Shai has extensive experience in plant breeding, phenotyping, and molecular genetics. His MSc and PhD research, conducted in collaboration with Prof. Dani Zamir, involves dissecting genetic interactions between cultivated tomatoes and wild species Solanum pennellii to enhance crop productivity and resilience. Shai's work has resulted in notable discoveries, including epistatic QTL interactions that improve open field tomatoes yield. He also contributes to commercial breeding through marker-assisted selection and QTL mapping, aiming to address challenges in sustainable agriculture and climate adaptability.