SBN early career symposium 2026

A meeting to bring together early-career researchers at SLU around the theme “Breeding for Extreme Environments”.

Through research presentations, discussions and interactive sessions, we will exchange ideas and explore how breeding can help address the challenges posed by extreme and changing environments. And, of course, there will also be plenty of opportunities to connect, socialize and have some fun!

Day 1 – Lennart Kennes sal

13:00 – Lunch and registration 

14-14:05 – Welcome – Rosario Garci Gil, vice-chair of the SLU Breeding Network and senior Lecturer at the Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology

14:10-15:00 – Keynote presentation – to be announced

15:05-16:05 – Poster session and fika – Lobby at BioCentrum

16.10-16:20 – Latest updates from Grogrund, Therése Bengtsson 

16:20-17:10 – Module 1: Tools for Precision Breeding

Title to be announced - Jens Sundström, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Plant Biology

Engineering starch metabolism in potato through new genomic techniques - Matías Gonzales, Researcher at the Department of Plant Breeding 

Genomic techniques in livestock – Sofia Mikko, Researcher at the Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics

Genomics for forest trees in a changing world - Susan McEvoy, Associate Professor at Umeå Plant Science Centre

17:10-17:20 Leg stretch

17.20-18.10 – Module 2: Breeding for Resilience to Biotic Threats

Immunity is not development: the genetics of resistance and what it takes to breed it – Salim Bourras, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Plant Biology

Inoculation protocol development for Scots pine blister rust-resistant pine - Ke Zhang, Researcher at the Department of Forest Mycology and Plant Pathology

Towards estimating infectivity and susceptibility and resilience for disease transmission in dairy cattle - Hector Marina, Researcher at the Department of Animal Biosciences

From stench to scent: genetic strategies towards bunt-free organic wheat - Laurène Mailhan, PhD student at the Department of Plant Breeding 

18:15 – Dinner at Logen

Day 2 – Sal L

8.30-9.20 – Module 3: Breeding for Resilience to Environmental Extremes

Pastoralism in a cold climate - making use of reindeers’ natural adaptations – Anna Skarin, Professor at the Department of Applied Animal Science and Welfare

Flowering Induction in Faba Bean: Linking Molecular Regulation to Earliness Traits - Umer Mahmood, Postdoctor at the Department of Plant Breeding

Genetic parameters of heat resilience in Swedish Holstein cows - Pablo Dominguez Castaño, Postdoctor at the Department of Animal Biosciences 

Breeding for climate adaptation: genomic selection for drought response in Scots pine - Rajiv Chaudhary, Postdoctor at the Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology

9:30-9:50 – Wallenberg Initiatives in Forest Research (WIFORCE) - Ove Nilsson, Professor at the Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology

10.00-10:50 – Interactive roundtable: breeding at SLU & networking café

11:00-11:15 – Interactive roundtables evaluation, winning poster announcement and closing remarks – Lucia Gutierrez chair of the SLU Breeding Network and Professor at the Department of Plant Breeding

11:30-13:00 – Excursion: Round tour at Ultuna with packed lunch