🌱 Plant Molecular Biologist · Wageningen, NL

Hi, I'm Kailash.

PhD candidate at Wageningen University & Research, exploring how secondary growth and flowering time are regulated in plants.

📧 Email me LinkedIn ↗ WUR profile ↗

Kailash Pandey smiling by a canal in the Netherlands

Fig. 01 · The biologist, field conditions ☀️

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countries of research & study

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peer-reviewed publications

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conference presentations

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advanced courses & trainings

Profile

I'm a plant molecular biologist with a strong interest in secondary growth and the regulation of developmental transitions. I work across functional genomics, developmental genetics, and the molecular regulation of plant architecture, with emphasis on transcriptional networks and gene regulatory mechanisms. My research focuses on how flowering time control integrates with vegetative growth, and how these pathways shape plant form and productivity.

Secondary growth Flowering time control MADS-box transcription factors Transcriptional networks Cambial dynamics

Research journey

🇳🇱 April 2023 — present

PhD Research: Secondary growth meets flowering time regulation in tomato

Wageningen University & Research, the Netherlands

Investigating the molecular regulation of secondary growth and flowering time in tomato through tissue-specific transcriptomics (LCM) and functional analysis of FUL and SOC1-like MADS-box transcription factors, identifying the upstream and downstream regulators that link the flowering transition with secondary growth.

🧑‍🏫 Supervising 2 MSc thesis projects (2024–2026) 🌲 Active member of the Woodlig consortium (2023–2026)

🇫🇮 October 2021 — May 2022

MSc Thesis: LITTLE ZIPPER (ZPR) genes in root vascular development

University of Helsinki, Finland

Investigated the regulatory relationship between HD-ZIP III and ZPR microproteins in the Arabidopsis root vasculature using reporter line development, gene expression profiling, and mutant characterization.

Toolbox MultiSite Gateway cloning · plant transformation & selection · PCR genotyping · tissue fixation & embedding · fluorescence & confocal microscopy

🇫🇮 February — May 2022

Advanced Research Training: In-vitro activity of Cas9 variants

University of Helsinki, Finland

Toolbox Agroinfiltration · protein extraction & purification · PAGE · western blotting · in-vitro transcription

🇩🇪 May — August 2021

Research Intern: GWAS of root system architecture & nitrate transport

INRES Plant Breeding · University of Bonn, Germany

Genome-wide association study identifying candidate genes associated with root system architecture and nitrate transport in cereals.

Toolbox GWAS (GAPIT, rrBLUP & TASSEL) · WinRHIZO root phenotyping · mutant characterization

Publications

bioRxiv · Preprint2026

SELF-PRUNING 5G interplays with age and gibberellin pathways downstream of SlCOL1 to orchestrate photoperiodic tomato flowering

Vicente, M. H., Serrano-Bueno, G., Pandey, K., Fernandes, A. C. F., et al. · bioRxiv 2026.08.04.742724

⏳ Preprint, not yet peer reviewed

Read on bioRxiv ↗

Environmental & Experimental Botany2025

Natural genetic variation in nodal root growth angle and anatomy underlies drought tolerance in bread wheat

Siddiqui, Md. N., Ambaw, A. M., Shrestha, A., Pandey, K., Teferi, T. J., Gabi, M. T., Duarte-Delgado, D., Léon, J. & Ballvora, A. · 237, 106220

doi: 10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106220 ↗

New Phytologist2023

Convergently selected NPF2.12 coordinates root growth and nitrogen use efficiency in wheat and barley

Siddiqui, Md. N., Pandey, K., Bhadhury, S. K., Sadeqi, B., Schneider, M., Sanchez-Garcia, M., Stich, B., Schaaf, G., Léon, J. & Ballvora, A. · 238(5), 2175–2193

doi: 10.1111/nph.18820 ↗

Life in science

Kailash at the Leica laser microdissection microscope — Driving the Leica LMD7000 for laser capture microdissection

Kailash presenting a talk on flowering time genes and secondary growth — Flower Workshop, Toulon 🇫🇷 · flowering-time genes on stage

Kailash inspecting a sample tube at the lab bench — Sample check at the bench

Kailash speaking at a lectern with microscopy images on screen — EPS Theme 1: Developmental Biology of Plants · tissues on the big screen

Kailash working on a laptop on campus — Laptop time between experiments

Kailash presenting on secondary growth and the vascular cambium — EPS Annual Meeting · secondary growth & the vascular cambium

Kailash smiling at his office desk — Analysis o'clock at the office

Kailash answering questions at a conference podium — PhD Get2Gether · fielding questions at the podium

Education

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PhD Candidate in Plant Molecular Biology

Wageningen University & Research, the Netherlands

Thesis: Secondary growth meets flowering time regulation in tomato

2023 — present

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MSc Plant Breeding, Erasmus Mundus Master Program

🇫🇮 Year 2 · University of Helsinki, Finland | 🇫🇷 Year 1 · Institut Polytechnique UniLaSalle, France

Coursework: plant biotechnology & molecular biology · plant genetics · statistics · bioinformatics · algorithmics

2020 — 2022

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BSc Agriculture Science

Agriculture and Forestry University, Nepal

Thesis: Physiological modulation of citrus seedling growth and leaf architecture by Trichoderma viride

Coursework: molecular & population genetics · resistance breeding · crop physiology · statistics

2014 — 2019

Skills & toolbox

Molecular & Functional Genomics

Tissue-specific transcriptomicsRNA-Seq analysisPromoter motif analysisFunctional characterization of TFs

Developmental & Regulatory Biology

Secondary growth regulationFlowering time controlVegetative–reproductive transitionCambial dynamics

Histology & Microscopy

Laser capture microdissection (LCM)Confocal microscopyHistochemical stainingAnatomical quantification

Computational & Quantitative Biology

DESeq2WGCNADifferential & co-expression analysisBLUP & variance componentsGWAS analysis

Nepali 🇳🇵

Native

English

Advanced

Hindi

Professional

French 🇫🇷

Basic

Scientific activity

2026🌸Flower Workshop International workshop · Toulon, France 🇫🇷OralPoster

2026🎤PhD Get2Gether EPS Graduate School · Netherlands 🇳🇱Oral

2025🎤EPS Annual Meeting EPS Graduate School · Netherlands 🇳🇱Oral

2025🖼️EPS Annual Meeting EPS Graduate School · Netherlands 🇳🇱Poster

2025🧫ICAR 2025: Vascular Development Satellite Meeting Ghent, Belgium 🇧🇪Poster

2024🎤PhD Get2Gether EPS Graduate School · Netherlands 🇳🇱Oral

2024🖼️EPS Annual Meeting EPS Graduate School · Netherlands 🇳🇱Poster

Fellowships & awards

2020 — 2022Erasmus Mundus Scholarship

2014 — 2019Merit-based full scholarship, BSc in Agriculture

2018JENESYS Japan SAARC Fellow

2012 — 2013Mahatma Gandhi Scholarship for High School

Barahi Full Scholarship for Secondary Level Education

Beyond the lab

The life meter 🔋

0%lived (optimistically aiming for 100 🎯)

0255075100

Roughly 30% lived, ~70% still ahead, which means the majority of the journey is yet to come: plenty of time to evolve, help others, keep growing, and make a positive impact in the years ahead. Like any good tree, the best rings are still being laid down. 🌳

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Recreational runner

Chasing a steady ~5 min/km pace along the Dutch flatlands.

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Cycling & hiking

Exploring trails and polders, the field botanist's cardio.

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Meditation & mindfulness

Growth needs patience, for plants and people alike.

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Devoted bookworm

Huge reader & proud Kindle fan, currently deep in The Brothers Karamazov.

Field notes 📸

moments collected across Europe · hover to pause, click to zoom

Selfie above the clouds in the snowy Swiss Alps — Above the clouds, Swiss Alps

Selfie in front of the Eiffel Tower lit with Olympic rings — Paris, Olympic summer

Selfie in front of the Colosseum in Rome — Roman holiday

Standing in front of Cologne Cathedral in winter — Cologne in winter

Selfie under a blooming cherry blossom tree — Blossom season

Sitting on a boat on a Dutch lake — Out on the Dutch waters

Selfie by an Amsterdam canal — Amsterdam canals

Selfie on a sunny university campus — Sunny campus days

Cheering with Nepal flags at a cricket match — Cheering for Nepal 🇳🇵

Victory pose after a beach run by the sea — Sea-level tempo run 🏖️

Running selfie at golden hour along a Dutch cycle path — Golden-hour kilometres

Running selfie wearing a hydration vest in the countryside — Long-run mode: vest on 🏃

Reading a Kindle on a Dutch train — Kindle on the rails 📚

Let's talk plants 🌱

Open to collaboration in plant development, wood formation, functional genomics, and bioinformatics, or just a good chat about tomatoes.

kailash.pandey@wur.nl

LinkedIn ↗ WUR profile ↗