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UGA College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics & Genomics
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Recent Honors and Awards

We’re proud to share some exciting achievements from our community members who continue to shine in their respective fields!

Aidan Bobholz (Li Lab)

Aidan has been selected as a recipient of the 2025 Frank D. Keim Graduate Fellowship by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America (ASA-CSSA-SSSA). This prestigious award recognizes outstanding contributions and achievements in the field.

APRES 2025 Highlights

At the recently concluded 57th Annual Meeting of the American Peanut Research and Education Society (APRES) in Richmond, VA, PBGG made a strong impression:

  • Soraya Bertioli (PBGG faculty) was honored with the Corteva Agriscience Award for Excellence in Research.
  • Graduate student Samuele Lamon (D. Bertioli Lab) earned 3rd Place in the Joe Sugg PhD Graduate Student Competition for his talk:“The role of genetic instability in peanut domestication and its lasting impact on cultivated varieties.”

  • Graduate student Andrew Marchetti (Brown Lab) took home 1st Place in the MS Poster Competition.

Photo above shows (l-r) Samuele Lamon, Dr. Soraya Bertioli, and Andrew Marchetti.

Meet Our Post Docs
Sailaja Bhogireddy

Before joining the University of Georgia, Sailaja Bhogireddy accumulated over 15 years of research experience in the fields of plant molecular biology, biotechnology, and functional genomics, with a strong focus on improving the resilience and productivity of cereal and legume crops. She completed her Ph.D. in Biotechnology and began her scientific career at the ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research (ICAR-IIRR), where she served as a Senior Scientist in the Agricultural Biotechnology and Crop Improvement division.

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IPBGG Awards & Honors


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Distinguished Faculty
Buell Elected to NAS

Robin Buell, Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar Chair in Crop Genomics and Professor in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, was elected to the National Academy of Sciences.

The NAS is dedicated to:

  • Recognizing and elevating outstanding science
  • Fostering the broad understanding of science
  • Overseeing the National Research Council in producing and promoting the adoption of independent, authoritative, trusted scientific advice to the government for the benefit of society
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PBGG Faculty Excellence - Melissa Mitchum
Five UGA faculty named 2024 AAAS Fellows
Five University of Georgia faculty have been named Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, bringing the university’s total membership in the exclusive group to 50. UGA’s new Fellows, including Melissa Mitchum of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, are elected each year by the AAAS Council to recognize scientific achievements.
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Congrats to PBGG Member Patrick Conner
CAES horticulture professor among eight UGA faculty named NAI Senior Members
The National Academy of Inventors has selected eight University of Georgia researchers as 2025 NAI Senior Members, surpassing its own record of five inductees set last year. UGA now has 24 Senior Members overall. “We are thrilled to celebrate these latest UGA elections to the country’s leading organization for groundbreaking inventors and innovators,” said Chris King, interim vice president for research. “Their dedication to translating research into tangible impact embodies the university’s land-grant mission and our commitment to serving society through innovation.”
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PBGG Events - Keep checking this space for upcoming events.

Locations: In-person @ Tifton: NESPAL 126, Remotely @ Athens CAGT 128 and Griffin SLC 102 https://uga.zoom.us/j/94311227089?pwd=gsHNZCRRpKlM8hyDVg4O4LNNVMD5ap.1 Meeting ID: 943 1122 7089 Passcode: 648776
Aug 04
11:00AM - 2:00PM PBGG Thesis Defense Seminar: Identification of Candidate Quantitative Trait Loci for Resistance to Ramularia Leaf Spot in Upland Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) by Ben Culver
About the speaker: Dr. Ru is Assistant Professor at Auburn University, where she leads the blueberry breeding program. The main goals of the program, which focuses on southern highbush blueberry and rabbiteye blueberry, include the improvement of spring frost tolerance, early maturity, disease resistance and fruit quality using high-throughput phenotyping. Locations: in-person @ Griffin SLC 116, remotely via Zoom @ Athens CAGT 128 and Tifton NESPAL 126. Zoom links will be shared closer to the seminar date.
Aug 14
2:30PM - 3:30PM PBGG External Speaker Seminar: Dr. Sushan Ru, Auburn University
An exciting way to kick off the new school year, the CAES Alumni Association hosts Ag Dawg Kickoff to welcome students, faculty, and staff at the start of every fall semester. Attendees are provided with food, musical entertainment, and student club exhibits. The event allows students, faculty, and staff to interact and discover ways to get involved with activities offered by CAES. Are you a CAES alumni interested in volunteering at Ag Dawg Kickoff? Sign up to reserve your spot and get a free t-shirt!  
Aug 20
5:30PM - 7:30PM Ag Dawg Kickoff 2025 Livestock Arena, Athens, GA
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