Chao Bai | Plant Physiology | Research Excellence Award

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Prof. Chao Bai | Plant Physiology | Research Excellence Award

Beijing Zoo | China

Chao Bai is an Associate Researcher at Beijing Zoo with interdisciplinary training in plant science, molecular biology, and ecological innovation. He earned his PhD in Plant Production and Forest Science from the University of Lleida, Spain, and has held research and postdoctoral positions at leading Chinese research institutes. His work integrates metabolomics, molecular genetics, and RNA interference to address wildlife nutrition, invasive plant biology, crop metabolic engineering, and sustainable pest control. He has led multiple nationally funded projects and published extensively in high-impact international journals. His research advances applied conservation, agricultural biotechnology, and evidence-based ecological management with strong translational impact.

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Featured Publications

Paloma Moncalean | Plant Biotechnology | Excellence in Plant Research

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Dr. Paloma Moncalean | Plant Biotechnology | Excellence in Plant Research

NEIKER | Spain

Dr. Paloma Moncaleán Guillén is a leading plant biotechnologist specializing in in vitro tissue culture, somatic embryogenesis, and forest biotechnology, with an extensive research career at NEIKER-BRTA, where she currently serves as Principal Investigator. She holds a PhD in Biological Sciences (Premio Extraordinario, 2000) from the University of Oviedo, where she also obtained her Licenciatura in Biological Sciences. Dr. Moncaleán pioneered the in vitro culture and plant physiology research line at NEIKER, developing advanced protocols for somatic embryogenesis and organogenesis in Pinus species, alongside molecular, physiological, and morphological marker applications in juvenile and mature tissues. Her current work focuses on epigenetic modulation under abiotic stress to enhance stress tolerance in somatic plants. She has accumulating an estimated h-index of 22, over 1421 citations, and more than 73 research documents. Dr. Moncaleán has led competitive national and international projects, contributed to major technology-transfer initiatives in Spain, Chile, and Argentina, and serves on editorial boards of top journals including Frontiers in Plant Science, PLANTS, FORESTS, and Plant Cell Tissue and Organ Culture. Recognized for her leadership, she coordinates the IUFRO Unit 2.09.02 and continues advancing forest biotechnology for sustainable and resilient forestry systems.

Profiles: Scopus | Orcid

Featured Publications

Hurtado, M., Suarez-Álvarez, S., Castander-Olarieta, A., Montalbán, I. A., Goicoechea, P. G., López de Heredia, U., Marino, D., & Moncaleán, P. (2025). Physiological and molecular response to drought in somatic plants from Pinus radiata embryonal masses induced at high temperatures. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry.

Ochatt, S. J., Akin, M., Chan, M. T., Dolgov, S. V., Eimert, K., Flachowsky, H., Guo, W. W., Jiménez, V. M., Lambardi, M., Moncaleán, P., et al. (2025). Research is rendering the recalcitrant woody plants amenable to biotechnological approaches. Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture.

Montalbán, I. A., Castander-Olarieta, A., Marques do Nascimento, A. M., Suárez-Álvarez, S., Herrán, A., Polesi, L. G., Back, F., Steiner, N., Guerra, M. P., & Moncaleán, P. (2024). Genetic stability, amino acid, and polyamine profile analyses in radiata pine somatic embryos maturated at high temperatures. Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture.

Montalbán, I. A., Castander-Olarieta, A., Marques do Nascimento, A. M., Suárez-Álvarez, S., Herrán, A., Polesi, L. G., Steiner, N., Guerra, M. P., & Moncaleán, P. (2023). Genetic stability, amino acid and polyamine profile analyses in radiata pine somatic embryos maturated at high temperatures.

Ayala, L. P. E., Luna, C. V., Brugnoli, E. A., Espasandin, F. D., Duarte, M. J., González, A. M., Gauchat, M. E., Moncaleán Guillén, P., & Sansberro, P. A. (2023). Cryopreservation of mature zygotic embryos, shoot bud regeneration, and field establishment of Pinus elliottii var. elliottii × Pinus caribaea var. hondurensis in vitro-derived plants. Trees.

Mahendar Thudi | Plant Genetics | Editorial Board Member

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Dr. Mahendar Thudi | Plant Genetics | Editorial Board Member

Fort Valley State university | United States

Mahendar Thudi, PhD, is a distinguished plant geneticist and genomics researcher currently serving as a Research Professional at Fort Valley State University, Georgia, and Adjunct Professor at the University of Southern Queensland, Australia. He previously worked as Associate Professor at Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University and spent over a decade at ICRISAT contributing extensively to chickpea genomics and molecular breeding. Dr. Thudi holds a PhD in Plant Sciences (2010) from the University of Hyderabad, an MS in Plant Biotechnology, and a BS in Agriculture. His research spans genetics and plant breeding, genomics, multi-omics, biotic and abiotic stress biology, and crop improvement in chickpea, sorghum, pearl millet, lentils, peanut, and wheat. Dr. Thudi has received several honors, including the Fellow of Telangana Academy of Sciences and multiple Exceptional Scientific Article Awards. With active international collaborations and editorial roles in leading journals, he continues to advance genomics-based breeding and global food security.

Profile: Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Varshney, R. K., Song, C., Saxena, R. K., Azam, S., Yu, S., Sharpe, A. G., Cannon, S., … (2013). Draft genome sequence of chickpea (Cicer arietinum) provides a resource for trait improvement. Nature Biotechnology.

Varshney, R. K., Shi, C., Thudi, M., Mariac, C., Wallace, J., Qi, P., Zhang, H., Zhao, Y., … (2017). Pearl millet genome sequence provides a resource to improve agronomic traits in arid environments. Nature Biotechnology.

Varshney, R. K., Thudi, M., Nayak, S. N., Gaur, P. M., Kashiwagi, J., … (2014). Genetic dissection of drought tolerance in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). Theoretical and Applied Genetics.

Varshney, R. K., Thudi, M., Roorkiwal, M., He, W., Upadhyaya, H. D., Yang, W., … (2019). Resequencing of 429 chickpea accessions from 45 countries provides insights into genome diversity, domestication and agronomic traits. Nature Genetics.

Thudi, M., Upadhyaya, H. D., Rathore, A., Gaur, P. M., Krishnamurthy, L., … (2014). Genetic dissection of drought and heat tolerance in chickpea through genome-wide and candidate gene-based association mapping approaches.

Syed Inzimam Ul Haq | Plant Physiology | Best Researcher Award

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Mr. Syed Inzimam Ul Haq | Plant Physiology | Best Researcher Award

Masaryk University, Czech Republic

Dr. Syed Inzimam Ul Haq is a passionate plant physiologist and PhD candidate at Masaryk University, Czechia, specializing in the analysis of photosynthetic activity using advanced biophysical methods such as in vivo chlorophyll fluorescence and spectral reflectance. With over 3 peer-reviewed publications and a strong research portfolio, he has an h-index of 1, over 13 citations. He holds an M.Phil. and BS in Botany from Islamia College Peshawar, Pakistan, and currently serves as a part-time cooperating staff member at the Department of Experimental Biology, Masaryk University. He has previously worked as a Lab Assistant and a Biology Teacher in Pakistan. His research interests include plant stress physiology, chlorophyll fluorescence, nanotechnology, CRISPR genome editing, and sustainable agriculture. He has presented his work at national and international conferences and mentored multiple undergraduate and postgraduate students. Notable projects include studies on the phytoremediation potential of crops and the physiological adaptation of plants under space-mimicking environments like Antarctic regolith. With a consistent Q1 publication record and international collaborations, Dr. Haq is committed to advancing knowledge in plant science and making impactful contributions to global agricultural sustainability.

Profiles: Scopus | Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Haq, S. I. U., Hájek, J., & Barták, M. (2025). From Antarctic regolith to lunar greenhouses: Mechanistic insights into Brassica rapa Photosystem II dynamics for sustainable space agriculture. Life Sciences in Space Research.

Haq, S. I. U., Tariq, F., Sama, N. U., Jamal, H., & Mohamed, I. H. (2025). Role of autophagy in plant growth and adaptation to salt stress. Planta, 261, 49.

Ullah, Z., Haq, S. I. U., Ullah, A., Asghar, M. A., Seleiman, M. F., Saleem, K., Zeng, F., Sama, N. U., Kamran, K., & Ahmad, S. (2024). Effect of green synthesized silver nanoparticles on growth and biochemical profile of Pearl millet under NaCl stress. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 1–20.

Haq, S. I. U., Zheng, D., Feng, N., Jiang, X., Qiao, F., He, J. S., & Qiu, Q. S. (2022). Progresses of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing in forage crops. Journal of Plant Physiology, 179, 153860.

Xie, Y., Haq, S. I. U., Jiang, X., Zheng, D., Feng, N., Wang, W., He, J.-S., & Qiu, Q. S. (2022). Plant genome editing: CRISPR, base editing, prime editing, and beyond. Grassland Research, 1–10.

 

MUSLIM QADIR | Plant Breeding | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. MUSLIM QADIR | Plant Breeding | Best Researcher Award

South China Agricultural University | China

Author Profile

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👨‍🔬 Summary:

Dr. Muslim Qadir is a dedicated researcher specializing in crop genetics and plant breeding with a strong focus on reproductive biology, stress physiology, and genome-editing technologies. He has advanced experience in GWAS, QTL mapping, transcriptomics, proteomics, and phytohormonal analysis. Currently affiliated with the College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University (SCAU), Guangzhou, China, Dr. Qadir actively contributes to translational research for sustainable agriculture and crop improvement.

🎓 Education:

He holds a Ph.D. in Crop Genetics and Breeding from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Wuhan (2019–2022), a Master’s in Biology (Plant Breeding and Genetics) from Southwest University of Science and Technology, Sichuan (2016–2018), and a B.Sc. in Agriculture from LUAWMS, Pakistan (2012–2016).

💼 Professional Experience:

Currently a Postdoctoral Researcher at SCAU (2024–Present), he has also served as a Research Associate at UAE University (2023), working on transcriptomic profiling in date palm, and as a Research Assistant at various institutions including LUAWMS and RRI-China. His career spans physiological studies in cotton, wheat, and rice, to functional genomics in rapeseed.

📚 Academic Citations & Publications:

Dr. Qadir has authored multiple peer-reviewed articles in journals such as Frontiers in Plant Science, Genome Editing, BMC Plant Biology, and Environmental Chemistry & Ecotoxicology. His notable publications explore ovule development, CRISPR/Cas9, stress resilience, biocontrol mechanisms, and soil remediation strategies. His cumulative citations reflect a growing international academic impact.

🧪 Technical Skills:

He possesses expertise in GWAS, QTL mapping, bioinformatics, high-throughput phenotyping, phytohormone quantification, antioxidant assays, gene expression analysis, tissue culture, DNA/RNA extraction, and functional genomics tools like CRISPR. He is proficient in statistical and molecular software tools and has hands-on field and lab experience.

🎓 Teaching Experience:

Dr. Qadir has mentored students in experimental design, data interpretation, and thesis writing during his research tenure. He has actively engaged in research training workshops and collaborative scientific projects, both in China and the UAE.

🌱 Research Interests:

His core research areas include plant reproductive genetics, seed trait development, stress physiology, plant–environment interaction, genome editing for climate resilience, and integrated crop management. His research aims to enhance productivity and sustainability in oilseed, cereal, and fruit crops.

📖Publications

Genome-Wide Identification of Chitinase Gene Family in Barley (Hordeum vulgare): Insights into Stress Response Mechanisms and Evolutionary Dynamics

    • Authors: Muslim Qadir Baloch; Irfan Ali Sabir; Farhan Nabi; Aamir Manzoor; Fazal Ullah; Muhammad Saeed; Abeer Hashem; Jawaher Alkahtani; Elsayed Fathi Abd_Allah

    • Journal: BMC Plant Biology

    • Year: 2025

CRISPR/Cas9: a sustainable technology to enhance climate resilience in major Staple Crops

    • Authors: Navjot Kaur; Muslim Qadir; Dali V. Francis; Anshu Alok; Siddharth Tiwari; Zienab F. R. Ahmed

    • Journal: Frontiers in Genome Editing

    • Year: 2025

Dissection of the genetic basis and molecular mechanism of ovule number per ovary in oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.)

    • Authors: Muslim Qadir Baloch; Xinyi Lin; Farhan Nabi; Kishore Kumar Ashok; Xue-Rong Zhou; Qingbin Sun; Peiman Shi; Xinfa Wang; Jiaqin Shi

    • Journal: Frontiers in Plant Science

    • Year: 2025

Enhancing crop resilience by harnessing the synergistic effects of biostimulants against abiotic stress

    • Authors: Anam Asif; Muslim Qadir; Maratab Ali; Rajmohan Karthikeyan; Zora Singh; Ravjit Khangura; Francesco Di Gioia; Zienab F. R. Ahmed

    • Journal: Frontiers in Plant Science

    • Year: 2023

 Genetic dissection of the natural variation of ovule number per ovary in oilseed rape germplasm (Brassica napus L.)

    • Authors: Muslim Qadir Baloch

    • Journal: Frontiers in Plant Science

    • Year: 2022