Plant science and Plant Biology

Mr. Muhammad Usman, Former Director General of the Agricultural Research System, Government of Pakistan retired from service after a spotless career of about 35 years with senior-level experience in research and development of integrated agricultural production, industries, Agriculture & Horticulture, and bioenergy in a sustainable way. Mr. Usman is considered the senior scientist in the world, always participating in international conferences as a plenary speaker, keynote speaker, renowned speaker, organizing committee member as well as moderator of conferences around the world. Mr. Usman established "Prominent Agro Based Industries, Agro Based Industries, and Consultancy SDN BHD" in Malaysia and "Foundation for Rural Development in Pakistan", with primary aims to work on integrated agricultural project for Rural Development through improvement in agriculture and consultancy services to the formers at Malaysia.

Meriem AMRANE is a PhD student at Bejaia University (Algeria). Holds a degree in Food Science (Food Engineering, Food, and Medicine; Specialty: Food Analysis and Instrumental Analysis). and a master's degree in Biotechnology, Agro-resources Food and Nutrition. His research focuses on photochemical compounds (extraction, biological activities, and bioavailability of these molecules) with the collaboration of Analytical Chemistry Laboratory of Aragon Research Institute (I3A) of Zaragoza University (Spain) and University of Lisbon (Portugal). Furthermore, she works with the collaboration of Department of Environment and Biological Sciences, A. Mira University on in vivo and in vitro pest control. She participated in several national and international congress on the valorization of the prickly pear.

Reelika Rätsep is a young fellow researcher on sustainable food production in ERA-Chair VALORTECH and a researcher on bioactive compounds of horticultural crops in Competence Centre for Knowledge-Based Health Goods and Natural Products of Polli Horticultural Research Centre in Estonia. She has 4 years of practice in horticultural private sector while she pursued her Master degree in Horticulture. Dr. Rätsep defended her PhD in Agriculture in 2016 on the topic of grapevine and strawberry fruit quality affected by cultivation technologies. In her research, she has particular interest in biochemical composition in different fruit and berry cultures as well as the most recent goal is to investigate the possibilities for valorisation of local plant-based production by-products and food wastes using green technologies and “zero waste” concept

Halah Haitham Al-Haideri is a fellowship PhD lecturer in the University of Baghdad, College of Science for Women, Department of Biology. Graduated from University of Sheffield, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Department, UK. She holds a BSc and MSc from the University of Baghdad, College of Science for Women in Biology. Mainly works in the laboratory of Microbiology and Molecular biology, in terms of host-pathogen interaction, microbial physiology and metabolism, proteomes, Microbial treatment of water and water quality, antibiotics and antimicrobial peptides, the effect of antibiotics on natural environment. She has 18 yrs of practical works in total, by which 4 years as a postgraduate supervisor. She attended 4 conferences in UK as both poster presentation and oral presentation in Manchester, Nottingham and Liverpool, as well as in Iraq/ Baghdad. She published 6 papers and has more than 18 acknowledgment letters.  

Girma Demissie is an agricultural entomologist by profession and working for Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Holetta Agricultural Research Center. He received his BSc and MSc from Haramaya University, and received his PhD from Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, India. Since 2002, he has researched on maize entomology at Bako. He was in charge of the maize entomology research projects conducted at national level from 2002-2011. From 2008 to 2011 he was served as country coordinator of CIMMYT funded “Insect Resistant Maize for Africa” project. From 2016 to May 2018 he was served as coordinator of ICIPE funded Integrated Termite Management project. Since 2017 he has also been serving as coordinator of FAO and PRC funded Fall Armyworm research projects. In addition to his professional expertise he was served as Director of Bako National Maize Research Center from Feb. 2015 to Feb. 2018. He has wide ranging experience in administering, leading and coordinating several research projects. Besides he has good skills in establishing strong partnership with various national and international stakeholders in obtaining grants, collaborative research work and capacity building. Dr. Girma has been doing substantial research on maize protection and authored or co-authored several proceedings and over 18 publications in peer reviewed referred journals.

Kitiyaporn Pongpratead is a lecturer in physical chemistry at the Department of Applied Sciences and Engineering. The educational background in chemistry and physical chemistry for bachelor's and doctoral degrees, respectively. After graduation, she was a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Strathclyde in the UK for 3 years. She also got a research scholar for 2 years at Michigan State University. Then, she got a permanent job in Thailand as a lecturer at Khonkaen University, Nong Khai campus. Her research is about the computational chemistry of biomolecular systems for drug design. In addition, she works on environmental chemistry that involves wastewater treatment and wastewater analysis.

Alice Aav is a lecturer and a researcher in Estonian University of Life Sciences. She holds PhD in plant pathology. Her main teaching topics are plant-based raw materials and plant-based food technologies. Her research work is based on sustainable food production technologies and valorisation of agricultural- and food by-products using novel and “green technologies”. The main crop for her research has been potato. She has also worked with entrepreneurs, developing new plant-based food products for marketing purposes.

Graduated from the University of St.Andrews, Scotland after a four-year Honours Geology degree course in 1959.  Gained a Ph.D degree from the University of Bristol graduating in geology and mineralogy in 1963. Joined Australia National University to work on isotope geochronology, 1963-65.  Continued this work during a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Leeds,1965-68.  Accepted Professorship at the Department of Geology, University of Florida, USA, and later at the Department of Environmental Studies, University of Virginia, USA.  On return to the UK  in 1995 became interested in natural zeolites which led to current work on biological plant fertilizers at the Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge

Ravi Sharma studied at St. Vincent's School Agra (1954-1958 passed V Std.), M.D. Jain Inter College, Agra (1958-1963 did High School); St. John's College, Agra (1963-1967 passed Inter (1965), B.Sc. (1967)); Agra College, Agra (1967-1969 (Passed MSc Botany), 1982 completed PhD Botany) later taught Botany to College Students at Agra College, Agra (1969-1970); K.R. College Mathura (1970-2011); Worked as Principal/Director Ess Ess College of Education, Dayalbagh, Agra (1-7-2011 t0 15.4.2014) and produced 15 Ph.D. students on various aspects of Eco-physiology dealing with saltstress, air, water and soil pollution. At present busy with my D.Sc. work besides engaged in writing books on the Cell and Molecular Biology of Plants; Plant Physiology and Metabolism and Nutritional Disorders in Plants. Associated with various National and International professional societies