Conference Speakers

Ikenna UCHENDU

Designation: Lecturer University: University of Nigeria Country: Nigeria More Details

Ikenna Kingsley Uchendu is currently working as a lecturer in the Clinical Chemistry Division of the Department of Medical Laboratory Science, University of Nigeria since 2014. He achieved MSc. degree in Clinical Biochemistry in 2014 from the University of the West of England, Bristol, United Kingdom. He has obtained B.MLS degree in Medical Laboratory Science in 2009 from the University of Nigeria. Ikenna Kingsley Uchendu does research in Clinical Chemistry, Nutritional Biochemistry, Food Science and Technology, Ethnopharmacology, Toxicology, Molecular and Signalling mechanisms, and Cancer and Cell biology. He has published his research findings in more than 40 peer-reviewed publications.

Norhayati Hussain

Designation: Associate Professor University: University Putra Malaysia Country: Malaysia More Details

Dr. Norhayati Hussain is an academician at Department of Food Technology, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia. Currently, her main researches focus on food sciences, food technology, Halal product development and cocoa processing. She covers method modification for determination of PAH in cocoa, product development from Halal by- products, study migration of fat and water in chocolate filling from tropical fruits, optimization of yeast starter cultures for cocoa fermentation (collaboration with Barry Callebaut Malaysia Sdn Bhd), cocoa espresso and blending of selected vegetable oils with palm olein. She was a researcher at Biotechnology Division, Malaysia Cocoa Board, handling research on patented prebiotic chocolates (pure milk and dark chocolate) funded by Technofund program. She also has experiences in food and beverage industries under the Research and Development Department at CPC/ AJI Sdn Bhd, Kuala Lumpur and SBM Food Industries, Melaka, Malaysia. She obtained her PhD and Master degree in Food Science from University Kebangsaan Malaysia and her BSc degree in Food Science and Microbiology from University of Strathclyde, U. Kingdom.

Antonietta Baiano

Designation: Associate Professor University: University of Foggia Country: Italy More Details

Antonietta Baiano was born in Foggia (Italy) in 1972, 29^th July. She is graduated in Food Science and Technology at the University of Bari (Italy) in 1996. In 2000, she achieved the PhD in Food Biotechnology at the University of Foggia. From 2002 to 2016, she was been a researcher at the Agrarian Faculty/ Department of Sciences of Agriculture, Food and Environment of the University of Foggia. From 2016, she is an Associate Professor at the Department of Sciences of Agriculture, Food and Environment at the University of Foggia. Her teaching subjects mainly concern Quality Management in the Food Chain, Enology, Brewing Technologies, Physical, chemical, and Sensory Analyses of Foods. Her main research interests concern the following topics:

the phenolic fraction of foods;
the study of production and quality of olive oil, wine, and beer;
the recovery of nutraceutical compounds from food waste.

She is author of about 190 among article, posters, books, and book chapters. Papers have been cited 1751 times, with an H-index of 22 in the last 15 years. She has a long experience in reviewing manuscripts for several indexed journals related to Food Science & Technology and is in the editorial board of several prestigious journals concerning Food Science & Technology.

Shomini Prashar

Designation: Assistant Professor University: IMS Engineering College Country: India More Details

Shomini Parashar has been working at IMS Engineering College, Ghaziabad in the Biotechnology Department as Assistant Professor since 2004. She did post-graduation in Microbiology from Gurukul Kangri University, Haridwar, India in 2000. She completed post graduate diploma in Bioinformatics from Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB), Delhi in collaboration with Edutech informatics in the year 2003. Her passion for teaching took her to teaching in academic institutes where her concern subjects were Microbiology, Bioinformatics, IPR, Biosafety Bioethics, Genetics, Industrial management, Managerial Economics, Environment and Ecology, Industrial Sociology. Her area of research is mainly concerned with screening of plant extracts for antimicrobial properties, isolation of bacteria from soil for agarase activity and working with various bioinformatics tools for solving biological problems. In, 2009 she completed M.Phil in Bioinformatics and has recently, in 2019 submitted her Ph.D thesis in AKTU, Lucknow (India). She has submitted one partial gene sequence in GenBank database and has deposited a bacterial culture of Microbacterium barkerii She is the author of 9 articles/papers and a book in IPR, Biosafety and Bioethics with Pearson Education India in 2013. Apart from teaching she is actively engaged in counseling students for empowering their potentials and helping them in becoming better humans.

Robert Mancini

Designation: Integrated Management Systems Coordinator University: Roquette Canada Country: Canada More Details

Rob Mancini has vast experience and knowledge in the field of food safety, with specific emphasis on alternate modes of food safety training and behavior science. . Rob has more than 20 years’ experience in Regulatory Compliance and as a Certified Public Health Inspector. In Canada, he provided expert advice on revisions made to the Canadian Food Retail and Food Services Code and Federal/Provincial/Territorial National Guidelines for Food Safety Training. Rob hosted and provided research for the television series “Kitchen Crimes” for Food Network Canada, H.G.T.V. (U.S.) and Discovery Asia. . He has provided expert opinion on food safety for varying levels of Government in Canada and is an active speaker on food safety and an author on Barfblog. He currently holds a Master’s Degree in Food Safety through Kansas State University

Dr. Veronica N. Emenuga

Designation: Lecturer University: University of Nigeria Country: Nigeria More Details

Dr. Veronica Emenuga is currently working as a Lecturer in the Microbiology division of the Department of Medical Laboratory Science University of Nigeria since 2006. She achieved her M.Sc and Masters in Public Health(MPH) from the University of Nigeria Nsukka and got her PHD in Applied Microbiology and brewing from Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Anambra State Nigeria. Veronica has a great passion in research and developmental initiatives along the discipline of Food safety and Microbiology. She has done so many researches in Food Science and Technology, Food toxicology, Molecular quality of food and Cell biology.Veronica has published her research findings in more than 30 Peer-reviewed Journals.

Yiannis Kourkoutas

Designation: Director University: Democritus University of Thrace Country: Greece More Details

Yiannis Kourkoutas is Associate Professor and the Director of the Laboratory of Applied Microbiology & Biotechnology at the Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Democritus University of Thrace, at Alexandroupolis, Greece. He obtained his first degree in Chemistry in 1997 and his PhD in Food Biotechnology in 2002, both from the University of Patras, Greece. He further continued for Post-Doctoral studies at the University of Ulster, UK at 2002 and 2005 and at the University of Patras at 2004-2007. His current research is focused on food microbiome, biopreservatives, food bioprocesses, novel functional food products development and nutrition. He has published more than 95 papers in peer-reviewed journals, 14 chapters in books, > 100 conference proceedings and 4 patents (citations > 2000; h-index: 21). He has been invited as a plenary speaker and has served as chairman in several conferences, as Lead Guest Editor and an editorial board member in many special issues and reputed scientific journals, as member of the steering and organizing committees of international conferences and as evaluator of research proposals in national and European calls. He has also participated in many research projects, coordinating most of them. His funds derive from EU, National Grants and the Food/Agriculture Industry.

Research Interests: Food microbiome, Functional foods, Fermented foods and beverages, Natural antimicrobial and anti-oxidant agents, Food bioprocesses, Agro-industrial and food waste valorization.

Hiroko Seki

Designation: Assistant Professor University: Tamagawa University Country: Japan More Details

Hiroko Seki is an assistant professor in the Department of Life Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Tamagawa University, who specializes in the quality of fish, the preservation of the taste component in fish muscles, and the enzymes that are related to the degradation of ATP-related components.

Simone Brogi

Designation: Head of In Silico Pharmacology and Toxicology Unit University: University of Pisa Country: Italy More Details

Simone Brogi is Assistant Professor at the Department of Pharmacy at University of Pisa. He graduated in 2005 in Biological Sciences from the University of Siena, where he also received his PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences in 2010. From 2011 to 2019 he has directed the Molecular Modeling Unit at the Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy (University of Siena) in the research group of Prof. Giuseppe Campiani. His research activity, described in over 80 papers (full list of publications: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Simone_Brogi), various book chapters and one patent, is focused on computational approaches for the discovery and optimization of small-molecules with therapeutic potential for treating cancer and pain, neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, and parasitic diseases. Dr. Brogi research activity is mainly dedicated on computational approaches in drug discovery with particular attention to lead optimization in terms of pharmacokinetics properties and metabolic stability. His computational studies particularly concern the discovery and optimization of small-molecules as potential antalgic agents, antitumor compounds, and also with therapeutic potential for the treatment of neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, and parasitic diseases. These researches include target selection and the rational design of innovative drugs, the application and validation of novel computational strategies, and the study of important structure-function relationships. Actually, Dr. Brogi is the head of in silico Pharmacology and Toxicology Unit at University of Pisa in the research group of Prof. Vincenzo Calderone. Moreover, the mentioned research interest also comprises innovative in silico strategies to establish the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics profile of potential drug candidates. Dr. Brogi operates as reviewer for over 40 scientific journals and he is associate editor and editorial board member of several scientific journals.

Dr. Oke Elizabeth Olufunke

Designation: Lecturer / Consultant Chemical Pathologist University: BOWEN University Iwo Country: Nigeria More Details

Dr. Oke Elizabeth Olufunke is a Consultant Chemical Pathologist, an entrepreneur and Fellow West African College of Physician(FWACP-Lab. Med.) since April 2017. She had Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery(MBBS) in 2003 at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology(LAUTECH) Ogbomoso and a year Intership at Lautech Teaching Hospital(LTH) Osogbo. Her interest in Diagnostic Medicine triggered her Residency training in Laboratory Medicine done at both LTH, Ogbomoso and Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complexes Ile-Ife Nigeria with involvement in various laboratory based clinical research some now published in reputable journals. She is Presently a Lecturer at Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences/College of Health Sciences, Bowen University Iwo and a Chemical pathologist at Bowen University Teaching Hospital Ogbomoso running Metabolic and Special Investigations Clinics and ensuring laboratory Quality Control. Elizabeth Oke is presently working on roles of leptin in type 2 Diabetics in BOWEN Teaching Hospital Ogbomoso Southwest Nigeria

Sonia Goel

Designation: Scientist University: SGT University Country: India More Details

Dr. Sonia Goel is Scientist and Academician working with Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Over the past decade, she has worked in a wide variety of National and international Plant biotechnology research projects. She has done PhD in Plant Biotechnology while working on Wheat quality breeding research. She has published many research papers from subject ranging from Biotechnology to Agriculture and plant sciences in the National and International Journals with numerous articles in the Journals and Magazines. She has qualified different exams conducted on national scale for research and teachings. She has done different training programs organized by Indian Council of Agricultural Research and also presented her research work in various national / international conferences/ seminars/ symposiums, etc. She also got best poster, oral presentation awards and young scientist awards for her contribution in Plant Biotechnology research. She has also developed wheat germplasm having superior product quality traits and deposited at National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR), IARI, Delhi, India.

Md. Monirul Islam

Designation: Principal Scientific Officer University: Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute Country: Bangladesh More Details

Dr. Md. Monirul Islam received Bachelor in Agriculture and MS (Soil Science) degree from the Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh, Bangladesh in 1991 and 1997, respectively. He obtained PhD in Soil Science from the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Salna, Gazipur-1706, Bangladesh in 2009. He also completed Post- Doctoral Research in Phytoremediation in 2012 from the University Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. Dr. Islam is working as Principal Scientific Officer at Tuber Crops Research Centre, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Gazipur, Bangladesh. Previously he worked as Scientific Officer of Analytical Services Division and Soil Science Division in the same Institute. Dr. Islam Obtained Government of Bangladesh (GOB) and National Agroforestry Working Group (NAWG) scholarship for conducting MS and PhD research, respectively in 1995 and 2007. He also awarded Research Development Grant Scheme scholarship to carryout Post- Doctoral Research. His main research interests are Soil fertility, Plant Nutrition, Nutrient management for different crops, Improvement of crop quality through IPNS (Integrated plant nutrient system), Soil fertility and fertilizer management and recommendation, Phytoremediation and waste management. He was awarded some research grants from National and International sources including Exploratory Research Grant Scheme, Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Malaysia, Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia, Research Development Grant Scheme, National Agroforestry Working Group. He also awarded PRPI12 Bronze medal from the University Putra Malaysia. He has substantial research experience and conducted many research on the following areas: Integrated nutrient management for several crops and vegetables. Soil, fertilizer management and fertilizer recommendation, irrigation scheduling and crop water requirement, crop residues, wastes management, nutrient management for different crops, soil improvement through IPNS, phytoremediation etc. He published more than 57 articles in national and international peer reviewed reputed journals and six proceedings papers and attended many national and international conferences. Dr. Islam authored two text books for the students, Scientists and Farmers published by Lambert Academic Publishing, Germany. He is Editor of Probe Soil Science and serving as reviewer in many reputed Journals. He is also engaged in research supervisor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Salna, Gazipur, Bangladesh. He supervised Graduate and under Graduate students in home and abroad.

Steven Hagens

Designation: Principal Scientist University: Micreos Food Safety Country: Netherlands More Details

Talk to me about… your business

After 22 years working with phages both in academia and industry my role is to act as interface between Micreos Food Safety B.V. and various stakeholders such as regulatory authorities in various countries, large customers in the food industry, academic partners with whom we collaborate as well as ensuring our intellectual property portfolio is well stocked. In addition I guide and sometimes direct new product development within our own research team.

Talk to me about…something people may not know about you

Food and especially preparing it is a passion of mine. I like to start from scratch, making my own bread, grinding spices myself and gathering or catching ingredients. It may seem odd that having started my career in a lab I find it therapeutic to cook up things at home. But the essential difference is that lab-work may take weeks, months or even years to complete whereas cooking in comparison (even slow-cooked dishes) provides “instant gratification”.

Dr. Regina Roy

Designation: Professor University: Karuna Medical College Country: India More Details

Dr. Regina Roy is a Professor and Head of the department of Pharmacology at Karuna Medical College, India. She obtained his MD in #Pharmacology in the year in 2001 and a course of PGDFM from CMC Vellore in the year 2010. She has published 10 scientific papers in Indexed Journals. She is the regular examiner of MBBS examination in Universities of Kerala, Tamilnadu, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences and Karnataka. She has presented many papers and received many awards.

Dr. Mutaz Mohamed Ahmed Elshiekh

Designation: Chairman University: Sudanese Chemical Society Country: Sudan More Details

Mutaz Mohamed Ahmed Elshiekh is Chairman at Sudanese Chemical Society and an Assistant Professor in Ahfad Center for Science and Technology, AUW, Sudan. He has completed his bachelors, masters and doctoral studies in Organic chemistry at University of Khartoum, Sudan. He is the head of chemistry department and Chemistry general coordinator at Ahfad University For Women-Ahfad center for science and technology. He has published various papers in well known science journals. His duties include teaching general organic chemistry for faculty of science and pharmacy and supervising graduation dissertations, MSc and PhD thesis.

Dr. Reta

Designation: Visiting Assistant Professor University: Pangkep State Polytechinc of Agricultura Country: Indonesia More Details

Reta, was born on December 31, 1973 in Enrekang, in a remote village, but it is a fertile area for horticultural / plantation crops. Reta is now at Pangkep State of Polytechnic Agricultura of Lecturer since 2006. Before starting his career as a Lecturer, Reta worked as a Suvervisor in a Foreign Banking in South Sulawesi (Amro Bank 2004-2006), then registered and was accepted as a Lecturer until now, becoming a senator the first woman in Pangkep State of Polytechnic Agricultura. Reta then continued his education at Hasanuddin University Diploma Program in Agriculture in the field of Mechanization, and graduated in 1995, then transferred to S1 in 1995 and graduated in 1998. 1998-1999 had worked in a chocolate company to find additional tuition fees for Masters, then in 1999 he continued his education to the Masters level graduating in 2002. From there then slowly Reta began to be known for his diligence in conducting research to attend national events such as the National Ilmia Week (PIMNAS) with theAdvisor in agriculture, who was eventually appointed as an assistant teaching lecturer at Hasanuddin University. Later she continued her S2 AND S3 education in Hasanuddin University. From 2017 until now the Ministry of Research and Technology has been entrusted as the Student Creativity Program Revieur. In 2019 Reta was chosen as the coordinator of the Coffee claster in South Sulawesi to develop the quality / quantity of specialty coffee by applying the results of Doctoral research namely Ohmic Fermentation System on Arabica coffee, which has also published 4 international journals and various TV and newspaper media publications. In addition to being a lecturer and researcher, 2019 is democratically elected to the Senate and entrusted to serve as Secretary of the State Agricultural Polytechnic Senate for the period of 2019-2023.

Zenesia Asiyih Phillips

Designation: Lecturer I University: University of Guyana Country: Guyana More Details

Zenesia Asiyih Phillips was born in the mining town of Linden, Zenesia Asiyih Phillips was the first of three daughters. After completing high School, she immediately got accepted into the University of Guyana, where she successfully gained her degree in General Agriculture.

This led to her employment as a graduate teacher at one of the most prestigious high schools in Guyana, President’s College, where she taught Agricultural and Integrated Sciences.

In 2013 Ms. Phillips was granted a Scholarship through the Indian High Commission Guyana, through the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). She obtained placement at Assam Agricultural University, India, where she acquired a Masters Degree in Soil Science.

Ms. Phillips went on to serve at the University of Guyana, Berbice campus in October 2015 and currently holds the position as a Lecturer in the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry. In addition to teaching, she has continuously shown interest in supervising student research projects.

Shinya Tajima

Designation: Assistant Professor University: St. Marianna University School of Medicine Country: Japan More Details

Shinya Tajima was born in 1976 in Saitama near Tokyo. He graduated from Keio University School of Medicine. After graduation, he is working in Department of Pathology at the same institution. He received PhD in Radiologic-Pathology from St. Marianna University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan. He is currently working at the Department of Pathology and Radiology of this latter institution. His interests are breast pathology, breast radiology and breast radio-pathological correlation.

Vincent Makini Gichaba

Designation: Part-Time Lecturer University: Kabarak University Country: Kenya More Details

Vincent Makini Gichaba is currently a part time lecturer at Kabarak University, Kenya. Previously, worked as a part time lecturer in the Department of Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness Management and Agricultural Education at Chuka University, Kenya for three years. Also, an experienced teacher of Agriculture and Biology subjects employed by the Teachers Service Commission of Kenya since 2011. Graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Education and Extension from Egerton University, Kenya and a Master of Science degree in Agronomy from Chuka University, Kenya. Currently, pursuing a PhD degree in Agronomy at Chuka University, Kenya.