Pathmanathan Umaharan PhD

Professor of Genetics,
Director, Cocoa Research Centre,
The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago.

Path Umaharan is Professor of Genetics, Director of the Cocoa
Research Centre (CRC) of the University of the West Indies (UWI), Curator of the International Cocoa Genebank, Trinidad and Honorary Professor, Nottingham University, UK. Prof. Umaharan has thirty-five years’ experience in studying the genetics of resistance to bacterial, fungal and viral diseases affecting a number of crops.
His work has led to the development of disease resistant cultivars in cowpea, pigeonpea, hotpepper, anthuriums and cocoa. He is actively involved in setting up the International Fine Cocoa Innovation Centre as a University-Private sector collaboration interface to commercialise innovations in the cocoa value chain. He has published extensively with over 150 publications in referred journals. He serves a Jury for the UNESCO Life Sciences Prize and founding member of cacaoNet and CapgerNET, international and regional plant genetic resources networks. He has also served as Deputy Dean in the Faculty of Science and Agriculture, member of the CARICOM appointed expert group working and advising on Biotechnology and Biosafety, member of boards of governance of the Caribbean Industrial Research Institute and the chairman of the Cabinet appointed committee on establishing a virtual centre of excellence in agriculture and biotechnology.