Specialization: Plant Breeding. Fall, 2010 (Expected).
University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
Master of Science
Plant Breeding; January, 2001.
Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India
Bachelor of Science
Agriculture; November, 1997.
University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, Karnataka, India
CERTIFICATE
Graduate certificate in Bioinformatics
University of Georgia, Athens, GA
Courses in Gene Technology, Whole Genome Analysis and Genomics & Bioinformatics
applications
EXPERIENCE
2006 - Present University of Georgia, Athens, GA.
Graduate Research Assistant
Research Highlights:
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2003-2005
Developed ten mapping populations by crossing two Sealand lines with five Upland
cotton lines representing different types of Upland cotton grown in cotton belt of the U.S.
Identified G. barbadense chromatin Introgressed in two Sealand cotton cultivars.
Mapped Fiber length QTLs of G. barbadense origin in Sealand cotton lines.
Mapped and validated fiber strength QTL cluster on chromosome 24 of Upland cotton.
Mapped QTLs for fiber quality traits (Fiber strength, Fiber Length, Fiber Elongation,
Micronaire, Uniformity Index) in different types of Upland lines.
Advanced all ten populations to develop Recombinant Inbred Lines (RILs) populations, a
valuable resource for fine mapping of fiber quality traits.
Cotton Molecular Breeding Lab., University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
Visiting Research Scientist
Research Highlights:
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Identified intron splice site by aligning cotton ESTs with genomic DNA of Arabidopsis.
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Calculated the rate of sequence variation between introns and exons of cotton and
proposed the development of polymorphic markers targeting intronic regions of cotton
genome.
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Mapped QTLs conferring resistance to Root Knot Nematode (RKN) in M-120 RNR
Upland cotton line of the Auburn 623 RNR source.
2001- 2003
Cotton Insect Molecular Biology Lab., Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India.
Senior Research Fellow (SRF)
Research Highlights:
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Developed PCR based SCAR markers specific to B-biotype of cotton whitefly for
monitoring the spread of this biotype following its introduction in south Indian states.
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Developed molecular diagnostic tools for cotton infesting pest (Helicoverpa spp.),
pathogens (Cotton leaf curl virus) and biological pest control agents (Trichogramma spp.)
1998 - 2001
Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India
Master of Sciences
Research Highlights:
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Used phenotypic and molecular markers to assess genetic diversity in G. hirsutum and G.
arboreum cultivars grown in India.
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Identified several species specific molecular markers.
AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
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Merit scholarship for second highest OGPA in B.Sc. (Agriculture).
Graduate student travel award to attend Plant and Genome (PAG XVIII) at San Diego, CA (January 8-14,
2010).
Mentored Young Scholars Internship program at UGA, Tifton campus (2008 & 2009).
SOFTWARE SKILL
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Mapmaker/ MapmakerQTL – Developing Genetic Linkage Maps/QTL Analysis
Windows QTL cartographer – QTL analysis (Single Marker Analysis, Interval Mapping, Composite
Interval Mapping)
Mapchart – Display Genetic Linkage maps
QTL Network – Genetic Analysis and QTL Mapping
SAS – Basic Statistical Analysis.
MS office suite
PUBLICATIONS
Pawan Kumar, Rippy Singh, Andrew Paterson and Peng Chee. 2010. Confirmation and Validation of
Fiber Strength QTL Cluster on Chromosome 24 of Upland Cotton. In Proceedings Beltwide Cotton
Conferences, January 4-7.
Pawan Kumar, Rippy Singh, Edward Lubbers, Andrew Paterson and Peng Chee. 2008. Identification
and Evaluation of introgressed chromatins in Sealand cotton cultivars. In Proceedings Beltwide Cotton
Conferences, Jan. 8-11.
Shen, X., G. Van Becelaere, P. Kumar, R.F. Davis, O.L. May, and P. Chee. 2006. QTL mapping for resistance to
root-knot nematodes in the M-120 RNR upland cotton line (Gossypium hirsutum L.) of the Auburn 623 RNR
source. Theor. Appl. Genet. 113:1539–1549.
Pawan Kumar, Andrew H. Paterson; and Peng W. Chee. 2006. Predicting Intron Sites by Aligning Cotton ESTs
with Arabidopsis Genomic DNA. Journal of Cotton Science 10:29–38.
Pawan Kumar, Kuldeep Singh, Yogesh Vikal, L.S. Randhawa, and G.S. Chahal. 2003. Genetic diversity studies
of elite cotton germplasm lines using RAPD markers and morphological characteristics. Indian J. Genet. 63(1):
5-10.
Amit Sethi, Pawan Kumar, Jawala Jindal, Beant Singh, Baljinder Singh, V K Gupta and V K Dilawari. 2003.
Monitoring Insecticide Resistance in Whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Genn) in Indian Cotton Ecosystems. Resistant
Pest Management Newsletter 13:52-55.
Dilawari, V.K., M.S. Bons, Amit Sethi, Pawan Kumar & V.K. Gupta. 2002. RAPD-PCR for studying host
specificity of Trichogramma. Egg Parasitoid News 14:9.
Gupta V.K, Pawan Kumar, A Sethi, M S Bons, A S Sohi and Dilawari.V.K. Molecular mapping of cloned viral
DNA-A for differentiating amongst cotton leaf curl virus (CLCuV) strains. In Symposium on Plant Health and
Food Security by Asian Congress of Mycology and Plant Pathology October 1-4 2002, Mysore, Karnataka, India.
BOOK CHAPTERS
Anjanabha Bhattacharya, Rippy Singh and Pawan Kumar. 2009. Transgenics for Biofuel crops. In: Transgenic
Crop Plants, Utilization and Biosafety, Springer-Germany. ISBN 978-3-642-04811-1.
Anjanabha Bhattacharya and Pawan Kumar. 2010. Water Hyacinth as potential biofuel crop. Electronic J
of Environment, Agricultural Food Chemistry 9:1, 112-122.