Waseem Hussain

Waseem Hussain currently leads the Institute’s late-maturity breeding program, focusing on salinity and flooding Breeding. His core research interests involve integrating modern tools and technologies with quantitative genetics methodologies to enhance genetic gains under extreme salinity and flooding environments. His work contributes to the global rice breeding program at IRRI, aimed at securing food in highly vulnerable ecologies of Asia and Africa.

In addition to his research, Hussain is passionate about teaching and training research scholars and scientists in modern breeding, genomic prediction, and other data-driven breeding approaches. Before joining IRRI, he served as a postdoctoral research associate in the Animal Sciences and Agronomy department at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, USA.

Waseem has received several prestigious fellowships and awards, including the Indian Council of Agricultural Research International Fellowship, INSPIRE Fellowship, ICQG Fellowship, and numerous travel grants. Despite his relatively short career, he has already published 26 peer-reviewed research papers in highly reputed journals, authored seven book chapters, and presented 12 conference papers.

He earned his BSc in Agriculture and MSc in Plant Breeding and Genetics from Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Kashmir, Srinagar, India. He was awarded the INSPIRE Fellowship to pursue PhD in Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur, India. Waseem received his PhD in Plant Breeding & Genetics in the Agronomy and Horticulture Department of the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, USA.