UPINDER SINGH GILL, Ph.D.
Curriculum Vitae
University of Florida
Gulf Coast Research & Education Center, Wimauma, FL, 33598, USA
AREA OF EXPERTISE/INTERESTS
My past, present and
future research interests are focused on improvement of crop plants by using
plant pathology, genetics, genomics, and molecular biology tools. I have
accumulated more than 15 years of experience in agricultural research with
expertise in the following:
Plant Pathology: Expertise in plant disease resistance
against pathogens of monocots and dicots; extensive experience in rust
pathogens such as wheat stem rust (Puccinia
graminis f. sp. tritici); Asian
soybean rust (Phakopsora pachyrhizi),
and switchgrass rust (Puccinia emaculata);
expertise in plant-pathogen interactions.
Conventional and Molecular
Genetics: Genetic analysis of disease resistance genes, genetic
(QTL) and physical mapping, map based cloning, genomics, targeted genome
editing (CRISPR-Cas9 system), and double stranded (ds) RNA based gene
silencing/pathogen suppression.
Plant Breeding: Breeding for disease resistance, molecular
breeding, marker-assisted selection, high-throughput phenotyping and genotyping,
and alien introgressions.
EDUCATION
Ph.D. in Plant Genetics (Plant
disease resistance) 2012
Washington State
University, Pullman, WA, USA.
M.Sc. in Genetics
& Plant Breeding 2003
Punjab Agricultural
University, India.
B.Sc.
Agriculture
2000
Punjab
Agricultural University, India.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Postdoctoral
Fellow (2017-Present): University
of Florida, Gulf Coast Research & Education Center, Wimauma, FL, USA.
Supervisors: Drs. Samuel Hutton & Seonghee Lee
Postdoctoral
Fellow (2012-2017): Noble
Research Institute, Ardmore, OK, USA.
Supervisor: Dr.
Kirankumar S. Mysore
Graduate
Research Assistant (2005-2012):
Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA. Supervisor: Dr. Andris Kleinhofs
Research
Fellow (2003-2004):
Punjab Agricultural University, Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, India.
Supervisor: Dr. Surinder S. Banga
Student
Research Assistant (2000-2003):
Canola Breeding Lab, Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Punjab
Agricultural University, India. Supervisor: Dr. Surinder S. Banga
1. Gill
U., Nandety R., Krom
N., Dai X., Zhuang Z., Tang Y., Zhao P. and Mysore K. (2019). Draft genome sequence resource of switchgrass rust
pathogen, Puccinia novopanici isolate
Ard-01. Phytopathology,
https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-04-19-0118-A.
2.
Gill
U., Scott J, Shekasteband R., Ogundiwin E., Schuit C., Francis D.,
Sung-Chur S., Smith H. and Hutton S.F. (2019) Ty-6, a major begomovirus resistance gene on chromosome
10, is effective against Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus and Tomato Mottle Virus. Theoretical and Applied
Genetics, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-019-03298-0.
3.
Sun
L., Gill U., Nandety R., Kwon S.,
Mehta P., Dickstein R., Udvardi M., Mysore K., Wen J. (2019) Genome‐wide analysis of
flanking sequences reveals that Tnt1 insertion is positively correlated
with gene methylation in Medicago truncatula. The
Plant Journal, doi:10.1111/tpj.14291.
4.
(2019) Exploring natural variation for rice sheath blight
resistance in Brachypodium distachyon. Plant Signaling and Behavior, https://doi.org/10.1080/15592324.2018.1546527.
Gill
U., Sun L., Rustgi S., Tang Y., von Wettstein D. and Mysore K. (2018)
Transcriptome‐based analyses of
phosphite‐mediated suppression of rust pathogens Puccinia emaculata and Phakopsora pachyrhizi and functional
characterization of selected fungal target genes.
The
Plant Journal, 93 (5): 894-904.
6.
Gill
U., Uppalapati S., Gallego-Giraldo L., Ishiga Y., Dixon R. and Mysore K. (2018) Metabolic flux towards the (iso)flavonoid pathway in
lignin modified alfalfa lines Induces resistance against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. medicaginis. Plant, Cell, and Environment, 41(9): 1997-2007.
7.
Gill U., Serrani-Yarce J., Lee H. and Mysore K.
(2018) Tissue culture (somatic embryogenesis)-induced Tnt1 retrotransposon-based mutagenesis
in Brachypodium distachyon. In: Sablok G., Budak H., Ralph P. (eds)
Brachypodium Genomics. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol.
1667. Humana Press, New York, NY.
8. Ramegowda V., Gill U., Sivalingam P.N., Gupta A., Gupta C., Govind G., Karaba
N.N., Pereira A., Udayakumar M., Mysore K. and Senthil-Kumar M. (2017) GBF3 transcription factor imparts drought tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana. Scientific Reports 7,
Article number: 9148.
9.
Gill U., Brueggeman R., Nirmala J., Chai Y.,
Steffenson B. and Kleinhofs A. (2016) Molecular and genetic characterization of barley mutants
and genetic mapping of mutant rpr2
required for Rpg1-mediated resistance
against stem rust. Theoretical
and Applied Genetics, 129(8): 1519-1529.
10. Ishiga Y.,
Uppalapati S., Gill
U., Huhman D., Tang Y. and Mysore K. (2015) Transcriptomic and
metabolomic analyses identify a role for chlorophyll catabolism and phytoalexin
during Medicago nonhost resistance
against Asian soybean rust. Scientific
Reports 5, Article number: 13061.
11.
Gill
U., Uppalapati S., Nakashima J. and Mysore K. (2015) Characterization of Brachypodium distachyon as a nonhost
model against switchgrass rust pathogen Puccinia
emaculata. BMC Plant Biology 15: 113.
12.
Gill
U., Lee S. and Mysore K.S. (2015) Host versus nonhost resistance:
Distinct wars with similar arsenals. Phytopathology 105: 580-587.
13.
Gill
U., Nirmala J., Brueggeman R. and Kleinhofs A. (2012) Identification, characterization and
putative function of HvRin4, a barley
homolog of Arabidopsis Rin4.
Physiological
and Molecular Plant Pathology 80: 41-49.
14.
Zhang L., Lavery L., Gill U., Gill K.,
Steffenson B., Yan G., Chen X. and Kleinhofs A. (2009) A cation/proton-exchanging protein is
a candidate for the barley NecS1 gene
controlling necrosis and enhanced defense response to stem rust.
Theoretical
and Applied Genetics 118: 385-397.
15.
Brueggeman R., Druka A., Nirmala J., Cavileer T.,
Drader T., Rostoks N., Mirlohi A., Bennypaul H., Gill U., Kudrna D.,
Whitelaw C., Kilian A., Han F., Sun Y., Gill K., Steffenson B. and Kleinhofs A.
(2008) The stem rust resistance gene Rpg5 encodes a protein with
nucleotide-binding-site, leucine-rich, and protein kinase domains. Proceedings
of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 105:14970-14975.
16.
Keiša A., Kānberga K., Gill U., Kleinhofs A.
and Rostoks N. (2008) Cloning and characterization of
barley homologues of the Arabidopsis LSD1 gene: putative regulators of
hypersensitive response. Acta Universitatis
Latviensis 745: 87-101.
17. Gill
U., Banga S. S., Ahuja
I. and Banga S. K. (2006) In vitro
regeneration from cotyledonary explants of Toria
and Brown sarson morphotypes of Brassica rapa ssp. oleifera with a special reference to S-allele homozygotes. Journal of Oilseeds Research 23: 26-30.
MANUSCRIPTS IN PREPARATION/SUBMITTED
1. Gill U., Nakashima
J., Mittal S., Ishiga Y., Uppalapati S., Kang Y.,
Udvardi M. and Mysore K. A
Medicago truncatula Cytochrome p450 gene
plays a role in penetration resistance against nonhost pathogen Phakopsora pachyrhizi. (Target journal: The
Plant Cell).
2.
Gill U., Kang Y., Ishiga Y., Uppalapati S.,
Udvardi M. and Mysore K. A MYB96 transcription factor imparts resistance
against abiotic and biotic stresses in Medicago
sativa. (Target journal: Plant
Physiology).
3.
Gill
U., Wen J., Sun L., Dickstein R. and Mysore K. Targeted genome sequence capture for
efficient and high-throughput identification of flanking sequence tags of Tnt1 retrotransposon insertion sites in
plants. (Target journal: Nature Protocols).
4. Chandra S., Gill U., Oh Y., Noh Y., Nagano S., Sachiko I., Hardigan M., Knapp
S., Whitaker V. and Lee S. Fine mapping and candidate gene search of the
Phytophthora crown rot resistance locus FaRPc2
in octoploid strawberry. (Target journal: BMC Genomics).
5.
Nandety R., Gill U., Krom N., Tang Y., Mysore
K. Whole genome sequencing of switchgrass rust pathogen, Puccinia novopanici and its
relationship with other members of genus Puccinia.
(Target journal: BMC Genomics).
PAPERS / ABSTRACTS PRESENTED IN SYMPOSIA / CONFERENCES
1.
Gill
U., Ishiga Y., Uppalapati S.R., Mittal S., Lee H-K., Wen J.
and Mysore K. (2017) Insertional mutagenesis of Medicago truncatula and its utilization to identify novel sources
of resistance against Asian soybean rust; International Conference of Legume Genetics
and Genomics, September 18-22, 2017. Siofok, Hungry. Book of abstracts,
ICLGG2017/OL/43.
2.
Gill
U., Nakashima J., Mittal S., Ishiga Y., Uppalapati S. and Mysore K. (2016) Characterization of a Medicago truncatula Cytochrome p450 gene
for its role in penetration resistance against nonhost pathogen Phakopsora pachyrhizi. Plant Biology 2016 (The American Society of
Plant Biologists), July 9-13, 2016. Austin, TX.
3.
Lee H-K., Gill U., Chandrashekar B., Gallaway
J. and Mysore K. (2016) Development of Tnt1-based activation tagging
lines in the model legume Medicago truncatula using RNA-guided
transcriptional regulation via CRISPR-dCas9 system. World Congress on In Vitro Biology, June 11-15, 2016. San
Diego, CA.
4.
Gill
U., Nakashima J., Mittal S., Ishiga Y., Uppalapati S. and Mysore K. (2016)
Exploring nonhost resistance in a model legume Medicago truncatula against Asian soybean rust. International Plant
and Animal Genome XXIII Conference, January
8-13, 2016. Town & Country Convention Center, San Diego, CA.
6.
Gill
U., Mysore K. (2015) Application of phosphite inhibits growth of plant
fungal pathogens and primes plant defense response. The American
Phytopathological Society (APS) Annual Meeting, August 1-5, 2015. Convention
Centre, Pasadena, CA.
7.
Serrani-Yarce J., Dai X., Lee H., Gill U., Krom N., Wen J., Uppalapati
S., Zhao P. and Mysore K. (2015) Insertional mutagenesis of Brachypodium distachyon using the Tnt1
retrotransposon and its use to study nonhost disease resistance. International Brachypodium Conference, 16-19 June
2015, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA.
8. Gill U., Mittal S.,
Nakashima J., Ishiga Y., Uppalapati S. and Mysore K. (2015) A
Medicago truncatula Cytochrome
p450 gene plays a role in penetration
resistance against nonhost pathogen Phakopsora
pachyrhizi. International Plant and
Animal Genome XXIII Conference, January 10-14, 2015. Town & Country
Convention Center, San Diego, CA.
9.
Gill
U., Mittal S., Ishiga Y., Uppalapati S., Nakashima J. and Mysore K. (2014)
Identification and characterization of a Medicago
truncatula Tnt1 mutant, Epr1 (enhanced Penetration to Rust)
against Phakopsora pachyrhizi, the
Asian soybean rust pathogen.
Plant Genomics Congress, USA, September 11-12, 2014. St. Louis, MO.
10. Lee H.,
Serrani-Yarce J., Gill U. and Mysore K. (2014) Generation of activation-tagged lines in
Medicago truncatula using tobacco Tnt1 retrotransposon. Plant Genomics Congress,
USA, September 11-12, 2014. St. Louis, MO.
11.
Gill
U., Uppalapati S. and Mysore K. (2013) A multifaceted
approach to control switchgrass rust (Puccinia emaculata) by employing
nonhost resistance and chemical control. Oklahoma EPSCoR State Conference,
April 23, 2013. Wes Watkins Centre, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK.
12. Gill U., Nirmala J.,
Brueggeman R., Steffenson B. and Kleinhofs A. (2011) Molecular and genetic characterization
of six barley mutants susceptible to stem rust pathogen, Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici
race MCCF. International Plant and
Animal Genome XIX Conference, January 15-19, 2010. Town & Country
Convention Center, San Diego, CA.
13. Gill U., Nirmala J.,
Brueggeman R. and Kleinhofs A. (2010) Towards elucidating the role of HvRin4 in Rpg1-mediated stem rust resistance in barley. International Plant
and Animal Genome XVIII Conference, January
9-13, 2010. Town & Country Convention Center, San Diego, CA.
14. Zhang L., Nirmala J., Drader T.,
Brueggeman R., Gill U., Gill K. and
Kleinhofs A. (2008) Characterization and functional analysis of the barley Rpr1 gene. International Plant and
Animal Genome XV Conference, January 12-16, 2008. Town & Country Convention
Center, San Diego, CA.
15. Bennypaul H., Gill U., Okubara P. and Gill K. (2007) Virus induced gene silencing
for functional characterization of genes expressing in various wheat tissues. International Plant and Animal Genome XV
Conference, January 13-17, 2007. Town & Country Convention Center,
San Diego, CA.
16. Bennypaul H., Gill U., Jarugula S. and Gill K. (2006) Functional characterization
of expressed resistance gene candidates using genetic mapping and RNA
interference. International Plant and
Animal Genome XIV Conference, January 14-18, 2006. Town & Country
Convention Center, San Diego, CA.
COMPETITIVE RESEARCH GRANTS WRITTEN AND/OR AWARDED
1. Project
title: Research PGR: Functional genomics of beneficial legume-microbe
interactions (2017-2021).
Agency:
National Science Foundation Plant Genome Program (Grant # IOS-1733470)
PI:
Michael Udvardi; Co-PIs: Rebecca Dickstein, Julia Frugoli, Maria Harrison,
Kiran Mysore, Catalina Pislariu, and Janine Sherrier
Contributor:
Upinder Gill (Conceptualized and
generated preliminary data; Written sub-section on genome editing and sequence
capture)
Award value: $5,076,622
(Funded)
2. Project
title: Use of dsRNA’s for control of whitefly transmitted viruses in tomato
(2018).
Agency: Gordon
and Betty Moore Fellowship (2018)
Principal
Investigator (PI): Upinder Gill
Award value: $750,000 (short-listed in
the first phase but not funded)
3. Project
title: Understanding the mechanism of phosphite-mediated
resistance against rust pathogens (2015).
Agency: Oklahoma Centre for the
Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST), OCAST Plant Science Research
Program
Principal Investigator: Upinder Gill
Award value: $100,000 (Unfunded)
INVITED TALKS
Research
Ø
Agriculture
& Agri-Food Canada, Swift Current, SK, Canada; April 18, 2018.
Ø
Medicago Genetics and Genomics Workshop;
Ardmore, OK; September 18-21, 2016.
Ø
School
of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY; May 2, 2016.
Ø
Department
of Horticulture, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL; February 24, 2016.
Ø
American
Society of Plant Biologists, southern section (SS-ASPB); Denton, TX; April 2-4,
2016.
Ø
International Plant and Animal Genome XXIV
Conference; January 9-13, 2016.
Ø
Plant Microbe Interactions Symposium, Ardmore, OK;
March 14-15, 2015.
Ø Department of
Plant Breeding and Genetics, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India,
141001; October 2013.
Ø Plant Biology
Division, The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation Inc. Ardmore, OK, USA, 73401;
March 2012.
Extension
Ø
School
of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Geneva, NY; May 3rd,
2016.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
General
biology (1114): Fall 2015, University Centre of Southern
Oklahoma, Ardmore, OK.
Role:
Delivered guest lectures on DNA technology and genetic inheritance.
Genetic
principles underlying plant breeding (Crops 444): Spring
2006, Washington State University, Pullman, WA.
Role: Main
instructor in laboratory sessions.
Crop
growth and development (Crops/Hort 202): Spring 2005 and 2006,
Washington State University, Pullman, WA.
Role: Main
instructor in laboratory sessions.
Principles
of plant breeding: Spring 2004, Punjab Agricultural University,
India.
Role:
Delivered lectures in class.
MENTORING/SUPERVISING EXPERIENCE
Ø
Mentoring two graduate students (M.S. and
Ph.D.) in their research projects at the University of Florida.
Ø
Supervised two research associates and a
research assistant involved in different research projects at the Noble Research
Institute, LLC. Ardmore, OK (2014-2017).
Ø
Supervised and mentored undergraduate students
in developing, conducting and presenting their class (Crops/Hort. 202) research projects at Washington State University,
Pullman, WA (spring, 2006).
Ø
Recruited, supervised and trained two
undergraduate students in plant breeding and molecular biology at Washington
State University, Pullman, WA (2006-2008).
Ø
As research fellow, I managed field and
laboratory staff in canola breeding program at Punjab Agricultural University,
India (2003-2004).
TRAINING WORKSHOPS
Ø
Next-generation
sequencing (NGS) data analysis workshop. Summer 2013. Noble Research Institute,
LLC., Ardmore, OK.
Ø
Statistics
Workshop. December 17-19, 2012. Presented by Dr. Ken Moore (Iowa State
University). Noble Research Institute, LLC., Ardmore, OK.
Ø
Introductory
programming in R. October 24-25, 2016. Noble Research Institute, LLC., Ardmore,
OK.
AWARDS AND ACADEMIC HONORS
Ø
Washington
State University, Pullman, WA: WSCIA Vogel scholarship (2011-2012).
Ø
Washington
State University, Pullman, WA: GPSA travel award to attend the international
Plant and Animal genome conference, San Diego, USA in 2011.
Ø
Washington
State University, Pullman, WA: Lindahl memorial scholarship awarded for 4 years
consecutively (2006-2009).
Ø
Washington
State University, Pullman, WA: Roscoe and Cox scholarship awarded for 4 years
consecutively (2006-2009).
Ø
Punjab
Agricultural University, India: University merit scholarship in M.Sc. Plant
Breeding (2000-2002).
Ø Punjab Agricultural University, India:
Merit certificate for excellence in M.Sc. program (2003).
SCIENTIFIC / PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
(i) Scientific Peer review
Reviewer for The
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA (PNAS), Nature Scientific
Reports, Applied and Environmental Microbiology (AEM), BMC Plant Biology, Frontiers
in Plant Science, Horticulture Research, Plant Cell Reports, Bioenergy
Research, Scientia Agricola, and Crop science.
(ii) Editorial Board
Frontiers in Plant Science
(iii) Judging
·
State
Science fair judge, Oklahoma; April 2016.
·
State
Science fair judge, Oklahoma; April 2015.
·
Judge
for Lone Grove Intermediate school science projects competition; May 2015.
(iv) Membership of
Scientific Societies
·
American
Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
·
American
Phytopathological Society (APS)
·
American
Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB)
·
Member
of host resistance committee of American Phytopathological Society (APS)
(v) Professional
development
·
Postdoctoral
Representative, Plant Biology Division, Noble Research Institute (2014-2015).
·
Co-Chair,
Postdoctoral fellow and Research Scientists, Foundation development platform, Noble
Research Institute (2014-2017).
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