Gharzeddin Kifah

Dr. Kifah Gharzeddin is a crop breeder and geneticist. The plurality of his researcher identity includes crop genetic improvement and the role it plays in benefitting human health and food security. Gharzeddin’s expertise has contributed to the development of various crop breeding programs in Canada and Syria. Gharzeddin’s faba bean breeding program resulted in the release in 2014 of two registered varieties in Syria originated from ICARDA. In Canada, Gharzeddin developed his molecular research of crop breeding after he joined Carleton University in Ottawa. Gharzeddin collaboratively developed the first chickpea breeding program in Ontario starting in July 2020. Through this program, Gharzeddin identified several adapted accessions to different environments. In January 2024, Dr. Gharzeddin joined the University of Windsor (South-West Ontario), working at one of the top agricultural regions in the world, and with the aim to develop high yield and resistant crop cultivars grown in the Windsor-Essex region (e.g tomato). Dr. Gharzeddin expertise spans crop variety development, plant molecular biology and physiology, Plant-Environment Interactions, Biometrics, and Science Communication.