Kateryna Udovychenko

    Профілі в:                

Academic degree, title, and position:
PhD in Biological Sciences (Virology), Senior Research Fellow (Fruit Growing), Senior Research Fellow of the Department of Virology, Sanitation, and Propagation of Fruit and Berry Crops.

Research interests:
Her scientific interests encompass a wide range of biotechnological approaches applicable in horticulture, including the use of molecular markers (SSR, SNP) for genotyping and assessing the genetic diversity of fruit and berry crops. Her research also focuses on the molecular and biological characterization of fruit and berry viruses, development of diagnostic methods, and studies on their distribution. She is engaged in developing and improving in vitro propagation technologies to obtain virus-free planting material. Her work aims to enhance the efficient use of genetic resources, implement EPPO certification schemes, and ensure the quality of nursery planting material.

PhD thesis topic: 
“Viral diseases of pear (Pyrus communis L.) and quince (Cydonia oblonga Mill.) and molecular-biological characterization of their causal agents” (2012)

Scientific supervision:
Supervisor of one PhD student.

Short biographical note: 
Kateryna Udovychenko studied Biology at the National University of “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy” from 2001 to 2007, where she got her Master’s degree. From 2007 to 2011, she pursued postgraduate studies at the Department of Virology, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, where she defended her PhD thesis in 2012 in the field of Virology. Since 2007, she has been working at the Institute of Horticulture of NAAS, where she has successively held the positions of laboratory assistant, junior and senior researcher. From 2015 to 2023, she headed the Department of Virology, sanitation, and propagation of fruit and berry crops. In 2023, within the MSCA4Ukraine grant programme, she began scientific collaboration with the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) in the project “Genomic composition of Ukrainian apple germplasm.”

Participation in International and National Projects
2025–2026 — DNA characterization of currants for effective conservation and utilization (DNA–karakterisering av vinbär för effektivt bevarande och nyttjande), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences — Co-Principal Investigator.
2023–2025 — Genomic composition of Ukrainian apple germplasm, MSCA4Ukraine, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences — Co-Principal Investigator.
2019–2021 — Development of an assessment system for the gene pool of pome crops for the production of high-quality planting material — Project Leader, Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.
2017–2018 — Development of a technology for the production of certified planting material of stone fruit crops — Principal Performer, Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.

Awards 
2012 — Laureate of the President of Ukraine Award for Young Scientists for the research project “Comprehensive evaluation of the biological potential of fruit crops.”

Public Activities
Responsible Secretary of the Technical Committee for Standardization TC 179 “Products of orchards, vineyards, and wine production” (since 2016).
Provides consulting support to nursery enterprises on issues related to planting material certification. 
Actively promotes the importance of standardization and certification through scientific-practical conferences and seminars, in cooperation with the Ukrainian Nut Association, the “UkrSadProm” Association, and other professional organizati