Harsha Somashekar: Plant Physiology First Author

Harsha Somashekar, first author of “Rice GLUCAN SYNTHASE-LIKE5 promotes anther callose deposition to maintain meiosis initiation and progression”

Current position: PhD student, National Institute of Genetics, The Graduate University for  Advanced studies (SOKENDAI), Japan

Education: Master of Genetics and Plant Breeding

Non-scientific interests: Travelling, Photography, Music and Dance

Brief Bio: I joined National Institute of Genetics for PhD studies in 2018 to research on the molecular aspects of meiosis control in plants using rice as model system. In my work I have uncovered the long lasting mystery of callose deposition in meiotic anthers which got published in Plant Physiology (Somashekar et al. 2022). My research interests also span to comprehending the molecular machinery driving genetic recombination, cell-cell communication and beyond during meiosis. Besides research activities, I am enjoying traveling and exploring new places in Japan.