Dr. Ken Kasha was born and raised on a farm at Lacombe, Alberta. He obtained his B.Sc. Agr. from the University of Alberta in 1957, his M.Sc. from the University of Alberta in 1958 and his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in 1962. Ken was also awarded an honorary LL.D. (H.C.) by the University of Calgary in 1986.
Ken has also received many recognitions for his research on barley. Some include the 1974 Guelph Sigma Xi Lecturer Award in recognition of excellence in research - barley haploid system; (jointly with Dr. E. Reinbergs) the Grindley Medal for 1977 from the Agriculture Institute of Canada for a significant research contribution to agriculture in Canada, namely, haploid barley research; the Ernest C. Manning Award for outstanding innovation by a Canadian, 1983; 1984 Univ. of Guelph, OAC Alumni distinguished researcher award; invited by the Mendelian Society of Lund Sweden to present the 1987 Nilsson-Ehle lecture; elected Fellow, Royal Society of Canada, Academy of Sciences 1990 and appointed as an Officer of the Order of Canada on April 13th, 1994.
Ken's first position was as a forage researcher with Agriculture Canada in Ottawa from 1962 - 1966. He then began his outstanding career in barley R&D at the University of Guelph in 1996. During his time at Guelph he has supervised 13 Ph.D. and 17 M.Sc. students and has been involved with many academic and professional activities. Some highlights include being Genetics Society of Canada, Secretary 1966-1969; Director 1970-1972 and Vice-President, President and Past President 1975-1978 Genetics Society of America; being the Canadian Correspondent & Rep on the International Plant Cell and Tissue Culture Association,1990-94; Sigma Xi: Secretary, Guelph Chapter 1979-80; Vice-President, President and Past- President 1984-1986 Canadian Botanical Association and organizer of the 1st Canadian Symposium on Plant Molecular Biology, Guelph, in 1985 which led to formation of the Canadian Society for Plant Molecular Biology. Ken was also co-organizer of 15th North American Barley Research Workshop, held at Guelph, July 1993; an invited Symposium Speaker at XV International Botanical Congress, Yokohama, Japan, Aug. 1993 - to represent the North American Barley Genome Mapping Project; organizing Chairperson for the 3rd Canadian IAPTC Workshop on Plant Tissue Culture and Genetic Engineering, held at Guelph, June 1992; organizer of the Canadian Workshop on `Genetic Engineering of Monocots' to set research priorities, Sept. 1989, Guelph.; program Chairman for XVI International Congress of Genetics, Toronto, Aug. 20-27th, 1988; an International Program Committee member for 2nd International Symp. on Genetic Manipulation in Crop Plants, CIMMYT, Mexico, Aug. 1988: a program Advisory Committee member for the International Congress by EUCARPIA on GENETIC MANIPULATION IN PLANT BREEDING. Sept. 11-18, 1988; hosted and organized the 1st meeting of an International Working group on "Use of induced mutations with haploids and heterosis in cereals", held under the auspices of FAO/IAEA at Guelph, Dec. 1986; member of the International Advisory Committee for Symposium on Genetic Manipulation in Crops (3rd International Symposium on Haploidy) held in Beijing, China, October, 1984; member of Editorial Board for Monongraph on Barley, American Society of Agronomy 1982-84; Chairman of Steering Committee for the 2nd International Symposium on "Haploids in Higher Plants" held in 1979, Norwich, England and organizing Chairman and Proceedings Editor for 1st International Symposium on "Haploids in Higher Plants". June 10-14, 1974, University of Guelph.
While retired, Ken has been appointed Professor Emeritus at the University of Guelph . His current research interests include the development of isolated microspore culture systems for barley and wheat; DNA sequencing and gene isolation in barley; developing DNA probes for species specific chromosome identification via in situ hybridization with biotin labelling; development of RFLP and RAPD markers for tagging genes and marking chromosomes in barley; barley microspore transformation in cooperation with Monsanto and, being Canadian Coordinator for North American Barley Genome Mapping Project involving ca. 50 scientists.
Barley research highlights in Ken's career include:
With the aid of chromosomal interchanges (translocations) in barley, demonstrated that chromosome pairing begins at or near the ends of barley chromosomes.
Discovered a method of producing haploids in barley by chromosome elimination following interspecific hybridization (published in Nature, 1970).
Demonstrated the role of chromosome and gene balance in the control of chromosome elimination and that such factors were located on chromosomes 2 and 3 of barley.
With colleagues, demonstrated that haploidy compared favourably with other barley breeding methods and could save 3-5 generations in a breeding program.
Through C-banding, corrected the assignment of linkage groups to physical chromosomes of barley.
Improvement of both anther and isolated microspore culture for the production of haploids in barley and wheat.
Transfer of mildew and yellow mosaic virus resistance from Hordeum bulbosum to barley.
Isolation of self-incompatibility genes from H. Bulbosum, the first report in Gramineae.
Ken's research publications number 287, including 94 refereed journal publications, book chapters or conference proceedings, 93 non-refereed research notes or technical reports and 100 abstracts in conference proceedings.