2026 Cornell Corteva Symposium: Following a Gene

Following a Gene: From Forceps to Fork

15th Annual Cornell Corteva Plant Breeding Symposium
Friday, April 24, 2026
Boyce Thompson Institute, Ithaca, New York
8:30 am – 5:30 pm
Hosted by Synapsis, the Cornell University Plant Breeding & Genetics Graduate Student Association
Sponsored by Corteva Agriscience

Summary

From the first moment a gene is identified to the point when its impact is realized in the marketplace, every step along the journey reveals the intricate collaboration between discovery science and applied plant breeding. This symposium will explore how molecular biology, genomics, and breeding intersect to transform a single genetic discovery into a product that shapes our food systems, fiber industries, and global sustainability goals. This theme highlights the dynamic continuum—from gene identification, mapping, and functional validation to trait integration, cultivar development, and commercialization—illustrating how innovation at the molecular level drives tangible change in agriculture and society. 

Registration

Register online by Friday April 17 to guarantee that your lunch is provided.

Program

Schedule is subject to change. A detailed agenda will be published soon.

• 8:30 am:  Coffee and light breakfast, networking
   
• 9:00 am: Opening remarks with Claire King and Jason Rauscher
   
• 9:30 am: 
  Mohammad Monirul Hasan Tipu, Virginia Tech
  Decoupling of Fruit Abscission from Fruit Ripening for Controlling Pre-Harvest Fruit Drop in Apple
   
• 10:05 am:
  Michelle Mcdonald, University of Connecticut
  Female-biased Inheritance in Tetraploid Hem
   
• 10:40 am: Coffee break
   
• 11:10 am:
  David Marks, University of Minnesota
  Update on the domestication of pennycress
   
• 12:05 pm: Lunch
   
• 1:05 pm: 
  Nino Brown, University of Georgia
  From PB&Js to Biofuels: Diversifying breeding targets for Georgia peanuts
   
• 2:00 pm:
  Daniel Sweeney, Corteva Agriscience
  From Markers to Masa: White Corn Breeding at Corteva Agriscience
   
• 2:55 pm: Coffee break
   
• 3:25 pm 
  Olga Padilla-Zakour, Cornell
  TBD
   
• 4:20 pm: Closing remarks
   
• 4:25 pm: Happy hour

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