Andriy Bilichak

Research Scientist

I am leading a program on cereal biotechnology and functional genomics. The focus of the program is adoption of genome editing (CRISPR/Cas) and/or transient manipulation of gene expression methods to increase performance and output of small grain cereals (wheat, triticale, barley, etc.) in timely and cost-efficient manner.

Current research and/or projects

  • Development of non transgenic genome editing methods to improve yield and stress tolerance in small grain cereals.
  • Bioinformatic mining of transcriptional factors related to “green revolution” in wheat genome.
  • Improvement of spring wheat transformation efficiency for functional genomics studies.

Education and awards

07/2013     Doctoral degree in Biomolecular Science/Plant Biotechnology from the University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada

07/2008     B.Sc. (biology) with Great Distinctions, National Precarpathian University, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine

05/2012     Alberta Innovates Technology Features Graduate Student Scholarship

Key publications

  1. Bilichak, A., & Laurie, J. D. (2022). Accelerated breeding of cereal crops. Humana Press.

    2022 - View publication details

  2. Harvey C, Araujo GT, Frick M, Laroche A, Laurie JD, Graf RJ, Bilichak A. A genetic approach to improve wheat resilience to emerging stripe rust isolates using novel R gene sequences from Thinopyrum intermedium. Proceedings of the 42nd Annual Meeting (Virtual) of the Plant Pathology Society of Alberta, Edmonton, AB 2021/11/04 - 2020/11/05. Oral presentation T1.

    2021 - View publication details

  3. Bilichak, A. and N.S. Yadav, Chapter 12 - Plant genome stability—General mechanisms, in Genome Stability (Second Edition), I. Kovalchuk and O. Kovalchuk, Editors. 2021, Academic Press: Boston. p. 201-222.

    2021 - View publication details

  4. Bilichak, A., Chapter 13 - Genetic engineering in plants using CRISPRs, in Genome Stability (Second Edition), I. Kovalchuk and O. Kovalchuk, Editors. 2021, Academic Press: Boston. p. 223-233.

    2021 - View publication details

  5. Bilichak, A., et al., Delivery of Cas9/sgRNA RNP into Wheat Microspores Using Synthetic CPP for Genome Editing and Gene Expression Modulation, in CRISPR-Cas Methods, M.T. Islam, P.K. Bhowmik, and K.A. Molla, Editors. 2020, Springer US: New York, NY. p. 191-202.

    2020 - View publication details

  6. Bilichak, A., D. Gaudet, and J. Laurie, Emerging Genome Engineering Tools in Crop Research and Breeding, in Cereal Genomics: Methods and Protocols, L.M. Vaschetto, Editor. 2020, Springer US: New York, NY. p. 165-181.

    2019 - View publication details

Research facility

Route 100, Unit 100-101
Morden, MB R6M 1Y5
Canada

Affiliations

  • The University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Associate member of the School of Graduate Studies
  • Member of the Canadian Association for Plant Biotechnology
  • Member of the Canadian Society of Plant Biologists

Language

English

Other languages

Ukrainian