Chloee McLaughlin, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher at HudsonAlpha, has been named a recipient of the 2025 Next Gen Leadership Award by The Genome Partnership. She was recognized for her groundbreaking research in agricultural genomics during the prestigious AGBT Agricultural Meeting, held from March 31 to April 2 in Orlando, Fla. The award honors early-career scientists whose innovative work tackles pressing global challenges in the field.

“Recognizing these talented early-career scientists is critical to advancing innovation in agricultural genomics,” said Daniela Lourenco, associate professor at the University of Georgia and co-chair of the AGBT Agricultural Meeting Scientific Organizing Committee. “Their work represents the next wave of discovery that will improve food security, sustainability, and breeding strategies worldwide during this critical period of climate uncertainty.”

McLaughlin was recognized for her work from graduate school. The project characterized the maladaptation of certain species of native cereal crops in the case of a climate catastrophe resulting in global cooling (nuclear war, asteroid strike, supervolcano). She helped identify the most resilient varieties for this novel climate scenario. At the HudsonAlpha Genome Sequencing Center, McLaughlin’s projects accelerate the improvement of dryland cereals in Africa. Her position works to bridge the gap between breeding and computational biology.

“This award means so much to me, not only as recognition for my work but also as a representation of the mentorship and support that I’ve been fortunate enough to receive throughout my career,” says McLaughlin. “Through my past and current research projects, I’m contributing to our greater understanding of how we can breed climate-smart crops for an ever-changing future.”

McLaughlin completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Florida majoring in botany and minoring in wildlife ecology and conservation. She completed her PhD at Pennsylvania State University and joined HudsonAlpha in October 2024.