Generation Challenge Programme

In Phase I, the GCP Management Team comprised the GCP Director, the Product Delivery Leader, and five Subprogramme Leaders.

In Phase II, the Management Team comprises a Director and five Theme Leaders (TLs), who oversee the following areas: Comparative and Applied Genomics, Integrated Breeding, Crop Information Systems, Capacity Building and Product Delivery.

Profiles of the six members are available below:

Director
Theme 1: Comparative and Applied Genomics
Theme 2: Integrated Breeding
Theme 3: Crop Information Systems
Theme 4: Capacity Building
Theme 5: Product Delivery

	Director Jean-Marcel Ribaut, GCP Headquarters, Mexico Joined in July 2005 j.ribaut@cgiar.org Jean-Marcel’s main scientific expertise is in genetic dissection and molecular breeding to improve crop performance under abiotic stress conditions – particularly drought – as well as innovations in molecular breeding. Besides being at the helm of GCP, Jean-Marcel is an ad hoc reviewer for several highly esteemed scientific journals. He also often serves on organising committees for various international crop research events, and is frequently invited as a lecturer and keynote speaker at international fora. Since graduating with a PhD in Plant Physiology from Lausanne University, Switzerland, in 1991, Jean-Marcel, of joint Swiss–French nationality, has considerable cumulative experience in agriculture biotechnology and plant breeding, project and finance management and policy formulation, as well as leadership skills for dispersed global R&D teams. Prior to becoming GCP Director in 2005, Jean-Marcel was based at CIMMYT, Mexico, where – over a 12-year period – he held positions of increasing responsibility. From a Post-Doctorate Fellow in the Maize Programme in 1993, he moved to the Applied Biotechnology Center in 1995 as an Associate Scientist then rose to a Senior Scientist. He thereafter served as Deputy Director, Genetic Resources Programme, and became Biotechnology Group Leader in 2004. «back to top»
	Theme 1: Comparative and Applied Genomics Rajeev Varshney (based at ICRISAT, India); previously Subprogramme Leader for GCP’s Subprogramme 2, Genomics towards gene discovery Joined in August 2007 r.k.varshney@cgiar.org Rajeev, with a basic background in molecular genetics, has more than ten years research experience in crop genomics. He holds dual positions as Principal Scientist (Applied Genomics) at ICRISAT and Theme 1 Leader for GCP. Before joining ICRISAT in 2005, he worked at Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Germany, for five years. At ICRISAT, Rajeev leads a legume genomics research group to develop genomic tools applied to crop breeding. He has an impressive publications list, including four edited books and more than 100 research papers/articles in reputable journals. He has been a frequent speaker/chair at international meetings, conferences and leading research institutes across the world. He serves as Subject/Associate Editor for several journals, including Molecular Breeding, Euphytica, Plant Breeding, Plant Genetic Resources and Journal of Plant Biochemistry & Plant Biotechnology. Based on his contribution to crop genomics applied to breeding, Rajeev has won several awards, including, amongst others, the Young Scientist Medal 2008 from the Indian National Science Academy (INSA); Associate Fellow 2008, awarded by the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) of India; and the Young Scientist Platinum Jubilee Award 2007 from The National Academy of Sciences, India (NASI). Further details on the activities carried out by Subprogramme 2 «back to top»
	Theme 2: Integrated Breeding Xavier Delannay (based at St. Louis, Missouri, USA); Previously Subprogramme Leader for GCP's Subprogramme 3, Trait Capture for Crop Improvement Joined in March 2009 x.delannay@cgiar.org Xavier holds a PhD in Plant Genetics from the University of Louvain, Belgium and conducted postdoctoral research in soya bean (Glycine max) genetics at Iowa State University, USA. Xavier worked for 24 years at the Monsanto company in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, holding positions of increasing responsibility in biotechnology and molecular breeding. Early in his career, he managed a team responsible for the evaluation and development of Monsanto’s first transgenic crops and was in particular involved in the development of the Roundup Ready® Soybeans. In 1995, Xavier implemented Monsanto’s first molecular breeding programme and was a major contributor to the programme’s rapid growth and its integration into Monsanto’s crop breeding worldwide. Prior to taking early retirement from the company in early 2007, Xavier received Monsanto’s Science & Technology Career Award, which recognises scientists who have had a significant impact on the company’s success during their career with the company. During his short retirement, Xavier also worked as a consultant in molecular breeding, thereby gaining good exposure to international agriculture and to GCP through various fora. Full details on Subprogramme 3 activities «back to top»
	Theme 3: Crop Information Systems Graham McLaren (based at GCP Headquarters, Mexico); Previously Subprogramme Leader for Subprogramme 4, Bioinformatics and Crop Information Systems Joined in September 2008 g.mclaren@cgiar.org Graham holds a wealth of qualifications and experience in the field of international agricultural research and management. With a degree in Mathematics, Statistics and Genetics from the University of Natal, South Africa and an honours degree in Mathematical Statistics from the University of Cape Town, Graham, a British national, went on to gain a first-class MSc and PhD in Mathematical Statistics from Simon Fraser University, Canada. He has headed biometrics and bioinformatics departments for the past 20 years. In this capacity, Graham has held leadership positions in rainfed rice breeding, genetic resources management and development of crop information systems. This includes heading the Biometrics and Bioinformatics Unit at IRRI from 1993 to 2005, before moving on in 2006 to lead the IRRI–CIMMYT Crop Research Informatics Laboratory (CRIL), where he remained until 2008 to take on his current role at GCP. For full details on Subprogramme 4, click here. «back to top»
	Theme 4: Capacity Building Carmen de Vicente, GCP Headquarters, Mexico; Previously Subprogramme Leader for Subprogramme 5, Capacity-Building & Enabling Delivery Joined in April 2004 c.devicente@cgiar.org Carmen, of Spanish nationality, holds an MSc in Plant Breeding from the Instituto Agronómico Mediterráneo de Zaragoza (IAMZ), Spain and a PhD in Plant Breeding and Genetics from Cornell University, USA. Her PhD research, on the basis of wide-cross transgressive segregation, established for the first time that molecular markers could identify QTLs (from wild species) responsible for transgressive phenotypes and selectively transfer them into crop species. While in the Dept. of Plant Genetics at the Institut per la Recerca i Tecnologìa Agro-alimentària (IRTA), Barcelona, Spain, Carmen worked on Prunus genetic mapping and conceptualised the melon genomic initiative, and successfully pioneered the transfer of molecular marker technology to the vegetable seed and fruit tree industries in the region. She became the Head of the Laboratoires de Biotechnologies et Pathologie Végétale at Clause Semences (Groupe Limagrain), before working in Syria, Rome and Colombia as a Plant Molecular Geneticist for Bioversity International. Here, she focused on the application of molecular markers for genebank management, gene flow and DNA banking. Carmen carried out her GCP SP5 Leader duties on a half-time basis from 2004, before becoming a full-time SP5 Leader in 2007, at which point she also assumed the role of Tropical Legumes I Project Manager. Carmen has also reviewed scientific publications for Crop Science, Molecular Breeding, BMC Genomics and PGR Newsletter. «back to top»
	Theme 5: Product Delivery Larry Butler, Product Delivery Leader, GCP Headquarters, Mexico Joined in September 2009 l.butler@cgiar.org Larry holds vast amounts of practical field experience as a professional plant pathologist and agronomist working with temperate, as well as tropical, field and horticultural crops. In recent years his work responsibilities focused upon seed health and the use of novel seed treatments and coatings for quality enhancement. He was also Chair of the Seed Treatment and Environmental Committee for the American Seed Trade Association, a member of the Federation of Societies for Coatings Technology and the American Phytopathological Society. One of Larry’s early roles was as a Peace Corps volunteer in Fiji, before becoming the Senior Research Scientist (Plant Pathology) for the Fiji Department of Agriculture. After returning to his native USA he attended the University of Arizona (USA) and graduated with a PhD in Plant Pathology. That same year, Larry joined CIMMYT where, over a 14-year period, he progressed from Post-doctoral Fellow to Project Manager and finally to Head of the Seed Health Unit, before returning to the USA as Product Development Manager at Wilbur-Ellis Co. He then moved to Becker Underwood Inc, in Ames, Iowa as Research Biologist and then Technical Manager for Seed Coatings, before taking on his current role at GCP. «back to top»