Giovanni Broggini

Dr. Giovanni Broggini is a Lecturer in the Department of Environmental Systems Science at ETH Zurich, specializing in plant genetics and breeding. His research focuses on advancing apple breeding through genomic selection, cisgenic modifications, and phenotyping technologies. He leads initiatives leveraging genomic data and environmental variables to enhance crop resilience against diseases like fire blight (Erwinia amylovora) and apple scab (Venturia inaequalis).

His work integrates molecular biology techniques, including CRISPR/Cas9 and LiDAR-based phenotyping, to develop disease-resistant cultivars while ensuring biosafety through omics analysis. Broggini collaborates with Swiss breeding programs to utilize core genetic resources, such as the Swiss Apple Core Collection, for sustainable cultivar development.

Key projects include cisgenic apple line C44.4.146 demonstrating resistance to fire blight without unintended effects, and the FruitPhenoBox device for rapid fruit quality assessment. His teaching includes the course 'Applied Laboratory Techniques in Agricultural Sciences' (Autumn 2025).

Publications highlight innovations in genomic prediction, non-destructive phenotyping, and transgene stability assessment, contributing to both fundamental and applied plant science.