Kasi Azhakanandam, PhD

• Lead global expansion and commercial adoption of DNAHP’s AI guided predictive breeding and Gene Edit Optimization (GEO) platforms. • Convert advanced scientific capabilities — multi model AI, genomic intelligence, haplotype analysis, and prescriptive breeding workflows — into strategic partnerships across seed, agribusiness, research, and technology sectors. • Shape growth strategy, build long term customer relationships, and position DNAHP as the preferred partner for accelerating genetic gain, shortening breeding cycles, and improving gene edited trait success across crops and geographies.

• Driving regional business growth by identifying, qualifying, and securing strategic partnerships for DNA Harvest Partners, an AI-guided breeding solutions company that optimizes agricultural product development. • Present and introduce prospective partners to AI-driven breeding solutions that enhance crop improvement pipelines. • Building and maintaining strong relationship management with stakeholders throughout the business development lifecycle. • Tracking the progress of ongoing partnership projects to ensure timely delivery, measurable outcomes, and mutual value creation. • Collaborate with internal R&D and product teams to align business opportunities with technical road maps.

• Developing technologies to accelerate development of climate resilient crops. • Developing integrated platform for faster trait development • Focused on developing disease resistance crops • Building bridges between academia and industry to solve food security and sustainability challenges and support resource mobilization through partner-driven projects to develop resilient crops.

• Led global innovation programs delivering dual-mode CRW resistance traits, integrating AI-based construct design and advanced trait validation. • Managed cross-functional global teams to execute projects from gene discovery through late-stage field validation and regulatory alignment. • Developed a custom Decision-Making Tool adopted across global R&D hubs to streamline trait pipeline performance and reduce development time. • Bridged R&D, IT, and business units to align innovation outputs with commercial KPIs.

• Directed the development of high-impact traits including triple-mode herbicide resistance in soy and stacked insect/herbicide traits in corn. • Created enabling technologies to enhance transgene expression, including proprietary cDNA and promoter optimization platforms. • Led mentoring initiatives, fostering institutional knowledge transfer through internal symposia and cross-regional collaboration. • Secured global patents for novel constructs and regulatory sequences to advance product stability and efficacy.

• Conceptualized and implemented the Rapid Construct Screening Platform, transforming early-phase trait validation. • Developed transient assay systems (in planta) for high-throughput construct testing, significantly reducing the trait development timeline. • Founded the Syngenta Journal of Plant Expression (SJPE) to institutionalize scientific communication and collaboration. • Built global scientific alliances to support scalable innovation pipelines

• Led USDA-funded project on vaccine production in plants for cervical cancer, optimizing yield via subcellular targeting. • Developed the Amplicon-plus Targeting Technology (APTT), rapid production of unstable proteins in plant systems. • Investigated regulatory gene interactions using RNAi and studied carbon partitioning mechanisms for biofuel crops.

• Established crop transformation lab to genetically engineer 8 crops including rice, cotton, and 6 different vegetables. • Team helped commercialize Bt-eggplant in Bangladesh, reducing pesticide use by 70% and increasing yields by 20%. • Managed regulatory trials, university collaborations, and team recruitment/training for rapid capability building.

• Developed genotype-independent Agrobacterium-mediated transformation for Indica, Japonica, and Javanica. • Specialized on cell biology, molecular event characterization and protein stability over 3 generations. • Conducted public outreach on the pros and cons of genetic engineering.