Ashish Ranjan

Ashish Ranjan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Minnesota, part of the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences. His research focuses on understanding plant-microbe interactions, particularly soil-borne fungal pathogens like Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, to develop sustainable strategies for crop protection. He holds a PhD from the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad, India.

His work emphasizes omics, genetics, and molecular biology approaches to study pathogen virulence and host resistance mechanisms. He leads multiple grants, including projects funded by the MN Department of Agriculture and PepsiCo, focusing on potato disease management and crop improvement. Ranjan accepts PhD students and has collaborated widely on topics such as Verticillium wilt resistance and bioactive compound screening.

Key projects include developing a potato biotic threat intelligence system and evaluating new potato varieties for disease resistance. His research aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals related to sustainable agriculture and food security.