Maria Luisa Simoes is an Associate Professor and Unit Head in Experimental Immunology at the Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp (ITM), Belgium. She previously held roles as Assistant Professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (UK) and Faculty Research Associate at Johns Hopkins University (USA). Her PhD in Biomedical Sciences (2014) was conducted at Nova University of Lisbon (Portugal) and Imperial College London (UK). She chairs the American Committee of Medical Entomology (ACME) and serves on the ASTMH scientific committee. Her research focuses on malaria transmission via Anopheles mosquitoes, exploring how biotic/abiotic stressors impact mosquito immunity to develop genetic tools for disease control. Key projects include the CLIMMAT initiative (2025–2028) examining environmental changes' effects on mosquito immunity. Her lab's work has been featured in Nature Microbiology , Journal of Medical Entomology , and international media like Nature , El Pais , and L'Avenir . Notable awards include the 2022 ACME Breakthrough Award and 2019 ASTMH Young Investigator Award. She seeks collaborators with expertise in molecular biology, parasitology, and vector biology to advance genetic malaria control strategies.
Professor Ruth Zadoks is a faculty member at the Sydney School of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney. She holds academic positions in the Sydney Institute of Agriculture and Sydney Southeast Asia Centre, and is involved with the Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute. Her research focuses on antimicrobial resistance, zoonotic diseases, bovine health, and One Health principles. Notable projects include investigations into Japanese encephalitis transmission dynamics, antibiotic use in East African livestock, and molecular epidemiology of Group B Streptococcus. Recent grants include studies on microbial spillover in aquaculture and precision feeding in broiler chickens. Her work integrates veterinary and public health perspectives, addressing issues like anthrax impacts in rural Africa, tilapia-borne zoonoses, and diagnostic innovations for bovine mastitis. Over 118 peer-reviewed publications highlight her contributions to aquatic pathogen genomics, food safety, and livestock disease ecology. Recent grants (2024): - Revealing microbial spillover drivers in aquaculture (SSEAC Incubator) - Sustainable Precision Feeding in Broiler Chickens (AgriFutures) - ASEAN Antimicrobial Resistance Network (DFAT-funded) Labs/Teams: Affiliated with Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute and collaborates across interdisciplinary One Health networks.
Donato Romano serves as Associate Professor at The BioRobotics Institute of Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Italy, where he coordinates the Bio-Robotic Ecosystems Lab and co-founded the spin-off company HUBILIFE srl. His interdisciplinary work bridges robotics, biology, and AI to develop biohybrid systems for biodiversity preservation, sustainable environmental management, and life support in extreme scenarios including space exploration. With over 90 publications and an H-index of 27 (Scopus, March 2025), he has established significant academic leadership through editorial roles across 12+ international journals. Romano's educational foundation includes advanced degrees with honors: an M.Sc. in Agriculture Science and Technologies (2014) and a PhD in BioRobotics (2018), both from Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna. His academic journey includes visiting scholar positions at Khalifa University and substantial industry-academia collaboration through HUBILIFE srl, which commercializes bioinspired devices for human daily life improvement. His research program focuses on bioinspired and biomimetic robotics with particular emphasis on animal-robot interaction, biohybrid systems, and natural intelligence. Key projects address critical global challenges: SENSORBEES develops biohybrid environmental surveillance for ecological monitoring; REGOLIFE investigates lunar soil-terrestrial organism interactions for space agriculture; and OCEAN ROBOCTO explores marine ecosystem solutions. This work demonstrates a strategic progression from fundamental behavioral studies toward applied ecological and extraterrestrial systems. Analysis of his recent publications reveals strong trends in AI-driven behavioral analysis, with deep learning increasingly applied to entomological studies and pest management. The research spans agricultural applications (precision monitoring traps, larval detection systems), ecological conservation (biodiversity surveillance), and extreme-environment adaptation (lunar regolith studies). A distinctive feature is the consistent integration of biohybrid approaches where living organisms and robotic systems create synergistic capabilities exceeding either component alone. Romano's scientific recognition includes election as Junior Fellow of the Italian Academy of Engineering and Technology (2025), the Lucani fuori dal Comune award (2024), and multiple best-thesis prizes. His editorial leadership spans high-impact journals including IEEE Transactions on Medical Robotics and Bionics and Pest Management Science, where he serves as Associate Editor. As principal investigator, Romano coordinates major international projects totaling over €15M in funding: HORIZON-EIC's SENSORBEES (2024-2029), ASI's REGOLIFE (2024-2027), National Geographic's OCEAN ROBOCTO (2024-2026), and PRIN's COSMIC (2023-2025). His teaching portfolio includes PhD courses in Biosystems for Biorobotics and M.Sc. instruction in Bionics Engineering at Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna and University of Pisa. The Bio-Robotic Ecosystems Lab under Romano's direction pioneers biohybrid technologies where living organisms and robotic systems create integrated solutions. Current initiatives include SENSORBEES' environmental monitoring swarms, REGOLIFE's moonworm colonization systems, and HUBILIFE's commercial vector-control devices. The lab maintains active collaborations with space agencies, agricultural institutes, and conservation organizations, positioning biohybrid systems as next-generation tools for planetary-scale challenges.
Camilo Mora is a Professor in the Department of Geography at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where he maintains an active research laboratory and teaches courses on environmental issues, biogeography, and data analysis. His academic journey began with a BSc in Marine Biology from Universidad del Valle in Colombia (1999), followed by a PhD in Biology from the University of Windsor, Canada (2005). He completed postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Auckland (2005), Scripps Institution of Oceanography (2006-2008), and Dalhousie University (2008-2010). BSc, Marine Biology, Universidad del Valle, Colombia (1999) PhD, Biology, University of Windsor, Canada (2005) Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Auckland (2005) Postdoctoral Fellow, Scripps Institution of Oceanography (2006-2008) Postdoctoral Fellow, Dalhousie University (2008-2010) Mora's research spans interconnected lines focused on understanding biodiversity patterns and their modification by human activities, with particular emphasis on climate change impacts. His lab specializes in big data analytics applied to diverse environmental challenges including heatwaves, disease transmission, marine ecosystems, and even unconventional topics like Bitcoin's environmental footprint. The Mora Lab operates on a 'divide and conquer' approach to tackle large research questions by breaking data gathering into individual parts that can be concatenated into central databases. Mora has received the CSS Excellence in Research award (2014) for his significant contributions to environmental science. His influential publications include groundbreaking work on the global risk of deadly heat (2017), the projected timing of climate departure from historical variability (2013), and the finding that over half of known human pathogenic diseases can be aggravated by climate change (2022). CSS Excellence in Research (2014) Highly cited publications in Nature and Nature Climate Change Research featured in major international media outlets Development of innovative research methodologies for large-scale analyses Mora leads an active research group that engages students in the full scientific process from idea generation to publication. His approach to mentoring involves creating yearly classes where graduate students, professors, and international advisors collaborate to tackle significant research questions, with papers typically completed within a single semester. His Carbon Neutrality Challenge project, spearheaded by his daughter Asryelle Mora, provides a practical mechanism for individuals to offset carbon emissions through tree planting. The Mora Lab maintains a distinctive approach to environmental research, working on seemingly diverse topics from reef fishes to Bitcoin, united by their reliance on big data analytics. This interdisciplinary methodology has produced impactful research across multiple domains of environmental science and climate change impacts, establishing Mora as a significant contributor to our understanding of humanity's environmental challenges.
Beate Conrady is an Associate Professor in Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Animal Health Economics at the Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, where she joined in April 2021. She has been affiliated with the Centre for Sustainable Health (CSH) since May 2020. Previously, she led the working group on Epidemiology and Animal Health Economics at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna for eight years. Her research focuses on the development and application of mathematical and economic models to assess prevention and intervention strategies for infectious diseases in veterinary and public health contexts. Key areas include zoonoses, cattle disease control, biosecurity, and One Health. She has extensive experience in international consultancy, including with EFSA, the Austrian Government, and European scientific networks. Beate's recent publications (2020–2024) demonstrate a strong emphasis on disease transmission modeling, surveillance systems, and economic evaluation of health interventions. Her work spans Salmonella, foot-and-mouth disease, Cryptosporidium, and vector-borne diseases, often employing advanced modeling techniques and large-scale data analysis. She has received more than 11 scientific awards for her contributions to infectious disease epidemiology and animal health economics. Consultant for European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Member of international scientific committees (Med-Vet-Net, DISCONTOOLS) Principal investigator and consortium leader with over 7.5 million EUR in research funding, including more than 1 million EUR in third-party funds She is actively involved in editorial and peer-review activities for leading journals and contributes to policy development in animal health and zoonotic disease control.
Jacob Malone is an Honorary Professor and Group Leader in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of East Anglia (UEA), jointly affiliated with the John Innes Centre (JIC), UK. He serves as a Synergy Lecturer in Plant and Microbial Science and leads a research group focused on bacterial signal transduction and plant-microbe interactions. MBiochem, St Catherine's College, Oxford University (1997–2001) DPhil, Department of Plant Sciences, Oxford University (2001–2005) Postdoctoral Researcher, Biozentrum, University of Basel (2005–2011) Dr. Malone's research centers on molecular mechanisms of bacterial signal transduction, particularly the role of cyclic-di-GMP in regulating rhizosphere colonization by Pseudomonas fluorescens . His lab investigates how environmental signals influence bacterial behavior, including biofilm formation, motility, and plant colonization. Using genetics, molecular microbiology, and systems biology, the group studies both beneficial and pathogenic Pseudomonas species to develop sustainable agricultural solutions. Their work has implications for biocontrol, antibiotic tolerance, and microbial ecology. Recent publications highlight trends in plasmid-mediated host manipulation, ribosomal modification, tropolone biosynthesis, and c-di-GMP signaling. These studies reveal novel regulatory mechanisms in bacterial adaptation, with applications in combating plant pathogens and persistent infections. CEPAMS Newton Fund: Sino-UK excellence with impact on the Sustainable Development Goals (BBSRC) Automated detection and treatment of bacterial blight in food crops (Innovate UK) Plasmid manipulation of bacterial gene networks (BBSRC) Identifying natural biocontrol products for PsaV (Zespri Kiwifruit) CRISPR-guided vector technology to disrupt biofilms (Innovate UK) The Malone lab actively mentors postgraduate researchers and postdoctoral scientists, including Supakan Panturat, Catriona Thompson, and Harshanie Dasanayaka. Dr. Malone teaches the BIO-1A03 practical course and welcomes PhD and fellowship applicants. He leads a multidisciplinary team that includes Dr. Ainelen Piazza and Dr. Catriona Thompson, and collaborates widely across institutions and countries. The lab is part of the Molecular Microbiology department and contributes to initiatives such as Microbes in Norwich and PfBIO.
Jonathan M. Winter is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography and an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Earth Sciences at Dartmouth College . His research explores climate prediction and the impacts of climate variability and change on human health , water resources , and agriculture . He focuses on drivers of tickborne disease expansion, future water availability for irrigation, high-resolution climate projections, uncertainty in regional climate models, and the predictability of climate extremes in the Northeastern United States. Education : PhD and MS from Massachusetts Institute of Technology , BS from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry . Research Interests : Climate impacts on agriculture and human health, bias correction of climate data, crop modeling, extreme precipitation analysis, and Lyme disease expansion. Teaching : Courses on Global Climate Change , Water Resources , and Climate Change Effects on Agriculture . Labs & Teams : Leads the Dartmouth Applied Hydroclimatology Group (AHCG) , mentoring graduate and undergraduate researchers. Publications : Recent work includes high-resolution climate projections , water scarcity implications , and climate-agriculture interactions , with a focus on the Northeastern U.S. and global croplands. Contact : Jonathan.M.Winter@dartmouth.edu | Phone : 603-646-6456
Professor Ronald van Rij holds the position of Professor of Experimental Virology and Head of the Laboratory of Experimental Virology at Radboud University Medical Center in Nijmegen, Netherlands. He also serves as a Guest Professor at the University of Pavia, Italy. His research focuses on antiviral mechanisms in insects, particularly the roles of RNA interference (RNAi) and piRNA pathways in Drosophila melanogaster and Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. He has pioneered studies on viral defense in insects and vector competence, with translational work on antiviral compounds against pathogens like Zika and SARS-CoV-2 through the international 'COVID Moonshot' project. Education includes a PhD from the University of Amsterdam (2002) and postdoctoral fellowships at UCSF (USA) and the Hubrecht Institute (Netherlands). He has received prestigious grants such as ERC Consolidator and VICI awards, and was honored as Lecturer of the Year (2019) and PhD Supervisor of the Year (2017). Awards: ERC Proof of Concept Grant (2020), NWO VICI (2017), ERC Consolidator (2014), NWO VIDI (2008), EMBO Fellowship (2002). Teaching: Coordinates courses on virology, non-coding RNA, and innate immunity at Radboud University. Labs: Manages a BSL-3 facility for studying vector-borne pathogens in mosquitoes. His work bridges basic science and translational medicine, with emphasis on small RNA pathways and arbovirus control.
Kelly Baker, PhD, is an Associate Professor and Director of the Center for Climate Change and Health Equity at the University at Buffalo’s Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health (School of Public Health and Health Professions). Her research focuses on transdisciplinary interventions addressing global health challenges, including maternal and child health, One Health frameworks, infectious disease transmission prevention, water insecurity, antimicrobial resistance, and climate change impacts in low-resource settings. She has held prior roles at institutions such as the University of Iowa and Emory University. Education: PhD in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland Baltimore BS in Biology and Ecology, Oral Roberts University Research Interests: Dr. Baker explores the intersection of climate change, urbanization, and health equity. Her work examines how environmental factors like flooding and water contamination contribute to disease burdens in vulnerable populations, particularly in informal settlements. She also investigates interventions to reduce enteric infections in children through improved sanitation and diagnostics. Recent Article Trends: Her recent publications emphasize occupational safety in small businesses, spatial patterns of pathogen contamination, and policy analyses for diarrheal disease prevention in Kenya. These studies often blend quantitative methods with community-based approaches to address systemic health inequities. Awards and Honors: ASM Student Travel Grant Award Global Health Institute Scholar (Emory University) U.S.-Africa Frontiers of Science Fellow Advising and Grants: While specific grant details are not listed, her leadership in the Center for Climate Change and Health Equity underscores her role in securing funding for transdisciplinary projects. She mentors students in global health research, though no named advisees are documented here. Labs/Teams: Directs the Center for Climate Change and Health Equity, which integrates environmental and public health research to address climate-driven health disparities.
Silvia Rondon is a Professor and Director of the Integrated Pest Management Center at Oregon State University (OSU), affiliated with the College of Agriculture and Department of Crop & Soil Science. She moved to OSU's Corvallis campus in September 2022 after extensive work in eastern Oregon. Education: PhD in Crop Sciences (2002), MS in Entomology (1999), BA in Biology/Zoology (1993) from Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina (Peru) and University of Illinois. Research Focus: Ecological-based Integrated Pest Management for irrigated crops (potatoes, onions, corn, wheat) emphasizing insect ecology, biological/chemical control, and pest population dynamics. Her publications span potato psyllid management, zebra chip disease, wireworm genomics, and landscape-driven pest movement. Key awards include the Erasmus Teaching Award, Pacific Branch ESA Excellence in Extension, and multiple NACAA/OSU honors. She leads extension programs through on-farm demonstrations and train-the-trainer workshops, while mentoring graduate students in IPM research.
Masmudur Rahman is an Assistant Professor at Arizona State University (ASU), affiliated with the School of Life Sciences and the Biodesign Center for Personalized Diagnostics. He leads research on molecular virology, focusing on oncolytic viruses like myxoma virus (MYXV) to treat cancers, particularly leveraging their ability to target cancer cells with compromised innate immunity. His work combines virology, genetic engineering, microscopy, and bioinformatics. Education highlights include a BSc and MSc from the University of Dhaka, a PhD in Molecular Virology from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), and postdoctoral research at the University of Western Ontario and University of Florida, studying poxvirus immune modulation. He has received grants from NIH and the Arizona Biomedical Research Commission for projects on cancer virotherapy and virus-host interactions. Research interests span viral host range mechanisms, tumor tropism, and combination therapies (e.g., selinexor + MYXV). His lab develops strategies to enhance viral efficacy using stem cells and explores autosis induction in CAR-T cells. He teaches undergraduate research and honors courses in microbiology and cell biology, emphasizing hands-on training in virology techniques. Grants include NIH-funded studies on overcoming CAR-T resistance via autosis and targeting metastatic cancers with MYXV-selinexor combinations. His work has been published in Viruses , Cancer Research Communications , and International Journal of Molecular Sciences , among others.
Adrian Smith is a Professor of Zoology and Director of Graduate Studies (Progression) at the University of Oxford's Department of Zoology. His research focuses on the mechanisms of immunity to infectious diseases in vertebrates, particularly birds and mammals, with an emphasis on gut immunity and T lymphocyte biology. He leads the Infectious Disease and Comparative Immunology Section, investigating pathogens like Eimeria spp. and Salmonella enterica to develop immune interventions, including vaccines. Research Interests: His work spans comparative immunology, T cell subsets in protective immunity, and host-pathogen interactions. Current projects include pattern recognition receptors, γδ T cell biology, and parasite genetics for identifying protective antigens. He has pioneered reverse immunodynamics to identify protective immune targets. Scientific Awards: Recipient of the Daiwa Foundation Lord Adrian Prize (2007) for enteric T cell research and holds Jenner Investigator status for contributions to vaccine development. Advising & Grants: Supervises graduate students (e.g., Denise Wawman, Mirudula Elanchezhian) and collaborates with researchers like Dr. Divya Venkatesh (BBSRC Discovery Fellow). His lab integrates genomic, archaeological, and ecological approaches to understand immune evolution and pathogen dynamics in historical and modern populations. Labs/Teams: Active in the Smith & Bonsall Groups, focusing on avian immunology and pathogen biology. Collaborates across disciplines, including microbiome analysis, ancient DNA studies, and wildlife disease ecology.
Nicole Gerardo is a Professor at Emory University and Director of the Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences. Her lab studies evolutionary ecology in insect-microbe systems, including aphid-bacteria symbioses and fungus-growing ants. Education includes a Ph.D. from University of Texas at Austin (2004) and B.A. from Rice University (1997). Research integrates experimental evolution , genomics , and field ecology to address: Mechanisms of symbiont-mediated pathogen defense Transmission dynamics in mutualisms Host immunological trade-offs Agricultural applications of protective microbes Recent work examines priority effects in symbiont colonization, monarch butterfly microbiomes, and coevolution in ant-fungal systems. Field sites span Panama, Brazil, and agricultural ecosystems.
Peter Hudson is the Verne M. Willaman Professor of Biology at Pennsylvania State University, affiliated with the Eberly College of Science. His research focuses on disease dynamics in wildlife systems, particularly exploring epidemiology, pathogen interactions, and zoonotic disease control. Former Director of the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, he leads projects addressing ecological and evolutionary drivers of infectious diseases. Notable contributions include studies on Hendra virus in bats, SARS-CoV-2 in deer, and wolf population dynamics linked to canine distemper outbreaks. His work integrates field studies with mathematical modeling, emphasizing landscape immunity and conservation strategies to mitigate pandemics. Hudson's research has been supported through grants including a $4.5M USDA initiative to study SARS-CoV-2 in wildlife. He collaborates internationally on bat-borne zoonoses and has published extensively in high-impact journals like Science , Nature , and PNAS . His interdisciplinary approach bridges ecology, epidemiology, and policy to address global health challenges. Key affiliations: Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Penn State's Institute for Energy and the Environment Expertise: Wildlife epidemiology, disease ecology, conservation medicine Recent work highlights include identifying weather patterns influencing Nipah virus risk in Bangladesh and demonstrating how disease outbreaks drive evolutionary changes in wolf coat color and mating behavior. He advocates for ecologically based biosecurity measures to prevent future pandemics through landscape restoration and biodiversity conservation.
Melanie Kalischuk is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Plant Agriculture at the University of Guelph, Ontario Agricultural College. She holds a B.Sc. in Biological Sciences from the University of Lethbridge, an M.Sc. in Forest Biology from the University of Alberta, and a Ph.D. in Biomolecular Science from the University of Lethbridge. Her research focuses on biotic and abiotic interactions impacting specialty crops such as wine grapes, berries, hazelnuts, ginseng, hops, and high-value vegetables. Key areas include early detection of plant pathogens, developing strategies to enhance crop resilience under environmental stress, and translating research into industry solutions through interdisciplinary collaboration. Her work leverages advanced tools like UAV-assisted multispectral imaging and molecular assays for rapid disease detection. She is affiliated with the Edmund C. Bovey Building and the Ontario Crops Research Centre – Simcoe. Dr. Kalischuk’s contributions span plant pathology, agricultural biotechnology, and crop improvement, with publications addressing fungal pathogens, RNA interference applications, and virus resistance mechanisms. No scientific awards are explicitly listed in her profile. Her research narrative emphasizes practical applications in crop protection, including whitefly-transmitted virus resistance and disease management in cucurbitaceae. While no advising or grant details are provided in the text, her lab focuses on innovation in diagnostics and sustainable agricultural practices.
