Atheer Abdullah Balobaid

Research Interest

I'm interested in understanding the molecular mechanisms that maintain genome stability and regulate DNA repair, with particular emphasis on plant genome engineering and gene targeting. 

Major research interests include:

• Plant genome editing and gene targeting
• CRISPR-Cas-mediated genome engineering
• DNA repair mechanisms and genome stability
• Homologous recombination (HR), non-homologous end joining (NHEJ), and single-strand annealing (SSA)
• Functional characterisation of DNA repair genes
• Gene targeting in plants and plant protoplasts
• Molecular mechanisms underlying CRISPR-induced DNA damage and repair
• Translational research and applications of genome engineering for crop improvement
• Application of advanced omics and bioinformatics approaches to investigate genome stability and gene function

My research integrates molecular biology, genetics, genome editing, plant biology, and computational analysis to understand the functional roles of DNA repair pathways and improve the efficiency and precision of plant genome engineering.