Speaker

Deepak Kaundun is the lead herbicide resistance research scientist for Syngenta. He joined the company in May 2002 and is based at their research station at Jealott's Hill, Bracknell, UK. He won the Syngenta Science and Technology Award in 2005 and was promoted to Syngenta Fellow in 2011. In 2010 he was awarded the Outstanding Paper Award in Weed Science by the Weed Science Society of America. Dr Kaundun employs an integrated biological, physiological, biochemical, molecular and population genetics and genomics approach to elucidate the mechanisms of herbicide resistance in weeds. His work also consists of the development and local implementation of lab-based DNA as well as as simple biological methods (e.g. Syngenta 'RISQ' test) for the quick and proactive confirmation of resistance in the field. He is interested in computer-based modelling of herbicide resistance evolution in weeds under different management strategies. Dissemination of research data and good management practices also form part of Dr Kaundun's activities. To date Dr Kaundun has published over 40 herbicide resistance related papers and he has given over 150 lectures at distributor, agronomist and academic meetings worldwide. He manages a range of academic collaborations on all four continents and has supervised a number of MSc and PhD students. Dr Kaundun has a Diploma in Biology from University of La Reunion (France) and a BSc, MSc and PhD in biochemistry from the University of Lyon (France.). Prior to joining Syngenta, he held four postdoctoral positions in France (Lyon University), South Korea (Kyungpook National University) and Japan (National Institute of Vegetables and Tea Science, Kanaya, Shizuoka and Forest Tree Breeding Centre, Juo, Ibaraki) where he worked on population, conservation, molecular and quantitative genetics of Naegleria fowleri, Camellia sinensis and Cryptomeria japonica respectively.