Anže Švara is an assistant professor in the Department of Plant Sciences at the College of Agriculture and Bioresources, University of Saskatchewan. He leads the USask Fruit Program, a research and breeding program focusing on genetics studies and improving fruit crops adapted for the Northern Prairies. He holds a Ph.D. from KU Leuven in Belgium, and a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Biotechnology from the University of Ljubljana. He completed his postdoctoral training and research at Cornell University in New York.

The aim of Dr. Švara’s research is to uncover the genetic basis of key traits to
streamline breeding of new fruit varieties and enhance fruit quality, boost production
efficiency and sustainability while aligning with consumer demands. His research spans
both wild relatives and modern cultivars of crops such as haskap, saskatoons, and
apples. By developing new fruit varieties, Anže and the USask Fruit Program team are
contributing to the advancement of the global fruit industry. Prospective students in his
group can engage in research spanning fruit plant phenotyping, developing genetic
resources, and drawing associations between the two of them. For more information
visit the website of his research group.