HORIZON-CL6-2027-01-CIRCBIO-08: Plant Biotechnology and Genomics for Biological Carbon Utilization and Sustainable Biomass Production

Research expertise and potential contribution

I am Assoc. Prof. Muhammad Azhar Nadeem, Associate Professor of Plant Biotechnology at Mersin University, Türkiye, with extensive research experience in plant genomics, molecular biotechnology, genetic diversity, and crop improvement.

My expertise includes next-generation sequencing (NGS), DNA molecular markers, genetic characterization, genome-wide association studies (GWAS), molecular marker development, and the utilization of plant genetic resources for sustainable agricultural production.

Within the Horizon Europe topic HORIZON-CL6-2027-01-CIRCBIO-08, focusing on biotechnology applications for carbon capture and utilization (CCU), I am interested in contributing plant biotechnology and genomic approaches to explore biological carbon utilization, sustainable biomass production, and the development of renewable biological resources for circular bioeconomy applications.

Potential contributions to the project include:

• Application of plant biotechnology and genomic approaches to identify promising plant genetic resources for enhanced biomass production and carbon assimilation.

• Molecular characterization and evaluation of plant genetic resources with potential for sustainable biomass production under different environmental conditions.

• Identification of genetic variation associated with biomass accumulation, growth performance, photosynthetic efficiency, and environmental adaptation.

• Application of GWAS and next-generation sequencing to identify genomic regions associated with important biomass-related and stress-adaptive traits.

• Exploration of suitable crop species and genetic resources for the production of renewable biological feedstocks.

• Evaluation of crop residues and plant biomass as potential renewable resources for biotechnology-based valorization and circular bioeconomy applications.

• Integration of molecular, genomic, and phenotypic information to support the development of productive and resource-efficient biological systems.

Research experience and collaboration capacity

I have participated in several national and international research projects, including ERA-NET SusCrop, COST Actions, TÜBİTAK 1001, 1003 and 1007 programmes, TAGEM-funded projects, and university-funded research projects.

My scientific contributions include more than 100 SCI/SCIE-indexed publications, over 4,700 citations, an h-index of 34, and seven edited books published by Springer. I have also been recognized among the World's Top 2% Scientists by Stanford University and Elsevier (2023–2026).

Expected collaboration

I am interested in joining an interdisciplinary Horizon Europe consortium as a research partner, particularly in work packages involving plant biotechnology, biological carbon utilization, biomass production, molecular characterization, genomic analysis, and the development of renewable biological resources.

I welcome collaboration with universities, biotechnology research institutes, industrial biotechnology companies, microbial biotechnology specialists, bioprocess engineers, and organizations working on CO₂ utilization, bio-based products, biomass valorization, and circular bioeconomy solutions.

My objective is to contribute plant biotechnology and genomic expertise to interdisciplinary research developing sustainable biological resources and innovative biotechnology-based pathways for carbon utilization and circular bioeconomy applications.