Q & A with Sassoum Lo

Today we sit down with Sassoum Lo, one of our postdoctoral researchers working with the pre-breeding and genomics team.

Please introduce yourself: who are you, where are you from, and what is your educational/professional background?

SL: Hello! I'm Sassoum Lo, originally from Senegal. I’m a postdoctoral researcher working with the pre-breeding/genomics team. I completed my undergraduate studies in Applied Biology at the Polytechnic School of Dakar, and in Plant Agroressources at Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar. During and after my undergraduate studies, I worked as an intern and lab technician across various programs at the Senegalese Institute of Agricultural Research. These experiences helped me understand the critical role and challenges of agriculture in developing countries, sparking my interest in agricultural sciences and leading me to pursue a research career in this field. I later had the opportunity to complete my graduate studies at the University of California, Riverside, under the guidance of Dr. Timothy Close. My PhD research focused on the genetic control of domestication traits in cowpea. Following my PhD, I joined UC Davis as a Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellow, working in Dr. Paul Gepts’ lab.

What is your role within GEMINI? 

SL: Within GEMINI, I’m part of the genomics/pre-breeding team led by Dr. Christine Diepenbrock. My work involves various data analysis steps for genetic mapping and genomic prediction of agronomic and nutritional traits, as well as traits generated by the crop modeling and sensing subteams. I also lead our field experimental design, field data collection for agronomic traits, and the organization of sample processing for quality traits, including nutritional quality and cooking time traits. A key focus of my role is integrating genomic tools and phenotyping approaches to accelerate breeding gains. Additionally, I mentor undergraduate interns engaged in research activities within our subteam.

How did you end up working with GEMINI and what interests you most about this project?

SL: I first met Christine at the UC Davis Plant Breeding Retreat, where she presented her lab's research on topics that closely aligned with my interests. We continued to connect while I was in Gept’s lab, and two years later, I joined her lab and began working on the GEMINI project. I was drawn to GEMINI because its goals align with my passion for improving food security through the development of climate-resilient crops. I was also interested in GEMINI’s collaborative and interdisciplinary approach that integrates genomics, 3D biophysical crop modeling, and AI-enabled sensing into the breeding pipeline, as well as the opportunity to work with global partners on crops with high potential for enhancing food and nutritional security.

Is there anything particularly exciting you are working on now or in the near future that you would like to share? 

SL: Yes, we are working to publish and share the results from several of our studies with the scientific community. I’m also working on integrating genomic prediction into our data analysis pipelines. This will help enhance the efficiency and accuracy of trait selection in breeding.

What do you like to do outside of work (personal hobbies and interests)? 

SL: Outside of work, I enjoy outdoor activities and spending time in nature. I also love experimenting with new recipes from different cuisines, gardening, and spending time with friends and family.