Dr Abhimanyu Sarkar

Dr Abhimanyu Sarkar
Programme leader - legume genetics

Research interests

Dr Abhimanyu Sarkar is a molecular biologist with over thirty years of experience. He recently joined NIAB, Cambridge as Group Leader-Legume Genetics. His areas of expertise include legume biology, speed breeding, gene discovery and genomics. Before joining NIAB, he worked at the John Innes Centre, Norwich, in Prof. Cathie Martin’s group on the biology and genomics of the orphan legume grass pea (Lathyrus sativus). The group was responsible for sequencing the genome of grass pea, as well as developing various biological resources such as mutagenized populations, recombinant inbred lines (RILs) and an EcoTILLING platform.

He has extensive international work experience, having previously worked in New Zealand on white clover (Trifolium repens) and the U.S.A. He obtained his Ph.D. in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of Maryland, College Park, U.S.A. and a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture from the Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology. Pantnagar, India.

Abhimanyu will be helping to develop NIAB’s position at the vanguard of legume genetics and breeding. This will include building on our strong foundation in faba bean, developing a strong research portfolio in other domestic legume opportunities, and continuing to contribute to the improvement of grasspea and other tropical legumes.

Recent publications

Emmrich, PM, Sarkar, A. et al. (2020). A draft genome of grass pea (Lathyrus sativus), a resilient diploid legume. BioRxiv  2020.04.24.058164;  (Preprint)

Sarkar, A., et al. (2020) Can we identify agronomically useful and climate-smart characteristics for legumes by comparing grass pea with pea?  Legume Perspectives 18: 10. 

Sarkar A., Emmrich P.M.F., Sarker A., Zong X., Martin C., Wang T.L. (2019). Grass Pea: Remodeling an Ancient Insurance Crop for Climate Resilience. In: Kole C. (eds) Genomic Designing of Climate-Smart Pulse Crops. Springer, Cham.  pp 425-469

Chatterjee, M., Aggarwal M. and Sarkar, A. (2019) Des legumineuses pour la securite alimentaire et nutritionelle en Inde (Pulses for protein nutritional security in India) Le Demeter 2019: 88-90.

Emmrich, P.M.F. et al. (2019). Linking a rapid throughput plate-assay with high-sensitivity stable-isotope label LCMS quantification permits the identification and characterisation of low β-L-ODAP grass pea lines. BMC Plant Biol 19: 489