Peter Brodersen is a Professor at the Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen , specializing in Bioinformatics and RNA Biology . His research focuses on RNA modification (m6A), YTHDF proteins, and small RNA pathways in plants. Recent research trends from his group include: (1) molecular mechanisms of ARGONAUTE-small RNA interactions, (2) m6A-YTHDF regulatory systems in plant development, and (3) RNAi-independent roles of DICER-LIKE proteins in antiviral defense. Collaborations span Denmark and international institutions. Publications highlight cross-disciplinary work bridging computational biology and experimental plant genetics. Key subfields include RNA structure, epigenetic regulation, and antiviral immunity.
Dr Farhad Masoomi-Aladizgeh is a Research Fellow in the School of Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Sydney. His work focuses on understanding how environmental stresses like heat and drought impact crop fertility, particularly in cereal crops. He holds a BSc, MSc, and PhD in Plant Biology. His research emphasizes male reproductive systems in plants and seeks to identify molecular mechanisms underlying abiotic stress susceptibility to enhance climate resilience in crops. Education includes advanced training in plant sciences, with a focus on molecular biology and stress physiology. Current research projects explore transcriptome responses to stress, stress tolerance gene identification in crop relatives, and ABA-mediated stress protection in rice. His publications span plant proteomics, stress physiology, and molecular protocols, with a strong emphasis on drought and heat tolerance mechanisms. Notable work includes developing universal nucleic acid isolation protocols and analyzing stress responses in rice and cotton. No scientific awards are listed, but his contributions to crop resilience research are significant. He advises no current students but collaborates on interdisciplinary projects involving genomic and proteomic approaches to agricultural challenges. Research is centered at the University of Sydney with potential collaborations in plant science labs focused on environmental stress mitigation strategies.
Gerco Angenent is a Full Professor in the Laboratory of Molecular Biology at Wageningen University & Research, part of the EPS Researcher group. His primary research focuses on plant development systems, transcription factors, and gene regulatory networks in plants like Arabidopsis, tomato, and tulip. He leads projects on epigenetic reprogramming, fruit ripening, and seed dormancy mechanisms. Key research interests include the functional roles of PEBP proteins, CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis in plants, and the molecular basis of floral organ development. Recent work explores how transcription factors like FRUITFULL and TCP5 regulate flowering time, inflorescence architecture, and embryo development. Angenent supervises multiple PhD candidates investigating topics such as wood lignin formation and BABY BOOM’s role in embryogenesis. His collaborative projects span international teams, with studies on temperature-dependent flowering pathways, genome editing tools for crop improvement, and the evolutionary origins of plant genes. Angenent has contributed to over 200 peer-reviewed publications and actively participates in academic outreach activities like media contributions and lectures.
Ueli Grossniklaus is an Ordinary Professor at the University of Zurich within the Faculty of Mathematical and Natural Sciences , affiliated with the Department of Plant and Microbiology . His work focuses on plant developmental biology, particularly epigenetic and genetic mechanisms governing reproduction and adaptation. Key Courses: Epigenetics, Plant Biology Workshop, Group Seminars on Current Research Laboratory Techniques: Advanced methods in plant cell mechanics, transcriptomics, and genome editing Research Interests span plant epigenetics, reproductive biology, and the interplay between environmental stress and genetic regulation. He investigates: Mechanistic control of gametogenesis and fertilization Epigenetic contributions to plant adaptation Evolutionary implications of asexual reproduction Biophysical forces in plant cell growth Publication Trends (2025–2018) reveal expertise in: Arabidopsis and fern model systems Epigenetic regulation (DNA methylation, histone dynamics) Apomixis and hybrid seed failure mechanisms Biomechanics of pollen tubes and carnivorous plants Genome editing tools (CRISPR) and long-read sequencing Scientific Collaborations include interdisciplinary projects on: Microfluidic devices for plant cell analysis Gene drive ecology and ethics 3D imaging of plant reproductive structures Advising and Grants focus on mentoring through research internships in developmental biology, genetics, and systems biology. His lab engages in: Epigenetic response to environmental stress Cell wall mechanics in reproduction Computational modeling of plant growth Laboratory Teams integrate plant biologists, bioengineers, and computational scientists to study: Mechanistic gene regulation Evolutionary developmental biology Microrobotics for cellular force measurement
Dr. Alim AYDIN serves as a full-time Lecturer at the Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Kirşehir Ahi Evran University since 2023. His academic focus centers on vegetable cultivation and breeding, with specialization in grafting techniques and abiotic stress tolerance mechanisms. Education background: PhD in Horticulture, Erciyes University (2018-2022) MSc in Horticulture, Erciyes University (2015-2018) BSc in Horticulture, Erciyes University (2011-2015) Dr. AYDIN's research program investigates physiological and molecular responses of vegetable crops to environmental stresses, particularly salt tolerance in cucurbits and solanaceous species. His work integrates traditional breeding with molecular marker-assisted selection to develop resilient crop varieties. Current projects examine rootstock-mediated stress mitigation, viral disease resistance, and polyploidy effects in watermelon and tomato breeding. Analysis of his 15 most recent publications reveals dominant research themes in grafting physiology (60% of works), salt stress adaptation (45%), and molecular breeding techniques (35%). His studies predominantly focus on cucurbits (watermelon, cucumber, bottle gourd) and solanaceous crops (tomato, pepper), addressing practical agricultural challenges through hydroponic systems and field trials. Dr. AYDIN actively supervises graduate students and leads research projects funded by TÜBİTAK and university sources. His current grant portfolio includes 'MAS Techniques for Developing Rootstock Candidates Tolerant to Soil-Borne Diseases' (2023-2025, Principal Investigator) and 'Allopolyploid Watermelon Rootstock Development' (2021-2023). He maintains strong collaborative networks with Erciyes University researchers, particularly with Dr. Hakan Başak and Dr. Halit Yetişir. Teaching responsibilities span graduate courses in molecular breeding methods and tropical vegetable cultivation, alongside undergraduate instruction in seed technology, mushroom production, and general vegetable horticulture. His laboratory work emphasizes phenotypic characterization of F2 hybrid populations and stress response profiling under controlled environments.
Dr. Hajk-Georg Drost is a Senior Lecturer and Principal Investigator in the Division of Computational Biology at the University of Dundee's School of Life Sciences. He leads the Digital Biology Group, focusing on integrating machine learning and high-performance computing with biological research to advance healthcare innovation. Previously, he established a Computational Biology group at the Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen (2019-2024) and conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Cambridge's Sainsbury Laboratory. His research explores: Evolutionary transcriptomics and phylotranscriptomic patterns across species Machine learning applications in genomics and proteomics Development of bioinformatics tools (DIAMOND, myTAI) for tree-of-life scale analyses Gene regulatory networks and transposable element dynamics His publications demonstrate a consistent focus on evolutionary constraints in development, with recent work expanding into single-cell resolution analyses of developmental diseases. Awards include: Royal Society Wolfson Fellowship (2024) Fellow, Cambridge Philosophical Society Postdoctoral Affiliate, Trinity College Cambridge He currently supervises PhD students including Stefan Manolache and leads projects funded by the Royal Society and others, focusing on protein alignment infrastructure and developmental disease research. His lab develops open-source software for genomic analyses and maintains active collaborations across Europe.
Ana Andrés Payán is a Lecturer in Chemical Engineering at the University of Cantabria, Spain. Her research focuses on Sustainable Environmental Management of hazardous wastes and marine sediments, with contributions to the development of eco-efficient construction materials using industrial byproducts. She has collaborated on R+D projects at European and national levels, emphasizing both academic and industrial partnerships. Since 1992, she has taught Chemical, Industrial, and Marine Engineering courses at the undergraduate level and contributed to postgraduate programs with quality awards. Her work integrates environmental toxicology, materials science, and waste management to address sustainability challenges. Key research areas include recycling industrial byproducts into construction materials (e.g., slag, fly ash), assessing ecotoxicological impacts via bioassays (luminescent bacteria, sea urchin embryogenesis), and optimizing waste management strategies through multi-criteria analysis. She emphasizes circular economy principles and collaboration with industry to achieve sustainable outcomes. Her publications (2025–2021) highlight innovation in alkali-activated binders, eco-toxicity testing, and material durability. No scientific awards are listed, but her work has been applied in regional planning and industrial ecology initiatives. She leads research in the GER group , focusing on environmental and materials science applications.
Institute of Science and Technology AustriaAustria
Edouard Hannezo is a Professor at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) since 2022, focusing on the application of theoretical physics to elucidate design principles of self-organization in biological systems. His research spans multiple scales, from cytoskeletal dynamics to tissue architecture, with key collaborations in developmental and cell biology. The Hannezo Group integrates solid/fluid mechanics, statistical physics, and soft materials engineering to address fundamental questions in morphogenesis. Current Research: Investigates stochastic branching in mammalian organs, active fluids in cytoskeletal organization, and fate selection during development. Key Contributions: Developed biophysical frameworks for intestinal organoid morphogenesis, branching morphogenesis, and mechanochemical feedback loops. Scientific Awards: EMBO Young Investigator Award (2019) ERC Starting Grant (2019) Wellcome Trust Fellowship (2015) Bettencourt-Schuller Young Researcher Prize (2014) Team: Leads a multidisciplinary team including PhD students (Zuzana Dunajova, Andreas Ehrmann, Kasumi Kishi) and postdocs (Oliver Drozdowski, Yuting Li), with technical support from image analyst Suyash Naik.
Nicholas J. Provart is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Cell & Systems Biology at the University of Toronto. He is a founding member of the Centre for the Analysis of Genome Evolution and Function (CAGEF) and a key contributor to the Bio-Analytic Resource (BAR), which provides essential bioinformatics tools for plant research. His work focuses on integrating genomic and transcriptomic data to uncover mechanisms of plant stress biology, development, and evolution. Provart earned his Ph.D. from Freie Universität Berlin (1996), and his M.Sc. and B.Sc. from the University of Toronto (1993 and 1990, respectively). Research Interests: Provart’s lab employs systems biology approaches to analyze plant responses to abiotic and biotic stresses, particularly using cluster analysis of gene expression data. Key areas include plant stress signaling, seed development, and the functional roles of transcription factors and cytochrome P450s. His team develops tools like the BAR platform to facilitate large-scale data integration and visualization. Recent Grant: $2.5M NSERC grant (2024) to advance plant health visualization tools. Award: Recognized with the Arabidopsis community award (2025) for decades of research and outreach. Provart also serves on the Multinational Arabidopsis Steering Committee and chairs the Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Program. His lab’s work spans diverse plant species, including Arabidopsis, maize, and wheat, with a focus on translational applications of genomic data.
Prof. Zerihun Tadele is a Professor and Group Leader in the Department of Crop Breeding and Genomics at the University of Bern's Institute of Plant Sciences. His research focuses on improving the orphan African cereal Eragrostis tef (tef) through genomic, agronomic, and biotechnological approaches. Key areas include drought tolerance, genetic diversity, and sustainable agricultural practices. He leads projects on tef variety development, mutant breeding, and mycorrhizal symbiosis effects. Research emphasizes Genetic improvement of tef and other underutilized crops Omics technologies for crop resilience Climate-smart agricultural techniques Seed systems and policy for orphan crops Recent work highlights innovations like somatic embryogenesis for Ethiopian potato and nitrogen-use efficiency studies. His team collaborates on global initiatives to enhance food security through underutilized crops. Publications (2022–2025) span over 50 peer-reviewed articles, focusing on tef genetics, breeding strategies, and environmental adaptation. He actively promotes tef as a strategic crop for Africa's food systems.
Jingyue (Ellie) Duan is an Assistant Professor of Functional Genomics in the Department of Animal Science at Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Her research integrates genomics and computational approaches to study epigenetic regulation in animal health, fertility, and developmental biology. Bachelor of Science in Biology and Life Science, Sichuan University, China (2014) Doctorate in Animal Epigenetics, University of Connecticut (2018) Postdoctoral Research in Genetics and Genomics, Brown University (2021) Her research program focuses on: Molecular mechanisms of X chromosome dosage compensation across species Epigenetic dynamics during embryonic reprogramming Environmental influences (e.g., heat stress) on gene expression and animal health Comparative epigenetics in livestock and model organisms Transcriptional regulation via pioneer factors like CLAMP Maternal nutritional impacts on genomic imprinting The 15 most recent publications reveal trends in animal epigenetics with emphasis on X chromosome regulation , heat stress response , and embryonic developmental mechanisms . These works span functional genomics , transcriptomic analysis , and comparative aging studies . Scientific recognition includes: Schwartz Research Award (2025) Faculty Successful Program Fellowship (2023) Affinito-Stewart Grant Award (2022) She teaches graduate and undergraduate courses including Animal Genomics and Epigenomics (ANSC 4310/5310) and multiple thesis research courses. Her lab (Duan Functional Genomics Lab) emphasizes collaborative research, data integrity, and cross-disciplinary training in bioinformatics , NGS data analysis , and epigenetic mechanisms .
Cédric Jacquard serves as an Associate Professor at the University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne within the Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences, affiliated with the Research Unit on Grapevine and Wines in Champagne (URVVC EA 4707) and SFR Condorcet FR CNRS 3417. His research focuses on climate change impacts on plant development and innovative biological control strategies for sustainable agriculture. Dr. Jacquard's primary research investigates climate change effects on flower development through physiological, molecular, and agronomic approaches, specifically examining abiotic stress (heat/cold) impacts on defense mechanisms and carbohydrate metabolism in grapevine. His secondary focus develops biological control strategies using beneficial bacteria (Burkholderia phytofirmans, Bacillus subtilis) and their secreted molecules (lipopeptides) to enhance plant protection in biotic/abiotic stress contexts across barley, grape, and wheat systems. Technical expertise includes in vitro culture, cytology, metabolite/enzyme analysis, PCR/qRT-PCR gene expression, and optical/electronic microscopy. His 2015 publications reveal strong thematic convergence across plant stress physiology and microbial interactions, with consistent emphasis on grapevine responses to environmental challenges, carbohydrate metabolic regulation during flowering, and bacterial elicitor mechanisms in defense activation. Key patterns include cultivar-specific stress adaptations, lipopeptide-induced defense pathways, and cross-talk between abiotic stresses and reproductive development. Dr. Jacquard heads the professional license program in "Agricultural Resources and Environment" (Crops and Environment option), teaching plant biology, biotechnology, and physiology from bachelor to master levels across five specialized modules. He has supervised 18 training students (bachelor to master), co-supervised one defended PhD thesis and one ongoing PhD, and co-supervised two engineering positions. Research funding includes: GLUCIFLOR 2 (2014-2017): Principal investigator studying grapevine flowering and climate change (funded by Reims Métropole/CIVB) PHYTOBIO (2010-2014): Partner in Interreg IV European program developing biocontrol pesticides (funded by FEDER/Champagne-Ardenne) GLUCIFLOR (2010-2013): Partner investigating cold effects on grapevine metabolism (funded by Champagne-Ardenne) He actively collaborates within the URVVC research unit and regional viticulture networks, focusing on translating stress physiology insights into practical agricultural solutions for Champagne vineyards facing climate challenges.
Cyrus K. Aidun serves as a Professor in the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering within the College of Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology. His academic journey includes significant leadership roles, having joined Georgia Tech in 1988 as an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Paper Science and Technology before becoming a full Professor in 2003 after serving as a program director at the National Science Foundation. Dr. Aidun's educational background includes a Ph.D. from Clarkson University (1985), M.S. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1980), and B.S. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1978). Prior to his current position, he held research positions at Battelle Research Laboratories, Cornell University as a Postdoctoral Associate, and the National Science Foundation's Supercomputer Center at Cornell. His research spans fluid mechanics, bioengineering, renewable bioproducts, and industrial decarbonization, with particular emphasis on cellular blood flow dynamics and applications to cardiovascular diseases. Dr. Aidun pioneered the Lattice-Boltzmann method for suspension hydrodynamics, enabling advanced computational analysis of deformable particle/fiber suspensions. His work bridges fundamental physics with engineering applications, including blood cell transport interactions with glycoproteins, platelet margination, thrombus formation, and plant somatic embryogenesis for clonal propagation. His recent publications demonstrate strong focus on computational hemodynamics, particularly blood flow in cardiovascular systems and mechanical heart valves, with emerging work on industrial decarbonization through process modifications. This research portfolio shows consistent evolution from fundamental fluid dynamics to targeted biomedical and industrial applications. Dr. Aidun has received significant recognition including: National Science Foundation Presidential Investigator award Gunnar Nicholson Fellowship International Society of Coating Science and Technology's L. E. Scriven award His research is supported by major funding from the Department of Energy and industrial collaborators, particularly for decarbonization projects. Dr. Aidun holds multiple patents related to plant propagule devices and somatic embryo processing, demonstrating translational impact from his research. His laboratory focuses on developing novel computational methods for direct numerical simulation of suspension hydrodynamics, biotransport, and whole blood flow, with applications spanning cardiovascular medicine and renewable bioproducts engineering.
Greg Goralogia is a Researcher in the Department of Forest Ecosystems & Society at Oregon State University’s College of Forestry. He leads the Forest Biotechnology Laboratory, focusing on advancing genetic engineering techniques for trees and crops, with a particular emphasis on CRISPR/Cas9 applications, Agrobacterium-mediated transformation, and plant regeneration mechanisms. His work addresses critical challenges in sustainable forestry and agricultural biotechnology, including enhancing transformation efficiency, mitigating gene dispersal risks, and improving resistance to pathogens like powdery mildew. Research interests include photoperiodic flowering regulation, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to identify key genes in plant development, and the molecular basis of plant regeneration pathways. He has pioneered transgene excision systems to streamline gene-editing workflows and developed tools for analyzing phenotypic data through RGB and hyperspectral imaging. His recent publications highlight breakthroughs in male sterility engineering in Eucalyptus, circadian clock modulation in Arabidopsis, and the role of phytohormones in Populus transformation. While no scientific awards are explicitly listed, his contributions to tree biotechnology have positioned him as a leader in innovative genomic approaches for clonal crops. Greg advises the Forest Biotechnology Laboratory team and collaborates on grants focused on sustainable forestry technologies. His research bridges fundamental plant biology with applied biotechnology, aiming to improve crop resilience and ecological sustainability.
Francis Rayns is an Associate Professor (Research) at the Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience, Coventry University. His research focuses on sustainable soil management, particularly the use of green manures, waste materials (compost, digestate, biochar), and alternatives to plastics in agriculture. He actively promotes citizen science to improve agricultural practices and has collaborated on projects addressing agroforestry, urban soil remediation, and plastic reduction in farming. Education: PhD in Biotechnology (Somatic embryogenesis) from De Montfort University and BSc in Applied Biology from University College North Wales. Notable projects include UNDERTREES (agroforestry ecosystem services), REPAS (citizen science for plastic reduction), and SOIL NEXUS (urban soil care). He leads research on peat-free growing media, crop rotation impacts, and biodegradable alternatives to plastics. Publications span topics like soil microbial health, biostimulant efficacy, and historical trends in crop mineral content. His work emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to solve agricultural challenges, blending environmental science with practical farming solutions.
