Dr Oluwaseyi Shorinola

School of Biosciences
Assistant Professor

Contact details

Telephone: 01214145565

Address: School of Biosciences
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
UK

Oluwaseyi (Seyi for short) uses genomics and genetics approaches to uncover the genetic basis of productivity and quality traits in crops. Seyi’s has particular interest in the improvement and wider adoption of underutilised crops with the aim of diversifying global nutrition.

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Qualifications

PhD, Plant Science, John Innes Centre, UK, 2016
MSc in Biotechnology, University of Salford, 2011
B.Tech in Agronomy, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Nigeria, 2008

Biography

Seyi completed his PhD and post-doctoral training in Prof Cristobal Uauy lab at the John Innes Centre (UK). During this time, he mapped and confirmed a major causal gene in wheat controlling pre-harvesting sprouting – a common grain defect characterised by premature germination of grains before harvest. In 2019, Seyi was awarded a FLAIR fellowship by the Royal Society (UK) and the African Academy of Sciences to lead crop improvement projects in Kenya and Ethiopia.

During his fellowship, Seyi also developed a passion for underutilised crops. These are climate-resilient and nutritious crops but that are often under-researched and under-developed, but can contribute to improving global nutrition. Seyi has led several efforts in developing genomics resources for orphan and underutilised crops including tef, hyacinth bean, african yam bean and kei apple. Before joining the university, Seyi worked as a Senior Scientist at BASF Agricultural Solutions supporting the hybrid wheat research.

Teaching

Seyi currently teaches genetics, programming and bioinformatics to undergraduate and postgraduate students. He leads a module in the MSc Bioinformatics programme where students work in team to apply bioinformatics skills to real-world project. Seyi also supervises MSc projects.

Postgraduate supervision

Seyi is interested in supervising MSc and PhD students on topics relating to crop genetics, genomics, and bioinformatics; he welcomes applications via email.

Publications

Recent publications

Article

Kariba, R, Waweru, B, Njaci, I, Banda, L, Mwangi, JW, Harimanantsoa R, A, Muthemba, S, Featherstone, J, Hendre, P, Jamnadass, R, Van Deynze, A, Domelevo Entfellner, JB & Shorinola, O 2025, 'Draft genome sequence of Kei apple, an underutilized African tree crop', Scientific Data, vol. 12, no. 1, 70. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-025-04414-0

Waweru, B, Njaci, I, Paliwal, R, Maranga, M, Muli, C, Murungi, E, Kaimenyi, D, Lyimo, B, Nigussie, H, Ahadi, BB, Assefa, E, Ishag, H, Olomitutu, O, Abberton, M, Darby, C, Uauy, C, Yao, N, Adewale, D, Emmrich, P, Entfellner, JBD & Shorinola, O 2024, 'Chromosome-scale assembly of the African yam bean genome', Scientific Data, vol. 11, no. 1, 1384. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-024-04210-2

Njaci, I, Waweru, B, Kamal, N, Muktar, MS, Fisher, D, Gundlach, H, Muli, C, Muthui, L, Maranga, M, Kiambi, D, Maass, BL, Emmrich, PMF, Domelevo Entfellner, JB, Spannagl, M, Chapman, MA, Shorinola, O & Jones, CS 2023, 'Chromosome-level genome assembly and population genomic resource to accelerate orphan crop lablab breeding', Nature Communications, vol. 14, no. 1, 1915. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-37489-7

Niyoyankunze, JMV, Nyende, AB, Kyallo, M, Nibasumba, A, Nduwayo, G & Shorinola, O 2023, 'Genetic Diversity and Population Structure Analysis of Arabica Coffee (Coffea arabica L.) Germplasm Collections in Burundi Based on DArTseq', Universal Journal of Agricultural Research, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 275-299. https://doi.org/10.13189/ujar.2023.110206

Orek, C, Kyallo, M, Oluwaseyi, S & Yao, N 2023, 'Genotyping by Sequencing Reveals Genetic Relatedness and Duplicates amongst Local Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) Landraces and Improved Genotypes in Kenya', Biotechnology Journal International, vol. 27, no. 5, pp. 29-46. https://doi.org/10.9734/bji/2023/v27i5694

Shorinola, O, Simmonds, J, Wingen, LU & Uauy, C 2022, 'Trend, population structure, and trait mapping from 15 years of national varietal trials of UK winter wheat', G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics, vol. 12, no. 2, jkab415. https://doi.org/10.1093/g3journal/jkab415

Awata, LAO, Ifie, BE, Danquah, E, Jumbo, MB, Suresh, LM, Gowda, M, Marchelo-Dragga, PW, Olsen, MS, Shorinola, O, Yao, NK, Boddupalli, PM & Tongoona, PB 2021, 'Introgression of Maize Lethal Necrosis Resistance Quantitative Trait Loci Into Susceptible Maize Populations and Validation of the Resistance Under Field Conditions in Naivasha, Kenya', Frontiers in Plant Science, vol. 12, 649308. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2021.649308

Wamalwa, M, Tadesse, Z, Muthui, L, Yao, N, Zegeye, H, Randhawa, M, Wanyera, R, Uauy, C & Shorinola, O 2020, 'Allelic diversity study of functional genes in East Africa bread wheat highlights opportunities for genetic improvement', Molecular Breeding, vol. 40, no. 11, 104. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11032-020-01185-x

Martinez, SA, Shorinola, O, Conselman, S, See, D, Skinner, DZ, Uauy, C & Steber, CM 2020, 'Exome sequencing of bulked segregants identified a novel TaMKK3-A allele linked to the wheat ERA8 ABA-hypersensitive germination phenotype', Theoretical and Applied Genetics, vol. 133, no. 3, pp. 719-736. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-019-03503-0

Shorinola, O, Kaye, R, Golan, G, Peleg, Z, Kepinski, S & Uauy, C 2019, 'Genetic screening for mutants with altered seminal root numbers in hexaploid wheat using a high-throughput root phenotyping platform', G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics, vol. 9, no. 9, pp. 2799-2809. https://doi.org/10.1534/g3.119.400537

Shorinola, O, Balcárková, B, Hyles, J, Tibbits, JFG, Hayden, MJ, Holušova, K, Valárik, M, Distelfeld, A, Torada, A, Barrero, JM & Uauy, C 2017, 'Haplotype analysis of the pre-harvest sprouting resistance locus Phs-A1 reveals a causal role of TAMKK3-A in global germplasm', Frontiers in Plant Science, vol. 8, 1555. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2017.01555

Shorinola, O, Bird, N, Simmonds, J, Berry, S, Henriksson, T, Jack, P, Werner, P, Gerjets, T, Scholefield, D, Balcárková, B, Valárik, M, Holdsworth, MJ, Flintham, J & Uauy, C 2016, 'The wheat Phs-A1 pre-harvest sprouting resistance locus delays the rate of seed dormancy loss and maps 0.3 cM distal to the PM19 genes in UK germplasm', Journal of Experimental Botany, vol. 67, no. 14, pp. 4169-4178. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erw194

Lawrenson, T, Shorinola, O, Stacey, N, Li, C, Østergaard, L, Patron, N, Uauy, C & Harwood, W 2015, 'Induction of targeted, heritable mutations in barley and Brassica oleracea using RNA-guided Cas9 nuclease', Genome Biology, vol. 16, no. 1, 258. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13059-015-0826-7

Comment/debate

Shorinola, O, Marks, R, Emmrich, P, Jones, C, Odeny, D & Chapman, MA 2024, 'Integrative and inclusive genomics to promote the use of underutilised crops', Nature Communications, vol. 15, no. 1, 320. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-44535-x

Ebenezer, TGE, Muigai, AWT, Nouala, S, Badaoui, B, Blaxter, M, Buddie, AG, Jarvis, ED, Korlach, J, Kuja, JO, Lewin, HA, Majewska, R, Mapholi, N, Maslamoney, S, Mbo'o-Tchouawou, M, Osuji, JO, Seehausen, O, Shorinola, O, Tiambo, CK, Mulder, N, Ziyomo, C & Djikeng, A 2022, 'Africa: sequence 100,000 species to safeguard biodiversity', Nature, vol. 603, no. 7901, pp. 388-392. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-022-00712-4

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