Jayson Lusk is the Vice President and Dean of Oklahoma State University's Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. He holds the Regents Professor title in the Department of Agricultural Economics and leads the Ferguson College of Agriculture, OSU Extension, and OSU Ag Research. With over 290 peer-reviewed articles and six books, he specializes in food policy, consumer behavior, and agricultural economics. His research spans topics like GLP-1 agonists' impact on food consumption , precision livestock farming , and animal welfare policies . Research Interests : Lusk's work focuses on food policy trade-offs, emerging technologies (e.g., biotechnology, gene editing), consumer behavioral economics, and livestock marketing. He has pioneered methods like inferred valuation and calibrated choice experiments . Recent Publications analyze plant-based meat substitution , risk preference visualization , and extreme weather's economic impacts . His articles often integrate experimental economics and neuroeconomic techniques . Scientific Honors include fellowships from the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association (AAEA) and American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) , alongside a past presidency in AAEA. Funding History features grants from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (2015–2024) addressing topics like consumer trade-offs , fairness in supply chains , and gene-edited food valuation . His career bridges academic research with policy advisory roles and extensive media engagement.
Norman Van Rhijn is a Wellcome Trust Early Career Fellow at the University of Manchester's Division of Evolution, Infection and Genomics. His research focuses on microbial evolution with specific emphasis on fungal pathogens, particularly Aspergillus fumigatus . He leads work on antimicrobial resistance (AMR), climate change impacts on fungal diseases, and genetic tools for non-model organisms. He holds affiliations with MERman (Microbial Evolution Research Manchster) and the Manchester Fungal Infection Group (MFIG). Education: BSc Biology (Leiden University), MSc Medical Mycology (University of Manchester), PhD in Molecular Biology (University of Manchester). Research highlights include developing CRISPR-based genome editing methodologies, studying fungal adaptation to environmental pressures, and investigating dual-use fungicides. His work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to health and environmental sustainability. Award: Wellcome Trust Early Career Fellowship. Labs/Teams: PI in the MFIG project, editorial board member for mBio , and active in professional societies including the Microbiology Society and British Society for Medical Mycology.
Associate Professor Timothy Bredy is a leading figure in cognitive neuroepigenetics at the Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) , focusing on how epigenetic modifications and RNA dynamics regulate fear-related memory and psychiatric disorders like PTSD. His research explores the interplay between environmental experiences and genomic activity, particularly through non-coding RNA and DNA methylation. University: University of Queensland School: Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences Role: Professorial Research Fellow and Group Leader Research Interests span epigenetic mechanisms in memory formation, RNA modifications in synaptic plasticity, and therapeutic applications for anxiety disorders. He pioneered discoveries linking dynamic DNA structures (e.g., G-quadruplexes) and RNA methylation to memory stability. Recent Work includes studies on RNA-based therapeutics, stress-induced epigenetic inheritance, and synaptic long noncoding RNA activity. His scientific awards encompass NHMRC and ARC grants for neuroepigenetics research. Key Collaborators: Paul Marshall, Esmi Zajaczkowski Labs: Bredy Laboratory at QBI
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Martin Spitzer holds the Chair of Civil Law and Civil Procedure at the Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU Wien), where he has been a full professor since 2011. He serves as Program Director for Business Law and Institute Director at WU. Professor Spitzer is Editor-in-Chief of the Austrian Jurists' Journal (ÖJZ) and the Austrian Legal Archives (ÖJA), and co-editor of prominent legal commentaries including the ABGB commentary ("KBB"). His academic work spans both traditional civil law topics and modern commercial legal challenges. Professor Spitzer's research interests focus on the intersection of substantive and procedural civil law, with particular emphasis on banking law, inheritance law, insolvency law, collective legal protection, credit security law, tort law, and contract law. His work often takes comparative and historical perspectives, examining how civil law principles apply in contemporary commercial contexts. He has published extensively across all fields of civil and civil procedure law, with recent work exploring digitalization of legal processes, climate change liability, and human rights violations in global supply chains. His recent scholarly output demonstrates a clear trend toward addressing contemporary legal challenges through traditional civil law frameworks. Many publications examine how digital transformation impacts civil procedure, with particular focus on video hearings and electronic evidence. Other significant themes include banking regulation in times of crisis, consumer protection in financial services, and the evolving relationship between administrative decisions and civil proceedings. His work consistently bridges theoretical legal scholarship with practical applications for legal professionals. Excellent Teaching Award (2021, 2020, 2016) Innovative Teaching Award (2017) Insolvency Law Prize (Main Prize, 2014) Cardinal Innitzer Promotion Prize (2012) Walther Kastner Main Prize (2012) Capital Markets Prize (2012) Professor Spitzer plays a significant role in legal education through his position as Program Director for Business Law at WU Vienna. He co-founded Austria's best-selling legal textbook series (PSK, Bürgerliches Recht) with Stefan Perner, now in its 7th edition. He has supervised numerous doctoral students and research assistants who contribute to the chair's publication projects. Beyond academia, he maintains strong connections with legal practitioners through continuing education events for the judiciary and legal profession, including the Vienna Civil Court Day and Austrian Lawyers' Civil Law Day. His work extends to media commentary, expert opinions for public and private clients, and projects addressing social responsibility such as pharmaceutical supply chain resilience. The chair under Professor Spitzer organizes several major scientific events including the Banking Law Forum (since 2019), Forum for Civil Law (since 2016), Private Law Course including Civil Procedure (since 2014), Insurance Law Day (since 2021), Vienna Civil Court Day (since 2019), and Vienna Civil Law Day (since 2023). These events bring together academics, practitioners, and judges to discuss current developments in civil law. The chair also houses the editorial team for the Austrian Jurists' Journal and oversees publication of standard commentaries on key Austrian legal codes.
Manuel Wimmer is a Full Professor and Head of the Department of Business Informatics – Software Engineering at Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria. He also serves as the Program Director for the Business Informatics master's program since 2019. His academic leadership extends to representing JKU Linz in the AutomationML society and leading significant research initiatives. Dr. Wimmer received his Ph.D. and Habilitation from TU Wien. His academic journey includes: Research associate at the University of Malaga, Spain Visiting professor at the University of Marburg, Germany Visiting professor at TU Munich, Germany Assistant professor at the Business Informatics Group (BIG), TU Wien, Austria Professor Wimmer's research focuses on Model-Driven Software Engineering and its applications, particularly in the emerging field of Digital Twins . His work bridges theoretical foundations with practical industrial applications, with special emphasis on model transformations, runtime modeling, and the integration of artificial intelligence techniques into model-driven approaches. More recently, he has been exploring the intersection of model-driven engineering with quantum computing, investigating how modeling principles can be applied to quantum software development. His recent publications reveal a strong trend toward Digital Twin engineering, with approximately 40% of his 2023-2025 publications focusing on various aspects of Digital Twin technology. Another significant strand of his work involves the application of AI and machine learning techniques to enhance model-driven engineering processes. The emergence of quantum software engineering as a research direction is also notable in his most recent publications, demonstrating his ability to identify and explore cutting-edge research frontiers. From 2017-2023, Professor Wimmer led the Christian Doppler Laboratory on Model-Integrated Smart Production (CDL-MINT), where he developed engineering approaches for digital twins. He is also the co-author of the influential book "Model-driven Software Engineering in Practice" (2nd edition, 2017). Professor Wimmer is actively involved in the organization of major scientific events including the IEEE International Conference on Quantum Software (QSW) and the International Conference on Engineering Digital Twins (EDTconf), demonstrating his leadership in these emerging research communities. His research has practical applications across various domains including smart cities, industrial automation, tunneling/construction, and quantum computing. The MATISSE project represents a significant multi-partner effort to develop a framework for federated digital twins of industrial systems.
John A. Pulikkan, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy at the Medical College of Wisconsin. His research focuses on deciphering the interplay between transcription factors and chromatin dynamics in normal and malignant hematopoietic stem cells, with a particular emphasis on acute myeloid leukemia (AML). He leads the Pulikkan Lab, dedicated to identifying novel therapeutic targets for leukemia treatment through genetic, epigenetic, and biochemical approaches in mouse models and human primary leukemic cells. Dr. Pulikkan earned his PhD from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Germany, where his work elucidated mechanisms of C/EBPα in hematopoiesis. His postdoctoral research at the University of Massachusetts Medical School led to the discovery of AI-10-49, a small molecule inhibitor targeting CBFβ-SMMHC in leukemia. This work demonstrated the feasibility of targeting 'undruggable' oncogenic transcription factors, with AI-10-49 now advancing toward clinical development. His research interests span three key areas: (1) transcription factor-chromatin dynamics in hematopoiesis, (2) transcriptional deregulation in AML, and (3) functional roles of non-coding RNAs in leukemia. Notable contributions include insights into MYC chromatin dynamics inhibition and SWI/SNF/PRC axis disruption in cancer. Awards: ASH Scholar Award, Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation Young Investigator Award, Lauri Strauss Leukemia Foundation Discovery Grant Lab Focus: Translational research bridging basic science and clinical leukemia therapy Key Findings: Role of ADAR2 RNA editing in AML, hijacking of PU.1 antisense promoters by CBF fusions, and N-MYC survival pathways in inv(16) AML
Dr. Tim Sherman is a Professor in the Department of Biology and Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Marine Sciences at the University of South Alabama. He holds a B.S. in Biology from Arkansas Tech University (1981) and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Texas A&M University (1988). His research focuses on plant cell biology, biochemistry, and the physiology of aquatic and marine species. Key areas include molecular interactions between seagrasses and pathogens, stress tolerance mechanisms in halophytic algae, and nitrogen/carbon metabolism in marine algae. Current projects investigate seagrass die-offs, invasive species impacts, and parasite-plant host interactions. Dr. Sherman’s recent work emphasizes seagrass pathology and environmental stress responses. His articles span marine ecology, molecular biology, and plant physiology, with notable contributions to understanding invasive species dynamics and disease mechanisms. Grants: NSF MRI grant for a light sheet microscope (PI: Tom Rich). Lab Focus: Examines thermal responses of marine fish to climate change and anthropogenic nutrient effects on plant competition. His advisory work includes mentoring students in ecology, molecular biology, and environmental science. Collaborations span seagrass conservation, microbial diversity, and parasitic barnacle-host interactions.
Phillip D. Zamore serves as Chair and Professor of the RNA Therapeutics Institute at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School School of Medicine and is an Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. He holds the Gretchen Stone Cook Professorship in Biomedical Sciences and leads pioneering research in RNA biology. Dr. Zamore earned his A.B. (1986) and Ph.D. (1992) in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Harvard University, followed by postdoctoral training at The Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research. His research focuses on small RNA silencing pathways including RNA interference (RNAi), microRNA, and PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) mechanisms across eukaryotic and prokaryotic systems. Key investigations explore how Argonaute proteins achieve sequence-specific regulation of transcription and translation, with emphasis on piRNA biogenesis in germ cells and bacterial Argonaute functions. Analysis of his recent publications reveals dominant themes in transposon silencing, piRNA pathway evolution, RNA therapeutic development, and molecular mechanisms of gene regulation. His work bridges fundamental biochemistry with clinical applications, particularly in RNA-based therapies for genetic disorders. Notable scientific honors include: Chancellor’s Medal for Excellence in Scholarship (2015) Dean's Award for Research Mentoring (2011) Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (2014) Election to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, National Academy of Sciences, and National Academy of Medicine (2023) Dr. Zamore has co-founded multiple biotechnology companies including Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (2002), which developed the FDA-approved RNAi therapeutic ONPATTRO for hereditary transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis, and Voyager Therapeutics (2014). His laboratory has trained dozens of researchers now leading institutions worldwide, with over 150 publications and 119 patents reflecting his translational impact. Current research leverages biochemical and genetic approaches to develop RNA-guided therapies for diseases like Huntington's. The Zamore Laboratory operates within the RNA Therapeutics Institute at UMass Chan Medical School, utilizing advanced genomic, biochemical, and imaging technologies to study small RNA pathways in model organisms including Drosophila, mice, and bacterial systems.
Dr. Robert Reenan is a Professor of Biology at Brown University, affiliated with the Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry. His research spans evolutionary genetics, RNA editing, and neurogenetics, focusing on how genomes regulate rapid signaling in the brain through mechanisms like RNA editing and comparative genomics. He has contributed extensively to understanding RNA editing’s role in diseases such as ALS, Alzheimer’s, and epilepsy. Education: PhD in Genetics (Harvard Medical School, 1991), AB in Biology (University of Missouri, 1984) Research Interests: Dr. Reenan investigates RNA editing, ion channels, neurogenetics, and their implications in aging, neurological disorders, and evolutionary adaptation. His work reveals how RNA editing modulates gene function in Drosophila, impacting diseases like ALS and epilepsy. Grants & Collaborations: He has secured major grants from the ALS Association, NIH (NINDS), Ellison Medical Foundation, and NSF. Collaborations include partnerships with researchers like Stephen Helfand, Gary Wessel, and Louis Lapierre. Teaching: Dr. Reenan teaches courses in genetics, molecular genetics, neurogenetics, and scientific communication.
Francesco Iorio is a Research Group Leader in Computational Biology at Human Technopole (Milan, Italy), leading research in computational cancer pharmacogenomics and therapeutic target discovery. He holds a PhD from the University of Salerno and TIGEM (Naples), focusing on computational methods for drug discovery. Previously, he was a Senior Bioinformatician at EBI, leading CRISPR-Cas9 screen analyses across cancer cell lines to identify synthetic lethalities and therapeutic targets. He led the Cancer Dependency Map Analytics team at Wellcome Sanger Institute, developing algorithms for integrating large-scale cancer datasets. Since 2019, he serves as a Scientific Advisor to the Cancer Research Horizon–AstraZeneca Functional Genomics Centre. His research integrates computational methods with experimental data to uncover cancer dependencies, drug mechanisms, and biomarkers. Key contributions include tools like CRISPRcleanR for bias correction in CRISPR screens, and CELLector for selecting cancer cell line models. His work spans pharmacogenomics, functional genomics, and CRISPR technologies, with a focus on translating findings into clinical applications. Publications highlight advancements in CRISPR screen analysis, cancer dependency mapping, and drug repositioning. Current projects aim to advance precision medicine through computational frameworks for understanding tumor heterogeneity and therapeutic vulnerabilities.
Dr. Madhusudan Choudhary is a Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Sam Houston State University. He holds a Ph.D. from McMaster University and completed post-doctoral training at Duke University. His research laboratory focuses on microbial genetics, genomics, and bioinformatics using Rhodobacter sphaeroides as a model organism to study bacterial cell-cycle regulation, metabolic innovations through gene duplication, and the evolution of genomic complexity in prokaryotes. Key investigations include chromosome replication origins, duplicate gene expression patterns, and the functional specialization of multipartite genomes. Dr. Choudhary's research spans diverse areas including bacterial responses to microgravity, CRISPR-Cas systems, heavy metal resistance mechanisms, and nanoparticle interactions. He directs studies on transcriptomics under stress conditions and develops computational methods for genome analysis. His work has significant implications for understanding microbial evolution and environmental adaptation.
Michael Schatz is the Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Computational Biology and Oncology at Johns Hopkins University, with joint appointments in the Department of Computer Science at the Whiting School of Engineering and the Department of Biology at the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences. He also serves as a member of the Cancer Prevention and Control Program at Johns Hopkins' Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center and maintains an adjunct position at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Dr. Schatz's research focuses on computational biology and genomics, with particular expertise in DNA sequencing analysis and scalable computing solutions for genomic data. His work spans medical applications for understanding autism spectrum disorders and cancer, as well as agricultural applications for crop improvement. He founded and directs the Schatz Lab, which has developed numerous widely-used computational tools including NGMLR, Sniffles, Scalpel, GECCO, Ginkgo, FALCON, Assemblytics, CloudBurst, and Crossbow. His recent work has made significant contributions to understanding structural variations in cancer genomes, analyzing South Asian genomic diversity, and identifying genes responsible for size variations in nightshade plants like tomatoes and eggplants. Dr. Schatz has pioneered the use of cloud computing in genomics and remains at the forefront of developing algorithms for large-scale biological sequence analysis. Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Fellowship (2015) NSF CAREER Award (2014) Genome Technology's Young Investigator of the Year (2010) Winship Herr Award for Excellence in Teaching (twice) TIME100 recipient (2022) Dr. Schatz actively advises PhD students including Arun Das (recently defended) and Mahler Revsine (NSF GRFP fellow). He serves on editorial boards for Genome Biology, GigaScience, and Cell Systems, and regularly participates in major genomics conferences including the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory meetings. His lab continues to develop innovative computational approaches at the intersection of biotechnology and algorithmics, with applications spanning human health, agriculture, and evolutionary biology.
Nico J. Claassens is an Associate Professor at the Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University. His research focuses on microbial synthetic metabolism, including engineering metabolism and synthetic cells using multiplex genetic engineering and quantitative proteomics. He leads the Microbial Synthetic Metabolism group, which develops sustainable bioproduction strategies using CO2 and one-carbon substrates (e.g., formate, methanol) to produce food proteins and other bio-based products. Claassens received his PhD from Wageningen University (2017) and was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Max Planck Institute (2017–2019), supported by a Rubicon Fellowship from NWO. He became an Assistant Professor at Wageningen in 2020 and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2023. Key research interests include synthetic biology, autotrophic growth pathways, and genome-scale engineering. He holds leadership roles: Associate Editor of Microbial Cell Factories , board member of the Dutch Biotechnology Association, and co-founder of SynBioNL. Awards include the NWO-Veni Grant (2019) and the NVBMB Prize (2022). Claassens teaches synthetic biology and advises the startup Farmless. His lab collaborates on national programs like Building A Synthetic Cell (BaSyC) and contributes to Wageningen Young Academy initiatives. Major achievements include pioneering the reductive glycine pathway for CO2 utilization and developing methods like the SIBR-Cas genome-editing system. His work bridges fundamental research (e.g., synthetic cell design) and applied biotechnology (e.g., food protein production from sustainable feedstocks).
Susan A. Martinis is the Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she holds dual appointments as Professor of Biochemistry and Stephen G. Sligar Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology, and Professor of Biophysics and Quantitative Biology. Her research laboratory focuses on the molecular mechanisms of tRNA synthetases, essential enzymes governing protein synthesis fidelity through aminoacylation and editing activities. Research interests span enzymology, RNA biology, molecular evolution, and protein-nucleic acid interactions, with emphasis on: Fidelity mechanisms in tRNA synthetases, particularly leucyl-tRNA synthetase (LeuRS) Proofreading and editing pathways preventing translational errors Mitochondrial group I intron splicing mediated by LeuRS Engineering tRNA synthetases for genetic code expansion applications Her publications demonstrate sustained focus on enzyme kinetics, structural biology of synthetases, and therapeutic targeting of pathogen-specific editing mechanisms. Recent work explores benzoxaborole inhibitors, evolutionary adaptations in Mycoplasma, and non-canonical roles in gene regulation. Martinis leads an active research group (Martinis Lab) investigating novel synthetase functions beyond translation. Current projects examine splicing-activation domains, CP1 domain evolution, and amino acid editing dynamics using biochemical, structural, and computational approaches.
Marko Djordjevic is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade. His research spans computational biology of infectious diseases, bacterial immune systems (CRISPR/Cas and restriction-modification systems), and quantitative understanding of infection progression with applications to SARS-CoV-2 and computational physics of quark-gluon plasma. Diploma in Physics, Faculty of Physics, University of Belgrade, Serbia. PhD in Biophysics and Bioinformatics, Department of Physics, Columbia University, USA. Postdoctoral training at the Mathematical Biosciences Institute, Ohio State University, USA. Djordjevic's research focuses on nonlinear regulatory dynamics of bacterial immune systems, their role in horizontal gene transfer, and modeling infection progression under social mitigation measures. His secondary interest in computational physics examines quark-gluon plasma dynamics via high-p⊥ observables and tomography. His recent publications address CRISPR/Cas regulation, restriction-modification systems, and SARS-CoV-2 transmissibility drivers. Grants from the Serbian Ministry of Science, Science Fund of Serbia, EU Marie Curie IRG, and Swiss National Science Foundation support his work.
