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Philip Poole is a Professor of Plant Microbiology at the University of Oxford's Department of Plant Sciences and Senior Research Fellow at Somerville College. His research focuses on plant-microbe interactions, nitrogen fixation, and rhizosphere microbiology. He has led major international projects including the BBSRC-NSF Synthetic Symbioses program (2014-2019) and the India-UK Nitrogen Fixation Consortium (2016-2019). With 26 grants as PI from the UK's BBSRC, he has secured over £10.5 million in funding. His work includes pioneering bacterial Lux biosensors for metabolite analysis, transcriptomics under sterile conditions, and metatranscriptomics in soil to study microbiome-plant interactions. Current projects model nitrogen fixation biochemistry in legume nodules and investigate rhizobia lifecycle transitions from rhizosphere colonization to symbiotic bacteroid differentiation. He co-directs the Oxford Centre for Plants for the 21st Century and serves on editorial/advisory boards for Microbiology UK, The Journal of Bacteriology, and Pivot Bio. His contributions include elucidating the ammonia-alanine pathway for nitrogen secretion and demonstrating symbiotic auxotrophy dependencies in bacteroids. Key achievements include developing global mutagenesis strategies (INSeq) and advancing understanding of microbial community structures in the rhizosphere. His research integrates molecular, genetic, and systems biology approaches to address global challenges in sustainable agriculture.

• Nitrogen Fixation
• Plant-Microbe Interactions
• Rhizosphere Microbiology
• +3 more

Sabine Glasl-Tazreiter is a Lecturer at the University of Vienna's Faculty of Life Sciences , specifically within the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and its Division of Pharmacognosy . Her office is located in room 2E 412 on the 4th floor at Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, Vienna, Austria (1090). Contact details include telephone number +43-1-4277-55207 and email sabine.glasl@univie.ac.at . Principal research focus: Phytochemistry & Biodiscovery Specialization: Secondary metabolites from ethnomedicinally used plants across Europe, Mongolia, and Latin America Key techniques: Isolation of bioactive compounds, structural elucidation, pharmacological evaluation Quality control expertise: Macroscopic/microscopic identification, chemical analytics Recent publications highlight her work in: 2024 - Development of the VOLKSMED Database for Austrian folk medicine wound healing plants 2025 - Advanced mucociliary clearance research in respiratory systems 2023 - Innovations in optoacoustic imaging technology 2019 - Structure-function analysis of phycobiliproteins for medical imaging 2017 - Phytochemical characterization of Latin American antidiabetic plants

• Phytochemistry
• Biodiscovery
• Ethnomedicinal Plants
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Shaul Pollak is an Assistant Professor at the Division of Microbial Ecology within the Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science at the University of Vienna. His research focuses on bacterial interactions in ecosystems, particularly their roles in plant pathogen protection and carbon cycling across soil and marine environments. He leads a research group investigating how microbial processes scale from genetic mechanisms to planetary biogeochemical cycles. His primary research interests include microbial community assembly, bacterial metabolism of complex biopolymers, and evolutionary genomics of marine cyanobacteria. Current projects leverage genomic dark matter to predict soil carbon fluxes, examine plant-bacteria interactions under environmental change, and explore the diversity of Prochlorococcus marinus. His interdisciplinary approach integrates genomics, high-throughput experiments, and machine learning to bridge ecological and evolutionary theory. Analysis of his 2022-2025 publications reveals consistent themes in microbial community dynamics, with emphasis on polysaccharide degradation mechanisms, phage-bacteria interactions, and genomic predictors of bacterial metabolic functions. His work demonstrates how bacterial trade-offs and cross-feeding structures shape ecosystem processes from ocean biogeochemistry to human gut microbiome organization. Dr. Pollak actively recruits PhD students and postdoctoral researchers through university stipend programs, with current group members including Thomas Gaehtgens, Gerhard Gruber, Jyothsna Pujar, Qi Qi, Lior Shachar, Marco Sing, and Joana Valèrio. His laboratory maintains active collaborations across soil and marine microbial ecology projects, with research infrastructure supported by University of Vienna resources and external funding.

• Microbial Ecology
• Bacterial Interactions
• Carbon Cycling
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Yuri Y. Gleba is a renowned academic scientist affiliated with the Institute of Cell Biology and Genetic Engineering at the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences in Kiev, Ukraine. As Founder and Director (1989–2010) and current Honorary Director, he has shaped plant biotechnology research through pioneering work in transient expression systems and molecular farming. Key Roles: Founder and Director of Institute of Cell Biology and Genetic Engineering (1989–2010), Honorary Director (2010–present) Research Interests Plant genetics , plant physiology , and biotechnology underpin his work in genetic engineering , viral vector systems , and transgenic plant applications . His innovations include the Magnifection platform for rapid plant-based vaccine production and methods for RNA silencing enhancement in molecular farming. Scientific Recognition includes membership in six international academies (World Academy of Arts and Science, Academia Europaea, Leopoldina, Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, Lithuanian Academy of Science, Bavarian Academy of Sciences) and prestigious awards like the Koerber Prize , A. von Humboldt Prize , and state prizes from the USSR and Ukraine. His work has appeared in top journals including Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA and FEBS Letters . Publications : Gleba's 15 most recent articles (2004–2010) focus on plant biotechnology applications, viral vector engineering, and molecular farming. Key trends include plant-based pharmaceutical production , transient expression systems , and transgene containment strategies . Laboratory and Collaborations : Founded and led the Institute of Cell Biology and Genetic Engineering, fostering international collaborations in plant biotechnology and genetic engineering research.

• Plant genetics
• Plant physiology
• Plant cell biology
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Professor Ray Dixon Ray Dixon is a Research Professor and Project Leader at the Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, and co-Director of the CAS-JIC Centre for Excellence in Plant and Microbial Sciences in Beijing/Shanghai. He has been an Honorary Professor at the University of East Anglia's School of Biological Sciences since 1998. His career spans over four decades in bacterial nitrogen fixation research. Education: B.Sc. (Microbiology, University of Reading, 1969), D.Phil. (Microbial Genetics, University of Sussex, 1973). Research Focus: Regulation of biological nitrogen fixation by environmental signals (oxygen/nitrogen/metal availability). His lab pioneers synthetic biology approaches to engineer nitrogen fixation into plants, aiming to enhance sustainable agriculture. Achievements: Elected Fellow of the Royal Society (1999), EMBO Member (1987), recipient of the Adam Kondorosi Award (2019) and Fleming Award (1983). Over 30 years of leadership in international scientific committees and funding panels. Key Contributions: Pioneered understanding of nif gene regulation, discovered novel nitrogenase systems, and developed polyprotein strategies for synthetic biology applications. Collaborates globally through initiatives like CEPAMS and UBNFC.

• Biological Nitrogen Fixation
• Transcriptional Regulation
• Signal Transduction
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Lea Atanasova is a Senior Researcher and Principal Investigator at the Institute of Food Technology, Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU). She holds a PhD (Dr. rer. nat.) and a Master’s degree (Mag. rer. nat.) and has extensive postdoctoral experience in fungal molecular biology and genomics. Her research is centered on mycoparasitic fungi such as Trichoderma and Clonostachys , with a focus on carbohydrate-active enzymes, signal transduction, gene expression, and ecological genomics. Her research interests span molecular biology, genetics, genomics, microbiology, mycology, and enzyme technology. She investigates the functional roles of genes and proteins in fungal biocontrol, nutrient acquisition, and host interactions. Her work integrates comparative genomics, transcriptomics, and functional proteomics to understand fungal evolution and ecological niches. The most recent publications highlight a strong trend in understanding fungal signaling pathways (e.g., TOR and MAPK), enzyme diversification (e.g., CDHs, pectate lyases), and the molecular mechanisms of mycoparasitism. Her work also extends to fungal secondary metabolites, host-microbe interactions, and advanced imaging techniques for protein localization. Scientific Awards: Carl Trygger scholarship for research at SLU (Uppsala, Sweden) GSA fungal meeting award, Genetics Society of America (Asilomar, CA, United States) FEMS Young Scientist Meeting Grant, Federation of European Microbiological Societies (Sant Feliu de Guíxols, Spain) Price Award for best Master-/Diploma research, Ecological Society of Germany, Austria and Switzerland (GFÖ) (Bayreuth, Germany) Austria National Park Research Award, Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management (Vienna, Austria) Ad Futura Special Achievements Fellowship for studies abroad, Slovene human resources development and scholarship fund (Ljubljana, Slovenia) Lea Atanasova has supervised several Master’s and Diploma theses on topics related to fungal biotechnology and enzymology. She leads an Austrian Science Fund (FWF)-funded project on GMC oxidoreductases in Clonostachys rosea . She is actively engaged in the scientific community, serving on editorial boards and as a guest editor. She has organized and chaired sessions at major conferences, including ECFG, and frequently presents her research internationally. She is a key member of the research community at BOKU, contributing to knowledge transfer through student supervision, editorial roles, and conference participation. Her work bridges fundamental fungal biology with applications in agriculture and biotechnology.

• Molecular Biology
• Genetics
• Genomics
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Rainer Schuhmacher is a Full Professor for Plant and Microbe Metabolomics at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), affiliated with the Department of Agricultural Sciences and the Institute of Bioanalytics and Agro-Metabolomics in Tulln an der Donau. His research focuses on metabolomics, analytical chemistry, and plant-microbe interactions, with emphasis on fungal secondary metabolites, mycotoxin resistance, and environmental stress responses in crops. He leads projects funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), European Commission, and national agencies. Research interests span: Metabolomic profiling of plant-pathogen interactions (e.g., Fusarium -wheat systems) Stable isotope-assisted techniques for metabolic pathway analysis Cold stress mitigation in plants using Antarctic bacteria Development of computational tools for untargeted metabolomics data processing His work integrates analytical chemistry, bioinformatics, and molecular biology to study metabolic crosstalk in agricultural systems. Awards include the Fritz-Feigl-Preis (2012) and Dr.-Wolfgang-Houska-Preis (2005). He has supervised multiple PhD projects and leads the Plant-Microbe Metabolomics group, managing core metabolomics platforms and international collaborations. Key projects: Chemical crosstalk in mycoparasitic interactions (FWF) Metabolomics of cold stress tolerance mediated by psychrotolerant bacteria Extension of metabolomics platforms for plant-pathogen studies

• Metabolomics
• Analytical Chemistry
• Plant-Microbe Interaction
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Prof. Ferenc Nagy is a distinguished academic at the University of Edinburgh, UK, holding the position of Professor of Plant Cell and System Biology. He is also affiliated with the Biological Research Centre (BRC) in Szeged, Hungary, where he serves as Deputy Director, and holds honorary roles at the University of Freiburg, Germany. His expertise spans plant molecular biology, photobiology, chronobiology, and optogenetics, with a focus on light signaling pathways, circadian clocks, and stress responses in plants. Education: Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Genetics (1981), József Attila University, Szeged D.Sc. in Molecular Mechanisms of Gene Expression (1997), Hungarian Academy of Sciences Habilitation (2001), Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest Research Interests: His work explores phytochrome signaling , UV-B light responses , and circadian clock regulation . Key areas include the molecular mechanisms of light-controlled plant development, stress signaling integration, and optogenetic tools for mammalian gene control. His lab has pioneered studies on protein phosphorylation in phytochrome function and the role of UVR8 in UV-B perception. Scientific Impact: With 160+ publications, over 10,000 citations, and an H-index of 59, his research bridges fundamental biology and applied optogenetics. Notable contributions include defining the structure/function of phytochromes and identifying critical cis-regulatory elements in plant stress responses. Leadership and Awards: He has served as Deputy Director of BRC Szeged, General Director of the Agricultural Biotechnology Center, and Monitoring Editor of Plant Physiology . Recognitions include the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit (2013), Humboldt Research Award (1997), and membership in the German Academy of Sciences (Leopoldina).

• Plant Molecular Biology
• Photobiology
• Chronobiology
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Harald Pichler is an Associate Professor and Team Leader at the Institute of Biotechnology (IMBT) at Graz University of Technology. His research focuses on membrane biology, enzyme engineering, and industrial biotechnology using yeast systems like Pichia pastoris . Key projects include engineering microbial membranes for protein secretion, optimizing biocatalysts for terpenoid synthesis, and studying lipid interactions with membrane proteins. Collaborations with companies like DSM and LONZA highlight industrial applications of his work. Research interests span microbial membrane modifications, sterol biosynthesis, and metabolic engineering for producing valuable metabolites. Major contributions include developing yeast strains for high-throughput screening of terpenoids and engineering hydratases for biocatalytic applications. His team also explores protein secretion pathways and membrane protein expression in yeasts, with patent filings for key genetic targets. Current projects involve lipid raft dynamics, SARS-CoV-2 spike protein interactions with membranes, and low-cost cell culture media alternatives. Collaborations with academic partners like the University of Geneva and Wageningen University emphasize interdisciplinary approaches. Publications frequently address membrane biophysics, enzyme mechanisms, and yeast strain engineering, reflecting a blend of fundamental and applied research.

• Membrane Biology
• Industrial Biotechnology
• Enzyme Engineering
• +4 more

Privatdozent Dr. Marcela Suarez-Rubio is a Senior Scientist at the Institute of Zoology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU) , specializing in urban ecology, biodiversity research, and wildlife monitoring . Her work integrates landscape ecology, remote sensing, and conservation biology to study how land-use changes affect birds and bats in temperate and tropical regions. She has led projects in Austria, Myanmar, and Bhutan, focusing on habitat connectivity, urban green spaces, and endangered species conservation . Education: PhD in Ecology, University of Maryland, USA (2011) MSc in Biology, University of Puerto Rico (2005) BSc in Biology, Universidad del Valle, Colombia (2000) Research Themes: Urbanization gradients and their nonlinear effects on avian and bat communities Biodiversity assessment in remote areas like Hkakabo Razi National Park Telemetric and acoustic methods for wildlife monitoring Conservation strategies for critically endangered species (e.g., White-bellied Heron) Ecosystem management in agricultural and forested landscapes Scientific Awards: ERASMUS+ Teaching Mobility (2022, 2018, 2017) National Parks Austria Research Award (2022) BOKU Teaching Award (2016) NASA-MSU Professional Enhancement Award (2011) Golden Key International Honour Society (2008) Advising and Grants: Supervised 14 theses and secured funding from National Parks Austria, Austrian Academy of Sciences, and international organizations . Active in scientific peer-review (Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, Journal of Urban Ecology) and conservation policy for UNESCO World Heritage nominations.

• Animal Ecology
• Urban Ecology
• Biodiversity Research
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Karl-Heinz Wagner is Full Professor of Nutrition and Food Quality at the University of Vienna, Faculty of Life Sciences, Department of Nutritional Sciences. He directs an experimental research group investigating how lifestyle factors—diet, specific food components, phytochemicals, physical activity and bioactive non-food compounds—modulate oxidative stress and DNA stability in humans, with emphasis on aging and sarcopenia. He initiated the university-wide “Active Ageing” research platform and coordinates EU projects such as SHIFT2HEALTH. Education & Affiliations: University of Vienna, Faculty of Life Sciences, Department of Nutritional Sciences – Professor and Chair of Nutrition and Food Quality Principal investigator of the Emerging Field “Oxidative Stress and DNA Stability” Head of the “Active Ageing” research platform activeageing.univie.ac.at Research Focus: Prof. Wagner’s group applies state-of-the-art biochemical and molecular techniques to quantify antioxidant compounds, ROS-induced DNA and chromosomal damage, DNA repair capacity and transcriptional regulation of antioxidant defenses. Human intervention trials, cross-sectional cohorts and in-vitro models are used to examine: Impact of plant-based vs. animal-based diets on multimorbidity risk Nitrate-rich beetroot juice effects on microbiome, vascular function and oxidative stress Bilirubin biology and metabolic health in Gilbert’s syndrome High-protein nutrition and resistance training on DNA damage and muscle quality in older adults Microbiota-derived metabolites that enhance CD8 T-cell antitumor immunity after exercise Publication Trends 2023-2025: Recent output demonstrates a strategic shift toward multi-omics integration (metabolomics, lipidomics, proteomics) to dissect diet–microbiome–immune crosstalk and to identify predictive biomarkers of healthy ageing. Papers consistently appear in top-tier journals (Cell, Lancet Healthy Longev, Redox Biol, Mol Nutr Food Res) and embrace large multinational cohorts, randomized controlled trials and mechanistic animal/cellular work. Funding & Networks: Research is mainly funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), National Bank, European Commission (Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe), EU Cross-Border Co-operation and the University of Vienna. A dense national and international partner network ensures continuous biomarker development and knowledge transfer. Student Training & Citizen Science: Prof. Wagner actively involves MSc/PhD students and post-docs in externally funded projects and advertises internships via ERASMUS+. Study participant recruitment portals for projects like SHIFT2HEALTH, NUTRIAGING and bilirubin clinical studies are maintained to engage the public and foster translational impact.

• Oxidative stress and DNA stability
• Molecular nutrition and phytochemicals
• Dietary antioxidants and aging
• +5 more

Gabriele Gollner is a Researcher at the Department of Soil and Cultivation Systems (ANBAU) within the Institute of Organic Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (iOELA) at BOKU University in Vienna. Her work focuses on sustainable agricultural practices, particularly in organic farming systems, with an emphasis on soil health, crop management, and agroecological innovations. Research Areas: Cover crop systems and reduced tillage practices Biological nitrogen fixation in legumes Climate-resilient cropping strategies Allelopathic interactions in agroecosystems Organic fertilizer and soil physical trait optimization Recent Research Trends: Her work emphasizes practical applications of regenerative agriculture, including roller-crimper no-till methods, allelopathic weed management, and intercropping systems to enhance system resilience. Over 15 peer-reviewed articles since 2010 highlight her contributions to organic farming systems research. Labs/Teams: Leads the ANBAU Soil & Cultivation Systems group, collaborating on projects related to soil fertility, crop ideotype development, and agroecological transition strategies. Her office is located at Mendelhaus South Wing, 3rd Floor, Room 10.1.

• Organic Farming Systems
• Soil Science
• Sustainable Agriculture
• +4 more

Ben Scheres is a Professor of Plant Developmental Biology at Wageningen University (since 2012), where he leads research integrating genetics, computational modeling, and systems biology to study plant development. He also serves as Research Manager at Rijk Zwaan Breeding (2018–present), applying academic knowledge to improve vegetable crop varieties. Additionally, he holds a Professorial Research Fellow position at Cardiff University's Department of Biomedical & Life Sciences (2019–present) and has been an External Faculty Member at the John Innes Institute (2010–2016). Education: PhD in Molecular Biology (1990), Wageningen University Master in Plant Pathology (1985), Wageningen University Bachelor in Plant Pathology (1983), Wageningen University Research Interests Ben Scheres pioneered the use of Arabidopsis roots as a model system to dissect plant developmental mechanisms using multidisciplinary approaches. His work focuses on gene regulatory networks in spatiotemporal contexts, computational modeling of pattern formation, and bridging theoretical biology with experimental research. Collaborations with theorists in Wageningen, Norwich, Cardiff, and Cambridge have positioned his group at the forefront of plant developmental biology and systems biology. Scientific Awards & Honors Recipient of the prestigious SPINOZA award (2006) from the Dutch Science Organization Advanced Investigator Grant (2008) from the EU EMBO membership (2007) KNAW membership (2004) ISI Thomson Reuter Highly Cited Author (2015) Teaching Contributions He has been a lecturer and professor at Utrecht University (1991–2012) and Wageningen University (2012–2017), teaching Genetics, Developmental Biology, and Systems Biology. He also instructed international EMBO courses in Portugal, the UK, and USA.

• Computational biology
• Developmental biology
• Applied plant genetics
• +4 more

Simone Bachleitner is a Researcher at the Institute of Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology within the Department of Biotechnology and Food Science at University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU) . Her work focuses on fungal genetics, epigenetic regulation, and metabolic engineering of yeast for organic acid production. She actively investigates chromatin structure's role in secondary metabolite gene expression in Fusarium species and develops engineered Komagataella phaffii strains for bio-based acid production from methanol. Her research bridges molecular biology, industrial biotechnology, and plant pathology. Recent publications highlight her contributions to: H3K27me3 epigenetic regulation in plant pathogens Mxr1/Mit1 transcriptional activation for lactic acid production Nonribosomal peptide synthetase cluster analysis in Fusarium Methanol-based itaconic acid bioprocess optimization She supervises graduate students and contributes to collaborative projects funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) and European Commission.

• Fungal Genetics
• Epigenetics
• Metabolic Engineering
• +3 more

Takashi Gojobori (born October 24, 1951) is a Japanese molecular biologist who serves as Vice-Director of the National Institute of Genetics (NIG) and Professor at the Center for Information Biology and DNA Data Bank of Japan (DDBJ) in Mishima, Japan. He also holds multiple visiting positions including Special Research Consultant at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Visiting Professor at Keio University, Tokyo University, and Tokyo Institute of Technology, and Visiting Research Director at RIKEN. His educational background includes a Ph.D. from Kyushu University (1979), followed by research positions at the University of Texas at Houston (1979-1983), Washington University in St. Louis (1985, 1986), and the Imperial Cancer Research Fund in London (1989). Professor Gojobori's research spans multiple areas of molecular and evolutionary biology. His work focuses on comparative genomics, molecular evolution, viral evolution, and bioinformatics. He has made significant contributions to understanding the rates of synonymous and non-synonymous substitutions, positive selection, horizontal gene transfer, and genome evolution. More recently, he has been investigating the evolution of the brain and central nervous system. His extensive publication record includes 389 peer-reviewed articles as of May 2012, reflecting his broad impact across multiple fields of biological research. His work shows a consistent focus on evolutionary mechanisms at the molecular level, with applications ranging from viral evolution to comparative genomics across diverse organisms including humans, plants, and model organisms like Hydra. Scientific Awards 2009: The Medal with Purple Ribbon from the government of Japan 2007: Academician Member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, Vatican 2006: Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, USA 2005: Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), USA 2005: Society Prize (Kihara Medal), The Genetic Society of Japan 2004: Society Prize (Motoo Kimura Medal), The Society of Evolutionary Studies, Japan 2004: The Gaetano Salvatore Gold Medal, Statione Zoologica, Anton Dohrn, Italy 1997: Science Award from Japan Science and Technology Corporation (JST), Japan 1995: Science Award from Hitoshi Kihara Memorial Foundation, Japan 1987: Promotion Award from Japanese Society of Genetics, Japan Professor Gojobori has served in numerous editorial capacities, including as Founding Editor of Genome Biology and Evolution, Executive Editor of GENE, and Associate Editor for several major journals. He has also held significant administrative roles including Program Director of the Council for Science and Technology Policy (CSTP) of the Japanese government and Science Officer of MEXT. His contributions to international genomic databases including DDBJ/GenBank/EMBL and the H-Invitational human gene database have been instrumental in advancing global genomics research. As Director of the Center for Information Biology and DNA Data Bank of Japan from 1994-2009, Professor Gojobori led important initiatives in biological data management and analysis. His work continues to influence the field through his leadership roles in international scientific organizations including the International Genetics Federation and CODATA/ICSU.

• Comparative Genomics
• Comparative Gene Expressionics
• Molecular Evolution
• +4 more