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Soyagen Members

Belzile, François Ph.D.

Project Co-Leader

Université Laval

Professor

Research interest

While trained as a plant molecular geneticist and initially working on DNA repair and recombination genes in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, I have always been interested in putting basic knowledge to work in applied plant genetics. Over the last decade, I have been increasingly dedicated to using my knowledge of molecular genetics to develop novel approaches in plant breeding and crop development. I aim to act as a bridge and a facilitator between the work being done in basic plant science and biotechnology and the applied side of this science as it relates to the development of new and improved crop varieties.

Département de phytologie
Pavillon Charles-Eugène-Marchand
1030, avenue de la Médecine
Local 1243
Québec (Québec) G1V 0A6
418 656-2131 extension : 5763
francois.belzile@fsaa.ulaval.ca

Others links

Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Francois_Belzile

  • B.Sc. Agronomy, Université Laval
  • M.Sc. Genetics, University of California-Davis
  • Ph.D. Genetics, University of California-Davis
  • Postdoc Plant Molecular Genetics, John Innes Institute
5 Latest publications

  • Genome-wide genetic diversity is maintained through decades of soybean breeding in Canada

  • NanoGBS: A Miniaturized Procedure for GBS Library Preparation

  • Haplotype diversity underlying quantitative traits in Canadian soybean breeding germplasm

  • Discriminant haplotypes of avirulence genes of Phytophthora sojae lead to a molecular assay to predict phenotypes

  • Genome-wide association mapping of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum resistance in soybean using whole-genome resequencing data

As SoyaGen’s Project Co-Leader, I have to make sure that the project will achieve its objectives. As a member of the Steering committee, I strive to coordinate the science activities within the project and ensure that information is quickly shared with all team members. I am also involved in maintaining active engagement of our numerous partners and end-users. Finally, I am engaged in establishing collaborations with other researchers in the soybean research community and in ensuring the international visibility of the work carried out within the SoyaGen project.


I am in charge of Activity 1 which aims at developing a rapid and low-cost genotyping platform for soybean. Specifically, we want to set up a highly affordable (~10$/line) whole-genome genotyping platform that offers extensive and rapid genotyping accessible to breeders on a fee-for-service basis.

I am also involved in Activity 2, mainly in terms of developing genomic selection tools to breed for increased yield.  I support the development of diagnostic tools to identify races of P. sojae in Activity 3, and am also involved in some aspects of Activity 4, namely the development of selection tools to facilitate the breeding of varieties with increased disease resistance.

  • Aurélie Tardivel, CEROM/Université Laval, PhD Student
  • Chiheb Boudhrioua, Université Laval, MSc Student
  • Jérôme Laroche, Université Laval, Bioinformatician
  • Manel Fallah, Université Laval, PhD Student
  • Martine Jean, Université Laval, Research Associate
  • Marc-André Lemay, Université Laval, PhD Student
  • Vincent-Thomas Boucher-St-Amour, Université Laval, MSc Student

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