Team

It is my responsibility to establish the Swiss Plant Breeding Center as the competence and innovation center that supports the translation of research outcomes for faster implementation in Swiss plant breeding entities. This ultimately serves the Swiss agriculture sector with plant varieties that are more adapted to Swiss environments and meet our high quality standards. In collaboration with the Board and the team, I lead the strategic, operational, and scientific aspects of the center.

I am a quantitative geneticist by training and over the years I have worked with more than thirty plant species. My expertise includes predictive breeding methodologies, genomics, bioinformatics, data science, novel phenotyping and breeding program optimization. Initially trained in animal breeding, I started working in plant breeding in 2012.  I have led mid-teams in Academia and Industry and I am excited to be building the Swiss Plant Breeding Center together with all value-chain stakeholders. Please feel free to contact me to have a conversation about how we can support you.

• scholar.google.com: Publications
• research.wur.n: PhD Thesis

Contact

Dr. Hans Daetwyler
CEO Swiss Plant Breeding Center (SPBC)
daetwyler(at)spbc-plantbreeding.ch
+41 44 545 67 11

Short CV

I have been working at the SPBC since mid-April 2024.

My role is to provide both scientific and administrative support to the center during the starting  phase. However, I am mainly responsible for the scientific monitoring of the innovation projects and the cooperation partners involved. One of the major challenges and chances will be to  acquire and apply new knowledge from a wide variety of areas for the SPBC  to handle the different and various tasks/innovation projects. 

So far, I have been able to gain experience in the field of resistance breeding in a wide variety of projects and have dealt with both biotic stress factors (viruses and fungi) and abiotic stress (e.g. drought stress) and their effects on plants. My experience relates to the creation of genetic maps, the calculation of QTL regions, the identification and analysis of candidate genes, the development of different PCR-based molecular markers, the establishment of plant and crossing material as well as the implementation and evaluation of experiments in the greenhouse and in the field. 

Contact

Dr Mathieu Deblieck
Scientific assistant
deblieck(at)spbc-plantbreeding.ch
+41 44 545 67 12
Monday to Friday, 9 am to 3 pm

Since October 1, 2026, I have been working at SPBC as a Molecular Geneticist in the field of molecular plant breeding. My role is to support breeding programs through the development and application of molecular markers and genomic approaches. My responsibilities span a range of molecular and genomic techniques, including DNA extraction, PCR, high-throughput genotyping and sequencing, as well as the downstream analysis of genomic data. I am involved in various projects supporting breeding programs and contribute to the development and optimization of molecular and genomic workflows.

My previous research focused primarily on molecular and genomic approaches in mainly forage breeding but also in wheat. I worked on genomic selection, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) using a specifically established nested association mapping (NAM) population, recurrent phenotypic selection, and the development of novel genotyping approaches to improve seed yield-related traits in forages. In addition, I gained experience in plant disease resistance, including the validation of powdery mildew resistance genes in wheat and the investigation of stem rust resistance in forages.

Contact

Jenny Kiesbauer
Molecular Geneticist
kiesbauer(at)spbc-plantbreeding.ch
+41 44 545 67 13

I joined the SPBC in October 2026 as Breeding Data Scientist. My role covers data analysis and biostatistics to support the success of breeding programmes and increase genetic gain. This includes implementing workflows for genomic and phenomic selection, identifying genetic markers and developing molecular markers, and making new technologies and methods usable in breeding practice. Together with Swiss breeding companies and our innovation project partners, I aim to contribute to better selection decisions and more efficient breeding programmes. 

I bring experience in bioinformatics, machine learning, speed breeding, image-based phenotyping, molecular genetics and data science, and have worked with crops such as quinoa, chickpea, potato, and common bean. During my PhD at the University of Bonn, I combined genome-wide association studies (GWAS) with UAV-based 3D and 2D imaging to capture and quantify complex phenotypes. Before my Master's in Wageningen (Netherlands), I worked in the seed certification department of the Lower Saxony Chamber of Agriculture (Germany), gaining practical insight into seed certification. Given my applied background, I am particularly motivated by turning complex datasets into practical insights for plant breeding.

Contact

Maria Lackmann
Data Scientist
lackmann(at)spbc-plantbreeding.ch
+41 44 545 67 14