New Research Leader

We are pleased to announce the Cereal Disease Laboratory has a new Research Leader, Dr. Shahryar Kianian.

Dr. Kianian has been selected as the Research Leader for the Cereal Disease Research Unit in St. Paul., MN replacing the former Research Leader, Marty Carson. 

Dr. Kianian has been engaged in improvement of wheat for the past 15 years.  Prior to joining ARS, Dr. Kianian was on the faculty at North Dakota State University, where his research focused on different means of improving wheat and identifying the tools needed to make this process more efficient.  Dr. Kianian has been the leader in the use of radiation hybrid (RH) mapping to generate high-resolution physical maps.  His research also identified and mapped quantitative trait loci from wild type and wheat land races which imparted resistance to Fusarium head blight.  He is author or coauthor on over 80 peer-reviewed journal publications, numerous edited proceedings, and book chapters. Dr. Kianian is recognized nationally and internationally as an authority of wheat genetics, alloplasmic, and genomics research.  He has been frequently approached to train others in the use of radiation hybrid mapping technology, provide consultation and advice on the application of this technology, and has received numerous invitations to present lectures, organize meetings and write book chapters on these areas.  Dr. Kianian received his BS in Biological Sciences from UC-Irvine, and his PhD in Genetics from UC-Davis.  He was a postdoctoral scientist in the Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics at the University of Minnesota prior to joining North Dakota State University.  

Dr. Kianian can be reached at Shahryar.Kianian@ars.usda.gov.