Kristin Bilyeu 

Dr. Kristin Bilyeu is a Research Molecular Biologist with the USDA/ARS Plant Genetics Research Unit at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri, USA.  Over the past 20 years, she has established a mission-driven research program that effectively translates basic science into agricultural solutions.  Dr. Bilyeu’s technical expertise is in the translation of basic research to applied challenges utilizing biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, and genomics to increase the efficiency of plant breeding and development of improved crop varieties.  Dr. Bilyeu designed and implemented an active field, laboratory, and bioinformatics research program that utilizes natural and induced genetic variation to determine the optimum allele combinations to improve crop traits that provide value to production and nutritional enhancements to the food supply in the US and around the world.