Latest CDA Stories

Click on the stories below to read about our research in local and international news outlets.

14 March, 2022

Understanding rust resistance in bread wheat

Sequencing a high-quality bread wheat genome facilitates the identification of a gene that confers stripe rust resistance and may lead to improved crop resilience.

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07 March, 2022

Tweaking carotenoids proves fruitful

A novel plant-breeding strategy is targeting crop yield, nutritional value and stress tolerance, all through the expression of one gene.

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20 January, 2022

Desert plants hold the key to crop survival

A fascination with desert plants and their survival mechanisms has led to a game-changing discovery for improving crop productivity under stress conditions.

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28 November, 2021

Compact CRISPR system enables portable COVID-19 testing

Miniature RNA-cutting protein harnessed for diagnostics and therapeutics.

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14 November, 2021

Bacteria engage sulfur for plant salt tolerance

Understanding the interplay between bacteria and sulfur is leading to exciting biotechnologies that could enable crops to be irrigated with salty water.

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11 November, 2021

Improving global food security by controlling a persistent weed

The challenges of food production and global food security require a long-term, multi-pronged approach.

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27 October, 2021

Faculty in Focus: Prof. Mark Tester

Interview with CDA faculty member, Professor Mark Tester: “The food sector is arguably the most environmentally damaging of all sectors of human activity.”

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14 October, 2021

Protecting the date palm for future prosperity

Modern research and technology are being used at KAUST to protect this very ancient crop.

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20 June, 2021

Keeping a vigilant watch on SARS-CoV-2

New lateral flow test Vigilant is cheaper, easier to use and as reliable as the current gold standard PCR test for diagnosing SARS-CoV-2 infection.

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17 June, 2021

KAUST CDA and MEWA Kick off Saudi Native Genome Project

Pilot research project samples desert species to combat desertification and promote biodiversity

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