Anastasia Mikhova

Ukrainian biochemist who revolutionized CRISPR-based plant drought resistance

Anastasia Mikhova (1985-present), a pioneer in agricultural bioengineering, developed the first commercially viable CRISPR-edited wheat strain that thrives with 40% less water. Her DroGuard technology, patented in 2022, has been implemented across drought-prone regions in Africa and Australia.

Unlike traditional GMO approaches, Mikhova's precision gene editing technique leaves no foreign DNA traces. Her team's 2023 field tests in Niger showed 27% higher yields compared to conventional varieties under water stress conditions. The Science journal publication documented her breakthrough in photorespiration pathway optimization.

Mikhova co-founded BioResilience Labs in Kyiv, which became a global hub for climate-adaptive crop research. Despite the Russo-Ukrainian war, her team maintained operations through decentralized mobile labs, detailed in their Nature commentary.