| Piero Barone President (2024-2026) Corteva Agriscience Piero Barone earned his PhD from the University of Perugia, Italy, in 2002. During his doctoral program, he focused on the cytological and molecular characterization of a female sterility trait in alfalfa (M. sativa L.). As part of an exchange program with the University of Georgia, he spent a year in Wayne Parrott’s lab, where he developed transgenic alfalfa lines expressing the bacterial citrate synthase gene for aluminum tolerance. In 2003, he joined the lab of Jack Widholm at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, as a Postdoctoral Research Associate. There, he worked on a novel selection system based on a feedback-insensitive anthranilate synthase α-subunit of tobacco (ASA2) for nuclear and plastid transformation. In 2008, Piero became a Research Scientist at Chromatin, where he designed and validated multiple selection and transgenic event regeneration protocols using various corn, sorghum, and sugarcane germplasms. He contributed to both internal and external corn transformation projects and participated in the isolation of centromere-associated sequences for cotton, sorghum, and sugarcane. In 2014, he joined the Monocot Transformation Team at Dow AgroSciences, working on multiple trait discovery projects related to maize evaluation for new modes of action in below-ground product concepts. His role also involved managing transformation programs using the Zinc Finger gene targeting tool. In 2018, Piero relocated to Johnston, where he joined the Molecular Engineering group at Corteva Agriscience. He is currently the Capability Leader of the Genome Editing group in the Biotechnology Function of Corteva R&D. Piero has been an active member of the Society where he has contributed in many roles: he has coordinated the Plant Biotechnology Post-Doctoral Oral Presentation Competition, chaired multiple sessions in the Annual Scientific Meeting, served on both the Plant Biotechnology Section Program and Development Committee (2017-2019) , and most recently served as Vice President (2020-2022). |
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| Michael J. Fay President-Elect (2024-2026) Midwestern University Michael J. Fay received his B.S. degree in Microbiology from the University of Maine (Orono, ME) in 1987, and his Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the University of Mississippi (Oxford, MS) in 1992. From 1992 to 1997, he was a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Endocrine Physiology Training Program at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College (Hanover/Lebanon, NH). In 1997, he accepted an Assistant Professor position in the Department of Pharmacology at Midwestern University (MWU, Downers Grove, IL), and in 2002 he was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure. In addition to his academic appointment in the Pharmacology Department, in 2006 he was appointed as Director of the Biomedical Sciences Program at MWU. As Program Director, he managed the lecture-based Master of Arts in Biomedical Sciences Program, and the research-based Master of Biomedical Sciences Program. In 2011, he was promoted to Professor at MWU. In 2019, he was promoted to Associate Dean in the College of Graduate Studies at MWU, and in 2022 he was appointed as Dean of the College. In this new role, Dr. Fay works with the basic science departments (12 total) on the MWU Downers Grove, IL and Glendale, AZ campuses (Anatomy, Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics, Microbiology & Immunology, Pathology, Pharmacology and Physiology Departments) that teach the Osteopathic Medical, Dental, Pharmacy, Physician Assistant, Physical Therapy, Veterinary Medicine, Podiatry, Optometry and Biomedical Sciences Students to ensure the continued success of the teaching and research programs in the College of Graduate Studies. Dr. Fay continues to work with the Biomedical Sciences Programs on both MWU campuses to ensure the continued success of the research-based Master of Biomedical Sciences Program and the lecture-based Master of Arts in Biomedical Sciences; and he also works directly with the Master of Public Health Program and Precision Medicine Programs (MS, Post-Graduate Certificate). As a Postdoctoral Fellow, he was the recipient of an NIH Institutional training grant postdoctoral fellowship, and an individual postdoctoral fellowship from the Department of Defense. Since joining the faculty at MWU, he has been the recipient of a Research Career Enhancement Award from the American Physiological Society and served as PI or Co-PI on several funded NIH grants. Michael’s current research interests include examining the role of non-coding RNAs in cadmium-induced kidney injury. He has published 27 peer-reviewed research and educational articles and over 50 abstracts from presentations at scientific conferences. Michael has been a member of the Society for In Vitro Biology (SIVB) since 1991. His Leadership roles in the SIVB include serving as the Chair of the In Vitro Animal Cell Sciences (IVACS) Section, Secretary on the Board of Directors, and Publications Committee Chair on the Board of Directors. Since 2006, he has served as a Co-Editor for the In Vitro Report, and as a member of the Publications Committee. |
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| Fredy Altpeter Vice President (2024-2026) University of Florida Fredy Altpeter is faculty member at the University of Florida since 2001 and was promoted to Professor in 2012. He received a vocational degree in farm management from the chamber of agriculture in Saarbruecken, Germany in 1989; a Dipl. Ing. agr. degree (MS equivalent) in Crop Science and a Dr. sc. agr. degree (PhD. equivalent) in Plant Breeding and Biotechnology from the University of Hohenheim in Germany. He was postdoctoral research associate with Indra Vasil at the University of Florida on genetic transformation of wheat from 1994 to 1997 and was group leader at the Plant Genome Resource Center at the IPK Gatersleben, Germany from 1997 to 2001. In 2013 and again in 2018 he was awarded the University of Florida Research Foundation Professorship in recognition of his distinguished research program in biotechnology and breeding of grasses. Fredy has more than 30 years of experience in In vitro biology. His research program also integrates traditional plant breeding, translational genomics, biotechnology and genome editing to identify critical heredity units and develop genetically improved cereals, turf and biomass/bioenergy grasses. Among other accomplishments, his research led to the generation of oilcane, a metabolically engineered sugarcane which hyperaccumulates lipids. This laid the foundation for the DOE funded CABBI bioenergy science center, where he collaborates with more than 380 scientists from 21 partner institutions. Fredy also pioneered the establishment of various gene editing technologies for sugarcane, the crop with the most complex genome. He has published more than 80 peer reviewed research articles including review and research articles in the SIVB PBS flagship journal, In Vitro Cell Developmental Biology – Plant. Fredy’s teaching activities include graduate and undergraduate level courses in Molecular Genetics, Crop Biotechnology and Plant Breeding. He is very active in mentoring undergraduate and graduate students and visiting scientists and many of them won SIVB presentation competitions. Fredy serves/served as associate editor of “Frontiers in Gene Editing”; “Scientific Research”; “The Plant Genome”; “Plant Cell Tissue and Organ Culture”; “Plant Breeding” and “Crop Science”. He served as chair of the C7 division of CSSA and on the board of directors for the Society for In Vitro Biology as “Member at large” or as SIVB program chair in 2012 and 2019. He was chair of the SIVB Plant Biology Section from 2010 – 2011; Co-chair & Fund raiser of the SIVB Plant Biotechnology Program Committee 2008 – 2009 and Junior Co-Chair SIVB Plant Biotechnology Program Committee, 2007 – 2008; member of the SIVB membership committee and SIVB long range planning committee. Fredy implemented and organized SIVB’s first student and postdoc presentation competitions in 2008 and 2009, respectively. He received the SIVB Distinguished Service award in 2012; the SIVB Distinguished Scientist award in 2020; the International Rasila and Chandrakant Kadia Endowed Visiting Professorship in 2023 and was elected SIVB Fellow in 2018 and CSSA Fellow in 2021. |
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| Addy Alt-Holland Past President and Publications Chair (2024-2026) Tufts University Addy is a tenured Professor and a cancer researcher at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine (TUSDM), in Boston, MA. Prior to that, she was an Associate Professor, Assistant Professor and a Research Associate at TUSDM, a Post-Doc Associate at SUNY at Stony Brook, NY, and a Post-Doc Fellow at Bar-Ilan University in Israel. She earned her Ph.D. degree in Molecular and Cell Biology from Bar-Ilan University, where she also received her M.Sc and B.Sc degrees. As a full-time faculty member and a head of a lab, Addy mentors students, research interns, and residents from TUSDM and other academic institutions in New England and overseas. Addy is the Director of multiple courses for undergraduate and post-graduate students at TUSDM, and serves as a member of Thesis committees, Research Committees and different Tufts University-wide committees. Beyond Tufts, Addy serves on medical and scientific advisory committees to the Boards of multiple national and international organizations. She also served as a Board member and a co-Chair of the Mentoring Circles Program of the Association for Women in Science, the Massachusetts Chapter (MASS-AWIS), a program in which she mentored for many years post-docs and junior faculty members from Tufts, Harvard, MIT, Brandeis, UMASS and affiliated hospitals in the Boston area. Addy strongly believes that multidisciplinary collaborations between scientists and clinicians are fundamental for meaningful, translational research and the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. The development of Addy’s research endeavors and contributions in the areas of human skin and oral cancers and other diseases, both from basic science and clinical perspectives, are built on fruitful collaborations with investigators at Tufts and across the US. She has both experience and expertise in the fields of cell and molecular biology, biochemistry, metabolomics, cytogenetics and bioengineering of three-dimensional tissue models for studying human cancer biology. She is a co-inventor of several international patents, and has authored or co-authored 30 publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals, including the SIVB’s In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology – Animal, and more than 150 contributions and abstracts in conference proceedings. Her research has received national and international recognition, press releases, and media coverage. Addy joined the SIVB in 2010 and since then she co-convened more than 30 IVACS-specific sessions and oral presentation competitions, plenary sessions and cross-sections joint workshops, and helped secure sponsorship for different sessions. Addy, her colleagues, and her students delivered oral and poster presentations in many of the SIVB annual meetings and she has won several SIVB awards. She recalls receiving the 2013 SIVB’s Young Scientist Award as one of the most meaningful professional recognitions she received in her academic career. Addy participated in multiple SIVB committees and served in leadership roles as IVACS Program Chair (2013-2014), IVACS Chair (2015-2016), as well as a Board member and Program Chair of the 2017 SIVB Conference in NC. Addy served on the SIVB’s Board of Directors and the Executive Committee as the SIVB President Elect and Chair of the Long Range Planning Committee in the 2020-2022 term. She served as SIVB President in the 2022-2024 term and in that capacity, she directed the activity of the entire organization and diligently worked with the Board of Directors to ensure the health, sustainability, and growth of the Society. Currently, Addy is serving as the SIVB Past President and as the Chair of the Nomination and Publications Committees in the 2024-2026 term. Her multiple leadership activities throughout the years made a tremendous impact on her academic career and personal growth. |
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| Barbara B. Doonan Treasurer (2024-2026)Following a rewarding career in industry covering more than three decades as a Research Scientist, initially in the Food/Beverage industry (coffee, fruits and vegetables, cereals etc.) and later in the Wine and Smokeless Tobacco industries, upon retirement from United States Smokeless Tobacco Company as Principal Scientist (UST/USSTC), Barbara has been pursuing expanded interests in the fields of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry. In 2011 a collaboration was initiated with Dr. Joseph Wu, Graduate Program Director and Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at New York Medical College (NYMC). This relationship has resulted in book chapters and peer reviewed research papers related to phytochemicals and their role in health maintenance and prevention of chronic disease. It has also presented the opportunity to serve as a mentor to high school, undergraduate, graduate and medical school students through NYMC’s Summer Training in Academic Research (STAR) and the New York Academy of Sciences member to member programs. As a researcher in General Foods (GF) Corporate Nutrition and Health division, she directed preclinical animal toxicology GLP studies, pharmacokinetic and metabolism studies to elucidate mechanisms of action and a series of studies designed to determine carcinogenic and mutagenic potential of various compounds of interest. Many of these projects were conducted in support of GF’s domestic and international coffee businesses addressing questions related to coffee and health. Her in-depth knowledge of the coffee crop was further enhanced as she transitioned into the GF Biotechnology Program where she directed studies utilizing cell culture and microbial fermentation technologies for production of natural compounds such as specific flavors/unique enzymes from coffee precursors. Both the toxicological and biotechnology programs entailed responsibilities involving interactions with various government regulatory agencies for compliance with existing regulations and in the development of new regulations dealing with enhanced technological developments. At UST, her broad background and expertise in toxicology, biochemistry, and molecular biology were applied to address company interests in areas such as wine, smokeless tobacco and health, ingredients, lab safety and plant biotechnology. Just prior to joining UST, she was able to briefly return to the bench as a visiting scientist at Cold Spring Harbor researching cell cycle control in the adenovirus E1A system utilizing recombinant technologies. In addition to teaching duties while a graduate student, research at the Master’s level focused on bacteria and their viruses via development of a novel transformation system. Building on this foundation as a Ph.D. candidate, research concentrated on the biosynthesis and metabolism of phosphate compounds in cyanobacteria and the development of improved cytochemical techniques for visualization of enzyme activities at the molecular level. After receiving her Ph.D. from City University of New York and prior to entering industry as a scientist, a year was spent as an assistant professor at William Paterson College in Wayne, NJ, teaching General Biology, Human Anatomy and Physiology, and Electron Microscopy while also mentoring undergraduate research projects. Barbara Doonan has been a member of SIVB since 1992, received Distinguished Service Awards in 2004, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023 and was honored with a Toxicology and Plant SIVB Fellow Award in 2007. She has served as a Board member and on a number of Committees and has remained a dedicated seeker of funding support for the both the Animal and Plant sections. She has been Treasurer of SIVB since 2008. In addition to SIVB, Barbara Doonan is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Sigma Xi, the New York Academy of Sciences and AAAS. |
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| Mae Ciancio Secretary (2024-2026) Midwestern University Mae is a Professor and MBS Program Coordinator in the Biomedical Sciences Program at Midwestern University. She’s been an active member of SIVB since 2011, serving as a co-convener for several Plenary and IVACS Symposia sessions as well as multiple student mentoring workshops. Mae is currently the Secretary for the Society. Previous roles included serving as the Meeting Chair for the 2022 SIVB meeting in San Diego, CA as well as Chair of IVACS (2020-2022). She was previously the co-Chair of IVACS, responsible for organizing the IVACS symposia from 2018-2020. Mae is passionate about empowering students to become engaged in laboratory research as a means to contribute to scientific progress and improved clinical care. Mae became interested in academic research during her junior year of college, when she volunteered as a student researcher in the laboratory of Dr. Lawrence Gilbert, measuring the release of ecdysone by the prothoracic glands of Manduca sexta. Upon graduation from Northwestern University with a degree in Chemistry, she worked for two years as a laboratory technician in Northwestern University’s Center for Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nutrition (CEMN), performing radioimmunoassays and examining the effects of insulin on progesterone and cAMP production from porcine granulosa cells. Mae earned her PhD in Physiology at Loyola University, under the mentorship of Dr. James P. Filkins, examining the glucoregulatory effects of tumor necrosis factor in the pathophysiology of septic shock. Her post-doctoral training was conducted at the University of Chicago in the Department of Medicine/GI in the laboratory of Dr. Eugene B. Chang, investigating the role of endotoxin on intestinal epithelial cell function and the cytoprotective role of inducible heat shock protein 70. Mae joined the faculty of Midwestern University’s Biomedical Sciences program, under the leadership of Dr. Michael Fay, in 2008. Mae’s laboratory actively trains students in the Biomedical Sciences program as well as medical and dental students in cellular and animal physiology. Her lab currently is investigating the role of inducible heat shock protein 70 in preventing diet-induced obesity, with special reference on the role of intestinal nutrient absorption and microbial balance. She has an oral squamous cell carcinoma model active in her lab, designed to allow dental students an opportunity to perform discipline-specific research. Mae teaches Research Design and Methodology to Biomedical Sciences, Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant and Dental students at Midwestern University. She offers an elective course on the role of intestinal microbiota in health and disease, as well as provides pathophysiology lectures to Biomedical Sciences Students and Physical Therapy students. |
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| Vivian Dayeh Member-at-Large (IVACS) (2024-2028) University of Waterloo Vivian is a Continuing Lecturer in the Biology Department at the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Vivian’s primary focus is on undergraduate teaching and joined the Department of Biology in 2004 as a full-time lecturer. She has served as the Associate chair for Undergraduate Studies in the Biology Department and is the current Department Teaching Fellow. Her research interests are in cellular toxicology and development of in vitro methodology. Her previous research investigated the use of animal cell cultures and protozoa as alternatives to the use of whole organisms in toxicology and the effects of different classes of toxicants at the cellular level. Vivian has presented her research and has held teaching workshops at several SIVB annual meetings. Vivian joined the SIVB in 2002 and has been an active member over the years including Education Committee chair, co-Chair IVACS Membership, and Membership Committee Chair. |
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| Kolla Kristjansdottir Member-at-Large (IVACS) (2022-2026) Midwestern University Kolla Kristjansdottir is an Associate Professor with tenure in the Biomedical Sciences Department at Midwestern University (MWU) in Downers Grove, IL. She is also Program Director of the Precision Medicine Program at MWU. Kolla is a protein biochemist by training and completed her Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Duke University in Durham, NC. She completed 7 years of postdoctoral training in the Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology at The University of Chicago, IL. At Midwestern she teaches graduate level courses to students in the Master in Biomedical Sciences Program and students in other healthcare-related programs and runs her own research laboratory. Her current research program is centered on proteins that contribute to the progression of cancer and the lab is currently focused on neuroblastoma, a pediatric cancer. The lab is currently studying the role of the protein NPM1 in neuroblastoma using a variety of techniques. Other projects she is involved in include studying the role of topographical surfaces on enhancing peripheral nerve regeneration in mice ex vivo. She is currently a member-at-large of the Chicago Mass Spectrometry Discussion Group (CMSDG) and previously served as the President of the Association. Kolla has been an active member of SIVB since 2012. Most recently she was the Chair of IVACS (2018-2020). Current roles include Awards Committee Member and Long-Range Planning Committee. She has also served as Co-Chair IVACS Membership in the past and co-convened five IVACS symposia and a plenary session at past meetings. She has participated in educational symposiums for students, co-moderated the IVACS Student and Post-Doctoral Oral Presentation Competition since 2014 and assisted with planning for future meetings since 2013. She has also presented her work as oral presentations IVACS symposia, and every year students from her laboratory submit abstracts and present posters or oral presentations at the annual meetings. |
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| Pon Samuel Member-at-Large (PB) (2024-2028) Pon Samuel is a distinguished Laureate and research leader with over 25 years of experience in the ag-biotechnology industry. He has spearheaded groundbreaking research in stable expression systems, novel assay development, and nano-carrier-mediated molecule delivery into plant cells. Notably, he played a pivotal role in the early stage development of the Enlist™ weed control system, resulting in the creation of herbicide-tolerant crops and his recognition in cosharing with the Most Valuable IP award. Pon’s expertise extends to in vitro micropropagation and cryopreservation of diverse crops, including underutilized and plantation varieties. He has established an extensive collection of over 8,000 plant and insect accessions in the corporate cryobank facility. His work in transformation technologies spans a wide range of crops, utilizing both conventional and advanced delivery systems. A true innovator, Pon developed the first plant-derived Cell Penetrating Peptide (CPP) for expressing animal health vaccines using single cells. His research also led to the first demonstration of DNA-free gene deletion in microspores using ZFN protein. Additionally, he has developed assays for evaluating the add, delete, and tune concept of genome editing, partnering with Fraunhofer, Germany, and a fellow scientist, establish BY2 Cell-Free Protein Synthesis (CFPS) as a cell biology tool which is used globally to express all valuable proteins. Pon is a recognized thought leader who actively collaborates with academic partners, including HBCUs, on research initiatives funded by organizations like the NSF. He is also deeply committed to mentoring the next generation of scientists through workshops, seminars, and discussions. A dedicated member of the Society for In Vitro Biology (SIVB) since 1992 from his student days, Pon has received the prestigious SIVB Fellow award and the Distinguished Scientist award for his contributions to the society and his chosen fild. His leadership roles within the SIVB include serving as Chair of the In Vitro Plant Biology Section, organizing joint animal and plant sections, initiating a cytometry pre-workshop, and actively engaging with students. Pon is a passionate advocate for fostering inclusive and collaborative research environments. He prioritizes equal opportunities for all team members and celebrates their diverse backgrounds and accomplishments. |
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| Hong Luo Member-at-Large (PB) (2022-2026) Clemson University Hong Luo is a Professor in the Department of Genetics and Biochemistry at Clemson University. He completed his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Agronomy and Plant Genetics and Breeding, respectively, from Sichuan Agricultural University, China, and his PhD in Plant Molecular Biology from the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium. Following his postdoctoral training at the French National Center of Scientific Research and Purdue University, he joined an agricultural biotechnology company, HybriGene, conducting research on genetic engineering of rice and turfgrass for trait modifications. His work at that time led to the development of the first genetically engineered, male-sterile and herbicide-resistant turfgrass plants and the development of a new method for hybrid crop production using site-specific DNA recombination systems. In 2006, he accepted a faculty position and moved to Clemson. He currently maintains several active research projects for both basic and applied research with an emphasis on gene discovery and genetic improvement of food crops and turf species for enhanced performance under adverse environmental conditions. He has authored and co-authored more than 90 peer-reviewed research papers, book chapters and is the editor of two books and the inventor on 6 issued patents in plant biotechnology. He received the Godley-Snell Award for Excellence in Agricultural Research in 2013-Clemson University’s highest agricultural research honor. He teaches Advanced Genetics for graduate students and Genetics Senior Seminar for undergraduate students at Clemson University and currently serves as associate editors for four academic journals including In Vitro Cell Developmental Biology-Plant, Genetics and Molecular Biology, Frontiers in Plant Science, and Grass Research. He has been actively training graduate and undergraduate students, and post-doctoral and visiting scientists. Many of them won SIVB presentation competitions. His active involvement in SIVB activities includes organizing Plant Biotechnology Section (PBS) post-doc research presentations (2012-2013), convening sessions for SIVB annual meetings, serving as PBS program co-chair (2014-2016), the program chair for the 2023 SIVB meeting and participating in SIVB fundraising. He is an Elected Member-at-Large of SIVB Board of Directors (2022-2026), received the SIVB Excellent Service Award in 2016, 2023 and 2024, the President Award in 2024, and the prestigious SIVB Fellow Award in 2024 for his outstanding contributions and achievements in Plant Biotechnology and his contributions to the society. |
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| Wayne A. Parrott Public Policy Chair (2024-2026) University of Georgia Wayne Parrott received a degree in agronomy from the University of Kentucky, and MS and PhD degrees in Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He joined the faculty at the University of Georgia in 1988. Since then he has been conducting research on the development, use and safety of transgenic (i.e., GM) crop plants, using grant monies from USDA-NIFA, NSF, DOE and the United Soybean Board. He has published a guide for environmental risk assessment of GMOs, along with ~ 110 journal articles in refereed publications and 14 book chapters. He has served as elected Chair of the biotechnology section of the Crop Science Society of America and of the plant section of the Society for In Vitro Biology, and is a Fellow of both of these societies. He is actively engaged in training graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, and teaches graduate-level courses in genetics and undergraduate courses in agroecology and sustainable agriculture. He has traveled extensively throughout Latin America and other countries, and advised legislators and regulators in the various countries on the requisites for a functional regulatory system that ensures the safety of GM products. He volunteered for 6 years as a scientific advisor to the Biotechnology Committee of the International Life Sciences Institute, which served to bring the best science available to help guide those who formulate regulatory policies. |
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| Allan Wenck 2025 Program Committee Chair (2024-2025) Allan Wenck received a B.A. degree in Biology and Environmental Studies (1985) from Warren Wilson College. He continued his studies at the University of Tennessee (Knoxville) in the lab of Dr. Bob Conger. He was awarded a M.S. degree in Life Sciences (with a focus on Plant Physiology and Genetics) for his work on endogenous auxin and cytokinin levels and their influence on the embryogenic response of Orchardgrass cultivars in tissue culture (1988). He worked for 3 years at Clemson University’s Edisto Research and Education Center doing field based research primarily on insect pests in cotton and soybean. He received his PhD in Biological Sciences (with a focus on Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology) from the University of South Carolina (Columbia) in 1997. Allan went on to conduct postdoctoral research at North Carolina State University. He developed an Agrobacterium based system for transformation of Norway Spruce and Loblolly Pine embryogenic suspension cultures in the lab of Ron Sederoff and Ross Whetten. He joined Novartis (later Syngenta) where he worked on monocot transformation (corn, wheat, barley and rice). He later moved to BASF Plant Science where he worked on corn transformation. He also spent two years in Melbourne, Australia working on wheat transformation as part of a collaboration. He then moved to Bayer Crop Science where he was head of the Cell Biology group at the Morrisville Innovation Center prior to his promotion to his current position. Allan received his J.D. degree from the North Carolina Central University School of Law Evening Program (2013) while continuing his work at Bayer. Allan has authored many articles and book chapters on transformation and cell biology. He has been an active reviewer for In Vitro – Plant, Plant Cell Reports, Plant Cell Tissue and Organ Culture and various other journals. He has been a very active member of the Society for In Vitro biology and was Program Chair for the plant section in 2005. He has convened numerous sessions in the plant section over the past 20 years. He was Vice President for the Society from 2014-2016 and has won both the Society Distinguished Service Award (2016) and Distinguished Scientist Award (2017). Over the years, Allan has helped efforts to raise over $150,000 for the Society as Section Chair and Vice President. |
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| Ahmad Omar 2025 Program Committee Vice Chair and 2026 Program Committee Chair (2024-2026) University of Florida, USA/Zagazig University, EgyptAhmad Omar received his Ph.D. in Plant Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the Horticultural Sciences Department at the University of Florida, USA. His groundbreaking research on enhancing citrus resilience and improving citrus canker resistance through genetic engineering under Prof. Jude Grosser, a leading protoplast technology and plant cell genetics researcher, garnered recognition from academia and industry. In his postdoctoral research, Ahmad was dedicated to using advanced biotechnology tools for more sustainable agriculture. His research focused on genetically modifying citrus plants to mitigate citrus canker and the newly emerging disease, citrus greening or huanglongbing (HLB). His work has been published in several reputable journals, furthering his standing as an astute and reliable researcher in the field of plant biotechnology. Recently, Ahmad co-authored several research papers on CRISPR technology, especially the generation of transgene-free canker-resistant Citrus using GRISPR in the T0 generation, published in Nature Communications and Frontiers in Plant Science-Plant Biotechnology. Ahmad holds a full professor position at the Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Egypt, and a research assistant scientist position at the Citrus Research and Education Center, University of Florida, USA. With his extensive academic foundation, he is embarking on a new research journey mainly focused on developing a micropropagation protocol for Macadamia nuts as a potential new crop in Florida. Ahmad is an associate editor for Frontiers in Plant Science – Technical Advances in Plant Science, International Journal of Forestry Research, and In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology – Plant. Additionally, he is actively reviewing manuscripts for several peer-reviewed journals. Ahmad has been an active member of SIVB during his graduate years (SIVB Orlando, FL meeting in 2002). He received his first career award from the SIVB in 2006 for the best student paper presented at the meeting. Since then, he has contributed to the Society in many capacities, such as convener, coordinator, and judge for postdoctoral oral competitions (2019, 2022-2023), member of the local organizing committee (2019), PBS program Jr-Chair (2022), PBS program Sr-Chair (2023), and received the SIVB Distinguished Service Award (2022-2023). He was the Plant Biotechnology Program Chair for the 2024 SIVB World Congress on In Vitro Biology. He has spearheaded collaborative initiatives that bridge the gap between research and application. His ability to foster a productive network has led to the successful organization of international conferences, fostering a platform for interdisciplinary exchange. Ahmad chaired several committees at the American Society for Horticultural Sciences (ASHS), such as the plant biotechnology interested group, plant growth regulators interested group, and genetics and germplasm interested group. |
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