National Correspondents Directory

Dr. Hayde F. Galvez (Crop Biotechnology Assistant Professor at the University of the Philippines Los Baños) is a recognized expert in crop molecular genetics, breeding, genomics, and biotechnology with extensive international research and industry experience. She has led major programs including a 5-year Coconut Genomics initiative, published widely, and received honors such as Outstanding Young Scientist in Agriculture.

Dr. Tahmina Islam is an Associate Professor at the Department of Botany, University of Dhaka, whose research journey centers on plant stress physiology and climate resilience, with a particular focus on developing novel crop varieties through advanced genome editing technologies. Her work integrates molecular biology, bioinformatics, and plant transformation to address critical food security challenges facing Bangladesh and the global community.

Dr. Hensel is a molecular biologist by training with a research focus on using modern biotechnological tools to advance our understanding of molecular networks underlying agronomic traits, with a genuine interest in advancing our breeding germplasm.

Dr. Niedz has expertise in plant cell, tissue, and organ culture systems for horticultural, genetic, and plant breeding applications, design-of-experiment approaches for complex biological systems (in vitro, greenhouse, and field), and field-testing strategies to assess the efficacy of biological and nonbiological treatments to manage the citrus disease Huanglongbing.

Barbara is a former past president of the IAPB (2015-2018). She is currently Head of Plant Science based at University College Cork.  Her specialist interest is the use of plant biotechnology for sustainable agriculture. She has an interest in medicinal plants and plant secondary metabolites. She is also interested in the use of CRIPSR tools for plant improvement.

Dr. Linda Petijová is an assistant Professor at the Department of Genetics at Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, Slovakia. She received her PhD. degree in Genetics in 2015 under the supervision of Professor Eva Čellárová. Her current research interests include bioinformatics, especially NGS data handling and the discovery of biosynthetic genes. She is also experienced in plant biotechnology, including cryopreservation.

Cristian Silvestri has been conducting research at the Department of Agriculture and Forest Sciences (DAFNE), focusing primarily on propagation, micropropagation, and biotechnology of fruit tree species, as well as the conservation, study, and propagation of biodiversity. His research primarily focuses on hazelnut, olive species and other species of temperate zone, and he has authored numerous articles in national and international journals. He teaches courses, is a participant in three national industrial projects, and has entered into numerous operational agreements with other private entities. He also serves as a reviewer for numerous scientific journals.

Sareena Sahab joined the Department of Primary Industries in 2009 and is currently a senior research scientist leading the cell biology team at the AgriBio Centre for AgriBioscience—Agriculture Victoria. In her role, she manages transformation programs to support various technology development and commercial projects using Zinc Finger nuclease and CRISPR/Cas-based gene targeting across a range of monocot and dicot crops. Her areas of research interest include transgene-free gene editing, doubled haploid and embryo rescue, stewardship and regulatory compliance, establishment of novel gene delivery systems, improvements of transformation systems in major grain crops for biotic/abiotic/nutritional enhancement, metabolic pathway engineering, FACS-based techniques and establishing single cell-based tools and techniques for Omics-based approaches.

Asrade Dinkayehu is a PhD candidate and researcher at the Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague in plant sciences and plant nutrition. Mr. Asrade has published more than 10 articles in a reputable journal and one conference paper in the WoS. He received the Rector’s Prize, an award for PhD students with outstanding research and publication results in journal Field Crops Research in academic year 2022/2023.

Dr. Hyo-Jun Lee is an executive secretary of the Korean Society of Plant Biotechnology (KSPBT).

Dr. Jana Ambrožič-Dolinšek works to develop in vitro procedures for the protection, micropropagation, storage and cryopreservation of endangered, rare, or vunerable wild species and horticulturally important plants. Jana is also involved in the cultivation of the microalgae Haematococcus pluvialis for the production of the antioxidant astaxanthin and the analysis of plant hormone-like substances. She also develops educational strategies and investigates socio-scientific issues in the fields of biology and biotechnology.

Dr. Monica Butnariu heads the Romania Biotechnology and Environmental Sciences Group – Council for Nutritional and Environmental Medicine. She has many academic achievements, including over 120 published articles, numerous citations, and published books and chapters, as well as serving as an editorial board member of several different international journals. She has also received the Romanian Academy Award for her chapter “Chemical Composition of Vegetables and their Products” in the Handbook of Food Chemistry.

Prof. Vainstein holds the Wolfson Family Chair in Floriculture, has published over 160 scientific papers and books, and developed 6 patents. He has also held numerous leadership roles, among them: heading multiple graduate programs as well as the Plant Science Institute at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, President of the Israeli Society of Plant Sciences, and Chief Scientist/advisor for several biotech companies.

Pedro is the Principal Researcher at the National Research Council of Argentina (CONICET) and an Associate Professor at the Northeast National University (UNNE). He is also the founder and head of the Functional Genomics and Applied Biotechnology lab. His research focuses on studying the transcriptional, metabolical, and physiological responses of woody plants to abiotic, biotic, and combined stress, which includes developing various protocols utilizing biotechnological tools to propagate genotypes with desirable traits.

Dr. Meltem Bayraktar is an Associate Professor in the Department of Genetics and Bioengineering at Kırşehir Ahi Evran University, Türkiye. She obtained her BSc degree in Biology from Ege University and received her MS and Ph.D. degrees in Biotechnology from Ege University, Türkiye. She also worked as visiting scientist at the John Innes Centre in the UK.

Dianna’s doctoral study was in plant biotechnology and plant breeding. She has been involved in the improvement of the agriculture sector in Armenia.

Danielle is passionate about crop breeding and using biotechnology tools in her work at the Institute of Agricultural Research for Development in Cameroon.

Dr. García is a Professor and Investigator at the UCV in the areas of plant plysiology, plant tissue culture, and plant morphogenesis. Eva is also director of the biology school, science faculty, member of the university board of direcots, and director of the internation relations office at the UCV.

Dr. Verma has over three decades of experience in leading research, extension, education, and outreach on sustainable agriculture, horticulture, and plant biotechnology. Dr. Verma’s areas of expertise include plant molecular biology and plant biotechnology techniques related to abiotic stresses and development of stress tolerant plants for various purposes. He has received and successfully implemented many competitive and capacity grants from state, national, and international agencies, and is a recipient of the prestigious ‘Pacific Excellence in Extension and Outreach Service Award’ for the Micronesian region.

Tom has been working on in vitro culture related projects since the start of his career in 1999. Over the past ten years, Tom has been focusing on protoplast culture as well somatic fusions, somaclonal variation and regeneration systems for CRISPR. Tom is also working on projects regarding coculture of plant material with Rhizobium rhizogenes in an attempt to modify plant morphology or abiotic tolerance.

Professor Chedly Abdelly has contributed to the field of biological sciences with emphasis on the characterization of plant response to abiotic constraints using physiological, biochemical and molecular parameters. This research includes addressing plant behaviour to combined environmental constraints, the valorization of extremophile plants in the rehabilitation of marginal areas, the characterization of extremophile plants in order to identify promising species which combine stress tolerance and economic potential, new sources of biomass for human nutrition and the production of energy biomaterials and biomolecules of interest

Professor Jameel M. Al-Khayri is affiliated with the Department of Agricultural Biotechnology at King Faisal University in Saudi Arabia.In addition to teaching, advising and research, he held administrative responsibilities as the Assistant Director of Date Palm Research Center, Head of Department of Plant Biotechnology, and Vice Dean for Development and Quality Assurance, as well as serving as a Member of Majlis Ash Shura (Saudi Legislative Council) for the 2009-2012 term. He is interested in biotechnological approaches to agricultural innovations and sustainability.

Wei Chee’s key research interests are exploiting plant genetic variation and applying appropriate molecular selection methods for improvement of quantitative traits in perennial crops (such as oil palm), in particular high yield and disease resistance.

Dr. Kasem Zaki Ahmed graduated with a BSc and MSc in Agriculture from Minia University and earned his PhD in Plant Genetics (Biotechnology) from the Hungarian Academy of Science, Hungary, in 1993. He has held several academic administrative positions, including President of Egyptian National Committee of Genetics, ASRT (2022-2025); Member of the Egyptian Universities Promotion Committee of the Professors and Assistant Professors in Genetics, Agricultural Chemistry, Agricultural Microbiology (2013-2016); Vice-Dean for Community Service and Environmental Development Affairs (2011-2014); Head of Genetics Department (2010-2011), Director of Minia Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Minia University (2004-2015).

Slavica Ninković possesses long-time experience in numerous experimental procedures including in vitro techniques, physiological, biochemical and molecular methods. As a head of Plant Physiology Department, IBISS and competent mentor, Dr. Ninković also has extensive experience in management, organization and communication skills.

Dunja’s area of scientific interest is the reproductive biology and embryogenesis of plants with a focus on epigenetic mechanisms involved in the induction of embryogenesis and epigenetics of plant responses to stress. She is a professor for the courses Developmental Biology, Mechanisms of Plant Development and Methodology of Scientific Research.

Prakash obtained his early education from India, and PhD from the University of Calgary, Canada; he is currently at the National University of Singapore as a Professor of Biology and Director of the Research Centre on Sustainable Urban Farming. He works on molecular regulation of plant development and salinity tolerance mechanisms.

Matilda established the in vitro genebank for the National Genebank of Ghana for the conservation of of crops which did not produce seeds or whose seeds cannot tolerate low temperature. To date, micro-propagation protocols have been established for 8 crops to facilitate germplasm exchange and address planting material shortages.

Dr. Christophe Hano is a plant biotechnologist and assistant professor at the University of Orléans, France. His scientific interests include the utilization of plant in vitro culture toward the bioproduction of plant bioactive metabolites for nutraceutical, medicinal, and cosmetic applications.