Plant University

SUKHPREET SANDHU

*** ********* ****, ****** *** Applied Genetic Technologies,

University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602

706-***-****(h), 706-***-****(c); *******@***.***

OBJECTIVE

Seeking a Scientist position that leverages my technical expertise, organizational skills and leadership

abilities to achieve and exceed company goals and allow opportunities for my professional growth.

EDUCATION

• Ph.D. Plant Molecular Genetics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, GPA 4.0/4.0 2008/08

‘Risk Assessment and Risk Management of Transgenic Bahiagrass’ ; Dr. Fredy Altpeter and Dr. Ann Blount

• M.S. Biochemistry (Minor Microbiology), Punjab Agricultural University, India

2002/04

‘Metabolism of Carbohydrates and Lipids in Germinating Sunflower Seeds’ ; Dr. Satish K. Munshi

• B.S. Plant Science (Specialization Biochemistry), Panjab University, India 1999/07

WORK/RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

• Post-doctoral Associate, University of Georgia, GA; Dr. John Burke 2008/09-Present

-Biochemical and genetic profiling of woody stems in silverleaf sunflower; Gene regulation of ligno-cellulose

accumulation by microarray experiments; SNP genotyping for QTL mapping of biomass traits.

• Graduate Research Assistant, University of Florida, FL; Dr. Fredy Altpeter 2003/08-2008/08

-Biolistic transformation of bahiagrass, characterization of transgene and transgenic protein in transgenic plants,

transgene inheritance, gene flow, hybrid characterization.

• Research Fellow, Punjab Agricultural University, India; Dr. Rohit K. Bhatia 2002/07-2003/07

-Allelopathy of rice residues on seed germination by bioassays and active component detection by HPLC.

• Research Assistant, Punjab Agricultural University, India; Dr. Satish Munshi 1999/07-2002/04

-GC analysis of sunflower seeds, biochemical estimation of seed proteins, carbohydrates and lipids.

TECHNICAL SKILLS

• Biochemistry- GC (fatty acids), HPLC (certified in HPLC Method Development and Validation,

Waters, MA, 12/2009), Spectrometry (carbohydrate, protein and lipids), TLC, Enzyme assays.

• Biotechnology- Tissue and cell culture, plant regeneration in monocots (e.g. Paspalum spp., Saccharum

spp.) and dicots (e.g. Cucumis spp.), Biolistic transformation.

• Breeding/Genetics- Greenhouse and field phenotyping for agronomic and physiological traits, Turf/forage

grass phenotypic characterization, Genetic Mapping (Mapmaker and Genome Studio), Crossing, Embryo

sac analysis, Flow Cytometry.

• Molecular Biology- DNA and RNA isolation, PCR, RT-PCR, Real time RT-PCR, Gene cloning, Sequence

analysis (Vector NTI, BLAST) Vector construction, Blotting and hybridization (radioisotope labeling),

ELISA, cDNA libraries and normalization, Molecular markers (RFLPs, SSRs and recently with SNPs);

454-Titanium sequencing, Large sequence data set analysis, Microarray design and hybridization.

• Plant Physiology- PAM fluorometer, UniSpec Spectral Analysis System, Pressure chamber for water

potential, Gas exchange measurements with Li-Cor Li6400.

SOCIETY/ACADEMIC SERVICE

• Coordinator Student and Post-doc Oral Competition, 2011 Soc. of In Vitro Biol. Meeting 2010-2011

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Sukhpreet Sandhu

• Coordinator Student Oral Competition, 2010 Intl. Assoc. of Plant Biotechnologist Meeting 2009-2010

• Ad hoc reviewer for journals ‘Plant Breeding’ & ‘Plant Cell Tissue and Organ Culture’ 2009-present

• Ad hoc reviewer for journal ‘Plant Cell Reports’ 2008-present

• Volunteer, In Vitro Society of Biologist Meetings in Tucson, AZ and Charleston, SC 2008-2009

• Ad hoc reviewer for journal ‘Grassland Science’ 2008-present

• Volunteer, Sunbelt Ag Expo at Moultrie, GA 2007

• Graduate Student Representative, Department of Agronomy, UF

2005

HONORS/AWARDS

• G. O. Mott Meritorious Graduate Student Award, Crop Science Society of America 2008

• The Society for In Vitro Biology Graduate Student Poster Competition- 2nd Place

2008

• Research and Graduate Programs Travel Grant, Graduate School, University of Florida 2008

• The Fred Hull Award of Excellence, Department of Agronomy, University of Florida 2008

• Certificate of Outstanding Academic Achievement, University of Florida 2007

• The Society for In Vitro Biology Student Travel Award 2007

• The Society for In Vitro Biology Student Poster Competition -1st Place 2007

• Davidson Travel Award, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Florida

2007

• Certificate of Outstanding Academic Achievement, University of Florida

2006

• Soil & Crop Science Society of Florida, 2006 Student Paper Contest- 1st Place 2006

• Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Research Travel Grant, University of Florida 2006

• Merit Certificate in academics and extra-curricular activities, Punjab Agricultural University 2002

• Best Science Student Award Government College for Women, Panjab University

1999

• Merit Certificate for 1st position in the university, Panjab University 1998

FELLOWSHIPS/ASSISTANTSHIPS

• Graduate Research Assistantship, Department of Agronomy, University of Florida 2004-2008

• Florida State Assistantship, Department of Horticultural Sciences, University of Florida 2003-2004

• Merit Fellowship, Punjab Agricultural University 1999-2001

• State Merit Scholarship Punjab Government Education Board 1996-1999

PUBLICATIONS (Career total 28)

Peer-reviewed Research Articles (Total 7; International Journal Articles 4)

S. SANDHU, A.R. Blount, K. Quesenberry, and F. Altpeter. 2010. Apomixis and ploidy barrier suppress pollen-

mediated gene flow in field grown transgenic turf and forage grass ( Paspalum notatum Flugge). Theor.

Appl. Genet. 121(5):919-929.

S. SANDHU, V.A. James, K. Quesenberry, and F. Altpeter. 2009. Risk assessment of transgenic apomictic

tetraploid bahiagrass, cytogenetics, breeding behavior and performance of intra-specific hybrids. Theor.

Appl. Genet. 119(8):1383-1395.

S. SANDHU and F. Altpeter. 2008. Co-integration co-expression and inheritance of unlinked, minimal transgene

cassettes in apomictic turf and forage grass ( Paspalum notatum Flugge) Plant Cell Rep. 27:1755-1765.

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S. SANDHU, F. Altpeter and A.R. Blount. 2007. Apomictic bahiagrass expressing the bar gene is highly resistant

to glufosinate under field conditions. Crop Sci. 47:1691-1697.

S.K. Munshi, S. SANDHU and S. Sharma. 2007. Lipid composition of fast and slow germinating sunflower

(Helianthus annuus L.) seeds. Gen. Appl. Plant Physiol. 33(4): 235-246.

S. SANDHU, S. Sharma and S.K. Munshi. 2006. Metabolic changes in fast and slow germinating sunflower

(Helianthus annuus L.) seeds. Ind. J. Agric. Biochem. 19(1): 15-18.

R.K. Bhatia, S. SANDHU, M.S. Sidhu, S.P. Mehra and G. Singh. 2005. Allelopathic effects of rice crop residue on

wheat and mustard. J. Res. Punjab. Agric. Univ. 42(4): 412-416.

Book Chapters (2)

F. Altpeter and S. SANDHU. 2010. Genetic Transformation- Biolistic Protocols. In: Plant Cell Culture- Essential

Methods. Davey M. and Anthony P. (eds), Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd., Chichester, UK, pp 217-240.

F. Altpeter, M. Agharkar and S. SANDHU. Bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flugge). 2008. In: Compendium of

Transgenic Crop Plants: Transgenic Cereals and Forage Grasses. Kole C. R. and Hall T.C. (eds), Blackwell

Scientific, Oxford, UK Vol. 1, pp 211-224.

Meeting Abstracts (19) - Oral and Poster Presentations (* presenting author)

S. SANDHU*, J. Barb, K. Gracom, R. Sykes, B. Moyers, M. Davis, L. Rieseberg, L. Marek, J.M. Burke, S.J.

Knapp. Genomic analysis of wood production in sunflower. American Society of Agronomy Meeting, Oct

31-Nov 4, 2010.

S. SANDHU*, J. Barb, K. Gracom, R. Sykes, B. Moyers, M. Davis, L. Rieseberg, L. Marek, J.M. Burke, S.J.

Knapp. Genetic mechanisms of wood production in silverleaf sunflower. International Association of Plant

Biotechnology Meeting, St Louis, MO, Jun 6-11, 2010.

E. Bachlava, J. Barb, S. SANDHU, D. Draeger, M. Huebner, K.S. Fatkin, R. Okashah, R.K. Brunick, J. Prothro*,

A. Leon, E. Hoeft, G. Cole, S.J. Knapp. Genetics of branching. American Society of Agronomy, Pittsburgh,

PA, Nov 1-5, 2009.

S. SANDHU, K. Quesenberry, A.R. Blount and F. Altpeter*. Generation and characterization of intraspecific

hybrids between apomictic tetraploid and sexual diploid bahiagrass genotypes ( Paspalum notatum Flugge).

Plant Genomics and Beyond Conference, Evry, France, Jul 5-8, 2009.

F. Altpeter*, S. SANDHU, K. Quesenberry, and A.R. Blount. Generation and risk assessment of apomictic,

transgenic turf and forage grass ( Paspalum notatum Flugge). In Vitro Society of Biologist Meeting,

Charleston, SC, Jun 6-10, 2009.

S. SANDHU*, F. Altpeter and A.R. Blount, K. Quesenberry, M. Gallo and M. Singh. Assessment of pollen

mediated gene transfer between apomictic and sexual cytotypes of bahiagrass ( Paspalum notatum).

American Society of Agronomy, Houston, TX, Oct 5-9, 2008.

S. SANDHU, A.R. Blount, K. Quesenberry and F. Altpeter*. Analysis of pollen mediated transgene flow from

apomictic forage and turf grass (Paspalum notatum Flugge). 1st Global Conference on GMO Analysis, Villa

Erba, Italy, June 24-27, 2008.

S. SANDHU*, A.R. Blount, K. Quesenberry and F. Altpeter. Risk Assessment of transgenic, apomictic forage and

turf grass (Paspalum notatum Flugge). World Congress on In Vitro Biology, Tucson, AZ, Jun 14-18, 2008.

S. SANDHU*, F. Altpeter and A.R. Blount. Molecular characterization and risk assessment of apomictic transgenic

bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flugge). Florida Genetics Symposium, Gainesville, FL, Nov 7-8, 2007.

S. SANDHU*, F. Altpeter and A.R. Blount. Generation, characterization and risk assessment of transgenic,

herbicide resistant forage and turf grass. In Vitro Society of Biologist Meeting, Indianapolis, IN, Jun 9-13,

2007.

F. Altpeter, V.A. James, S. SANDHU*, M. Agharkar, H. Zhang, W. Fouad, X. Xiong, P. Lomba, G. Luciani, J.

Celedon, A. Blount, M. Gallo, R. Meagher, D.S. Wofford, K. Kenworthy and T. Sinclair. Genetic

engineering of stress tolerance and turf quality in a low-input turfgrass ( Paspalum notatum Flugge). In

Vitro Society of Biologist Meeting, Indianapolis, IN, Jun 9-13, 2007.

S. SANDHU*, F. Altpeter and A.R Blount. Risk assessment and risk management of transgenic forage and turf

grasses. American Society of Agronomy Meeting, Indianapolis, IN, Nov 11-16, 2006.

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Sukhpreet Sandhu

S. SANDHU*, F. Altpeter and A.R. Blount. Assessment of pollen-mediated intraspecific gene transfer from

apomictic transgenic bahiagrass cultivar ‘Argentine’. Florida Genetics Symposium, Gainesville, FL, Nov 1-

2, 2006.

S. SANDHU*, F. Altpeter, A. R. Blount, K. Quesenberry, M. Gallo, and M. Singh. Enhancing biosafety of

transgenic bahiagrass by engineering inducible cell death. Soil and Crop Science Society of Florida

Meeting, Tampa, FL, Jun 4-6, 2006.

S. SANDHU*, F. Altpeter and A.R. Blount Risk assessment and enhancement of biosafety in transgenic bahiagrass.

PMCB Annual Workshop, Jacksonville, FL, May 12-13, 2006.

F. Altpeter*, S. SANDHU, H. Zhang, V.A. James and A.R Blount. Risk assessment and risk management of

transgenic bahiagrass. International Assoc. for Plant Biotechnologists Meeting, China, August 13-16, 2006.

F. Altpeter, V.A. James*, H. Zhang, S. SANDHU, M. Agharkar, G. Luciani, D.S. Wofford and A.R. Blount.

Molecular improvement of stress tolerance, turf and forage quality in bahiagrass. Plant and Animal

Genome XIV. San Diego, CA, Jan 1-2, 2006.

S. SANDHU*, F. Altpeter and A.R. Blount. Transgene containment in apomictic bahiagrass cv. ‘Argentine’.

International Symposium on Biotechnology of Temperate Fruit Crops and Tropical Species. Daytona

Beach, Oct 10-14, 2005.

S. SANDHU*, F. Altpeter and A.R. Blount Marker-assisted evaluation of transgene containment in apomictic

bahiagrass. Florida Genetics Symposium, Gainesville, FL, November 30- December 1, 2005.

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