Rolf H. J. Schlegel,
Ph.D., is Professor of Cytogenetics and Applied Genetics, with over 50 years
of experience in research and teaching of advanced genetics and plant breeding in Germany and
Bulgaria. Prof. Schlegel is the author of more than 160 research papers, monographs, and scientific
contributions, co-coordinator of international research projects, and has been a scientific consultant
at the Bulgarian Academy of Agricultural Sciences for several years. He received his Master’s
degree in Agriculture and Plant Breeding, and his Ph.D. and D.Sc. in Genetics and Cytogenetics
from the Martin-Luther University Halle/S., Germany. Later he became Head of Laboratory of
Chromosome Manipulation and the Department of Applied Genetics and Genetic Resources at the
Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research, Gatersleben, Germany, and the Head of the
Genebank at the Institute of Wheat and Sunflower Research, General Toshevo/Varna, as well as at
the AgroBioInstitute, Sofia, Bulgaria. He is now emeritus of the institute.