Massih Forootan

My current research projects:

- Investigating the feasibility of somatic hybridization for enhancing frost tolerance in Eucalyptus spp.
- Evaluating the genetic variation among Bunium persicum populations in Iran.
- Marker-assisted characterization of wildtype/cultivated Onobrychis species.
- Marker-assisted characterization of Iranian wildtype Rosa species.

My other fields of interest include:

- Studying the geneflow in wildtype species and its possible correlation with desertification.
- Investigating the viability and genetic stability of rare/endemic plant species during cryopreservation procedures.
- Investigating the feasibility of karyotypical & molecular characterization of rare/endemic species as a means of classification and biodiversity studies.
- Studying the function of fluorescence reporting genes as markers and their application in in-situ hybridization and detecting alien genes in transgenic plants

- During my PhD studies, I have participated in MSc Module "Techniques in Plant Biotechnology" as a teaching assistant with focus on protoplast electrofusion and Agrobacterium mediated gene transformation. Responsibilities included preparation and maintenance of the facilities (plant/bacterial materials and instruments), demonstrating the techniques and procedures, together with providing technical advice to students.
- As a long-term hobby, I have practiced BASIC programming: Beginning with Z80 BASIC interpreters, then switching to Microsoft QuickBASIC, Microsoft Visual Basic, and finally Microsoft VBA macro editor.
- Further to BASIC, my other IT-interest is SAS programming language, with focus on monitoring input/output exchange between SAS and Microsoft Office (Excel & Word).

Eucalypt:
With over 160000km² of farms located in saline area, suitable lands for farming is approaching its climax in Iran, not to mention desertification narrows available lands. Eucalyptus has been introduced in Iran since 1970s, and domesticated in a wide range of climates; from highlands to dry and arid areas as well as humid coastal regions. The species' fast growth is a merit where soil erosion is a problem, due to the fact that the roots will get settled more quickly and the tree itself will function as a windbreak. Furthermore, it's a valuable species in terms of wood quality and indeed essential oils. Yet the bottleneck for the species' adaptability in Iran is its susceptibility under cold conditions, where even a spell of cold weather can remarkably intercept the plant's growth.
Many farms are affected by industrial pollution, and an alternative is to switch to cultivating eucalypt trees to remove the risk of hazardous waste entering food products.

Black Cumin:
The plant grows wild from eastern/northeastern to central Iran; as well as India, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan. In Persian traditional medicine, its seeds are known to heal a wide range of diseases, from digestive disorders to fatigue and scorpion sting. Moreover, it's a popular flavor used in bakery and other food processing industries. Seeds are produced after 3 years of vegetative stage and its germination requires a cold pretreatment, naturally occurs during winter. Thus it turns to be a problematic species to be cultivated and its commercialization strongly relies on collecting seed from wild habitats. To protect these habitats from erosion, attempts have been made to conserve the germplasm. To avoid collecting similar gentotypes, it will be essential to identify he genetic profile of population collected from different regions.