Boukaga Farmani | Food Technology | Best Researcher Award

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Assoc. Prof. Dr  Boukaga  Farmani | Food Technology |  Best Researcher Award

Academic staff at  University of Tabriz,  Iran

Dr. Boukaga Farmani is a researcher at the University of Tabriz, specializing in Food Technology. His contributions focus on improving postharvest quality, food preservation, and the development of innovative processing methods.

Profile:

Notable Research Contributions:

  1. Chilling Tolerance in Tomato Fruits: His study on employing exogenous melatonin to enhance chilling tolerance in tomatoes, published in Food Chemistry, has been cited 224 times.
  2. Calcium’s Role in Postharvest: A comprehensive review on calcium’s importance in postharvest life, published in Scientia Horticulturae, cited 201 times.
  3. Brassinosteroids in Chilling Stress: Research on brassinosteroids’ effect on PAL activity in tomatoes under chilling stress, also in Scientia Horticulturae, cited 136 times.
  4. GABA Pathway Activation: Investigation into melatonin-induced activation of the GABA shunt pathway during cold storage in tomatoes, cited 106 times.

Recent Innovations:

  • Food Preservation: Use of β-aminobutyric acid to enhance decay tolerance in strawberries and minimize aflatoxin accumulation in pistachios.
  • Juice Processing: Advances in ultrafiltration techniques for pomegranate juice clarification and sugarcane juice refinement.

Citation Metrics:

  • Citations: 821 (618 since 2020)
  • h-index: 9 (8 since 2020)
  • i10-index: 8 (7 since 2020)

Publication Top Notes:

  1. Employing exogenous melatonin confers chilling tolerance in tomato fruits by upregulating ZAT2/6/12, promoting endogenous polyamines, proline, and nitric oxide
    Food Chemistry, 275, 549-556 (2019)
    Citations: 224
  2. The language of calcium in postharvest life of fruits, vegetables, and flowers
    Scientia Horticulturae, 144, 102-115 (2012)
    Citations: 202
  3. Impact of postharvest brassinosteroids treatment on PAL activity in tomato fruit in response to chilling stress
    Scientia Horticulturae, 144, 116-120 (2012)
    Citations: 137
  4. Melatonin treatment promotes endogenous melatonin accumulation and triggers GABA shunt pathway activity in tomato fruits during cold storage
    Scientia Horticulturae, 254, 222-227 (2019)
    Citations: 104
  5. β-Aminobutyric acid treatment confers decay tolerance in strawberry fruit by warranting sufficient cellular energy
    Scientia Horticulturae, 240, 249-257 (2018)
    Citations: 34
  6. Exogenous adenosine triphosphate application retards cap browning in Agaricus bisporus during low-temperature storage
    Food Chemistry, 293, 285-290 (2019)
    Citations: 32
  7. Efficacy of stinging nettle extract in combination with ε-polylysine on the quality, safety, and shelf life of rainbow trout fillets
    Food Science & Nutrition, 9(3), 1542-1550 (2021)
    Citations: 23
  8. Determining optimum conditions for sugarcane juice refinement by pilot plant dead-end ceramic micro-filtration
    *Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology

 

Mingdong Yao | Food | Best Researcher Award

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Assoc. Prof. Dr  Mingdong  Yao | Food |  Best Researcher Award

Associate professor at  Tianjin University, China

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mingdong Yao is an Associate Professor at Tianjin University, where he works at the Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology and the School of Chemical Engineering and Technology. He earned his Ph.D. in Applied Life Chemistry from the University of Tokyo, Japan. Dr. Yao has made significant contributions to the fields of synthetic biology, microbial cell factories, biocatalysis, and enzyme engineering.

 

Publication Profile

Academic Background:

Dr. Mingdong Yao received his PhD in Applied Life Chemistry from the University of Tokyo, Japan. He is currently an Associate Professor at the Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology and the School of Chemical Engineering and Technology at Tianjin University, China.

Research Focus:

Dr. Yao’s research expertise includes synthetic biology, microbial cell factories, biocatalysis, and enzyme engineering. His work focuses on the design, development, and optimization of key functional enzymes in biosynthetic pathways.

Key Contributions:

Dr. Yao has significantly advanced the construction of cell factories, improving the production of lipophilic compounds in yeast by extending the cellular G1 phase and enhancing enzyme expression. He also developed a rational enzyme assembly strategy, improving the biosynthesis efficiency of terpenoid products. Additionally, his work in enzyme design has led to the functional expansion of adenosinase to halogenase.

Research Projects:

He has completed several major research projects, including a National Natural Science Foundation project, two subprojects of the National Key Research and Development Program of China, and a Tianjin Natural Science Foundation project. He is currently leading another subproject of the National Key Research and Development Program of China.

Awards and Recognition:

Dr. Yao’s research has been widely recognized internationally, contributing significantly to the fields of synthetic biology and enzyme engineering.

Citations:

  • Total Citations: 1,276
  • Citations by Documents: 1,015
  • Number of Documents: 65
  • h-index: 20

Publication Top Note:

  • Systematic metabolic engineering enables highly efficient production of vitamin A in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
    Shi, Y., Lu, S., Zhou, X., Xiao, W., Yao, M.
    Synthetic and Systems Biotechnology, 2025, 10(1), pp. 58–67.
  • Extending the G1 phase improves the production of lipophilic compounds in yeast by boosting enzyme expression and increasing cell size
    Hao, H., Yao, M., Wang, Y., Xiao, W., Yuan, Y.
    Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2024, 121(47), e2413486121.
  • A customized self-assembled synergistic biocatalyst for plastic depolymerization
    Zhang, W., Han, Y., Yang, F., Yao, M., Qin, H.-M.
    Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2024, 477, 135380.
  • Improving the expression of taxadiene synthase to enhance the titer of taxadiene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
    Zhang, C., Wang, J., Shi, Y., Yao, M., Yuan, Y.
    Green Chemistry, 2024, 26(20), pp. 10604–10616.
  • Highly efficient synthesis of lysergic acid using engineered budding yeast
    Wu, N., Yao, M., Xiao, W., Wang, Y., Yuan, Y.-J.
    Green Chemistry, 2024, 26(19), pp. 10330–10343.
  • Systematic Engineering to Enhance β-Myrcene Production in Yeast
    Shu, Y., Dong, T., Zhou, X., Wang, Y., Xiao, W.
    Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2024, 72(35), pp. 19395–19402.
  • Biotransformation of ethylene glycol by engineered Escherichia coli
    Yan, W., Qi, X., Cao, Z., Ding, M., Yuan, Y.
    Synthetic and Systems Biotechnology, 2024, 9(3), pp. 531–539.
  • Multidimensional combinatorial screening for high-level production of erythritol in Yarrowia lipolytica
    Li, L., Zhang, Q., Shi, R., Lu, F., Qin, H.-M.
    Bioresource Technology, 2024, 406, 131035.
  • Research Progress in the Synthesis of Astaxanthin by Yeast
    Shu, Y., Wang, Y., Yao, M., Xiao, W.
    China Biotechnology, 2024, 44(6), pp. 116–128.
  • Molecular Insights into Converting Hydroxide Adenosyltransferase into Halogenase
    Jiang, Y., Yao, M., Feng, J., Dong, M., Yuan, Y.
    Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2024, 72(22), pp. 12685–12695.

 

Kedir Jebo | Food Science | Young Scientist Award

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Mr Kedir Jebo | Food Science |  Young Scientist Award

Researcher at  Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Ethiopia

Kedir Kebero Jebo is a Food Science and Nutrition Researcher at the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research. He holds a Master’s degree in Food Science and Nutrition from Addis Ababa University and a Bachelor’s degree in Food Science and Post-Harvest Technology from Hawassa University. His research focuses on food science and nutrition, including the analysis of microbial, chemical, and anti-nutritional contents of agricultural commodities and animal products.

 

Publication Profile

🎓 Education:

  • MSc in Food Science and Nutrition – Addis Ababa University (2019–2021)
    Thesis: Development and Optimization of Wheat-Sorghum-based Bread Enhanced with Orange Flashed Sweet Potato.
  • BSc in Food Science and Post-Harvest Technology – Hawassa University (2008–2013)
    Thesis: Development of Chips from Cassava and Sensory Characteristics of Sweet Variety Cassava Chips.

💼 Work Experience:

  1. Researcher (Food Science and Nutrition) – Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (2017–Present)
    • Conducts research on food science, nutrition, and bioactive compounds.
    • Provides community training on nutrition education, food processing, and post-harvest management.
  2. Food Processing Associate – TechnoServe Ethiopia (June–November 2023)
    • Coordinated technical assistance and supported sector-wide training events.
  3. Researcher (Food Technology) – Ethiopian Food, Beverage, and Pharmaceutical Industry Development (2016–2017)
    • Conducted research on food science and performed dietary behavior assessments.
  4. Plant Operator – Selale Dairy Cooperative Union (2014–2016)
    • Operated pasteurized milk processing and supervised production shifts.

🏆 Awards and Recognitions:

  • Certificate of Presentation at Biennial Africa Climate Smart Agriculture Stakeholders Conference (2022).
  • Recognition for participation in “Food Factory 4-Us Sustainable Supply Chain Competition” (2021).
  • Training completion certificates in food safety and thermal processing.

🌟 Skills:

  • Research: Expertise in food formulation, bioactive compounds, and data analysis.
  • Languages: Fluent in Oromo, Amharic, and English; basic Arabic.
  • Digital Tools: Proficient in Microsoft Office, statistical software, and data collection tools.

🌱 Memberships:

  • Food and Nutrition Society of Ethiopia.
  • Ethiopian Crop Science Society.
  • Ethiopian Society of Post-Harvest Management.

Publication Top Note:

  • Formulation and Quality Evaluation of Finger Millet-Based Composite Food Products
    M. Feyera, F. Dasa, K. Kebero, M. Esvaran, P.L. Conway, L. Aifeng
    International Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences, 10(3), 59-65, 2021.
  • Finger Millet—A Possible Source of Human Nourishment and Health
    K. Dida, K. Kebero
    Advances in Nutrition and Food Science, 8(1), 17-25, 2023.
  • Bio-Fortification of Cereals-Based Bread Using OFSP for Alleviating Vitamin-A Deficiency
    K. Kebero, K. Urga
    Asian Journal of Research in Biochemistry, 11(3-4), 36-44, 2022.
  • Nutritional and Organoleptic Properties of Wheat-Based Snack Foods Incorporated with Common Bean or Cowpea Flours
    K. Kebero, W. Bajo, B. Abdeta
    Tamirat Kore, Semhal Marsha, 2022.
  • Evaluation of Physicochemical and Product-Making Quality of Candidate Tomato Varieties
    K. Kebero, D. Abera, K. Dida, 2020.
  • Developing Tef-Based Biscuits
    K. Kebero, W. Bajo, 2020.
  • Bio-Fortification of Cereals-Based Bread Using Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato
    K. Kebero, K. Urga, 2023.
  • International Journal of Current Research and Academic Review
    C. Bajji, R.K.R. Kosana, R.M. Kanumuri, M.K.R. Tummuru
    Int. J. Curr. Res. Acad. Rev., 6(5), 50-65, 2018.

 

 

Sewareg Demelash | Sustainable Food System | Best Researcher Award

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Mrs. Sewareg Demelash | Sustainable Food System | Best Researcher Award

Mrs. Sewareg Demelash, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia

Mrs. Sewareg Adamu Demelash is a seasoned Ethiopian researcher and consultant with extensive experience in international trade policy, food systems sustainability, and social development. She holds a Master’s in International Trade Policy and Trade Law from Lund University and is currently a PhD student at Addis Ababa University. Sewareg has worked on various impactful projects, including drought resilience programs and social cash transfers, with notable organizations like the World Bank and UNICEF. Her publications focus on sustainable food systems and trade dynamics. Fluent in Amharic and English, she brings exceptional skills in research, consultancy, and project management. 📊🌍✍️

 

Publication Profile

Scopus

Education 🎓

PhD Student, Addis Ababa University

Masters in International Trade Policy and Trade Law, Lund University & TRAPCA

B.A. in Economics, Haramaya University

Experience 💼

Sewareg Adamu Demelash is an Ethiopian researcher with extensive experience in economic and policy consultancy. She has managed significant projects, including baseline surveys for various programs and consultancy roles for major organizations such as the World Bank and UNICEF. Sewareg has also contributed to academic research on sustainable food systems and development projects.

Professional Achievements 🏆

Sewareg has successfully led various projects, supported youth employment initiatives, and contributed to the development of technical proposals worth over $500,000. She has held key roles in different organizations, including Big Win Philanthropy and Frontieri Consult.

 

Research Focus

Sewareg Adamu Demelash’s research primarily focuses on sustainable food systems and economic policy. Her recent work includes examining the sustainability of food systems in Ethiopia from a multi-dimensional perspective and analyzing national performance in a global context. Her research contributes to understanding and improving food security, resilience, and policy frameworks in developing regions. This focus is crucial for developing strategies to enhance food system sustainability and address challenges related to economic development and environmental impact. Her expertise is instrumental in shaping policies for more resilient and sustainable agricultural systems. 🌍📈

 

Publication Top Notes

Measuring food system sustainability in Ethiopia: Towards a Multi-Dimensional perspective

Investigating the Dynamics and Trends of Sustainable Food Systems in Ethiopia: Characterizing the National Performance within the Global Context

 

Eric-Ivan Ngoko Tchamba | Food Processing | Best Researcher Award

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Mr Eric-Ivan Ngoko Tchamba |  Food Processing |  Best Researcher Award

PhD Student at  Technische Universität München, Germany

Eric-Ivan NGOKO TCHAMBA is a dedicated researcher and educator specializing in plant physiology and biotechnology. Born on September 10, 1995, in Cameroon, Eric is known for his proactive and flexible approach, as well as his strong organizational and interpersonal skills. Eric’s academic journey began with a Bachelor of Science in Crop Production from the University of Bamenda, Cameroon (2013-2016). He then earned a Master of Science in Plant Physiology and Biotechnology from the University of Dschang, Cameroon (2016-2018). His master’s thesis and academic excellence earned him the recognition of being the fifth-best student in the Plant Biology department in 2018.

Profile:

🎓 Education:

Master of Science in Plant Physiology and Biotechnology 📍 University of Dschang, Cameroon | 01/10/2016 – 04/08/2018 Bachelor of Science in Crop Production 📍 University of Bamenda, Cameroon | 02/09/2013 – 01/08/2016 Baccalaureat of Mathematics and Life Science and Earth (Serie D) 📍 Government Bilingual High School Bafoussam, Cameroon | 04/09/2008 – 01/06/2012

💼 Work Experience:

Researcher Biotechnology of Natural Substances
📍 Freising, Germany | 01/02/2021 – 04/02/2023

  • LC-MS for polyphenolic, tannin, and flavonoid compounds determination
  • HPLC for sugar and carotenoid analysis
  • Plant secondary metabolites extraction
  • Antioxidant activity determination
  • Enzyme activity and biochemical activity determination
  • Laboratory safety and efficiency

Teacher
📍 National Higher Polytechnic Institute, Bambili, Cameroon | 02/10/2018 – 01/09/2021

  • Taught “Introduction to Bioengineering” to semester 4 computer science students
  • Supervised research topics on current bioengineering findings
  • Evaluated student performance

Researcher
📍 Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV, Freising, Germany | 01/03/2022 – 31/01/2023

  • Developed edible coating recipes to delay fruit and vegetable decay
  • GC-MS for aroma profile analysis
  • HPLC for carotenoids and sugar determination
  • Monitored ethylene, CO2, and O2 levels
  • Conducted physiological weight loss and color measurements
  • Analyzed food texture and plant hormone activities on fruits
  • Performed microscopic observations and data analysis

Scientific Laboratory Technician
📍 University of Dschang, Cameroon | 01/10/2017 – 01/08/2020

🏅 Honours and Awards

Fifth Best Student in the Plant Biology department, University of Dschang (2018)

Food Processing Research Focus:

Eric-Ivan NGOKO TCHAMBA is a dedicated researcher with a robust focus on food processing, particularly concerning post-harvest treatment strategies and the enhancement of the physical and biochemical quality parameters of fruits and vegetables. His work aims to improve food shelf life, nutritional value, and overall quality through innovative biotechnological solutions.

Publication Top Notes:

  • Title: The Combined Effect of Lemon Peel Extract and Calcium Chloride on the Physical and Biochemical Quality Parameters of the Dessert Banana (Musa acuminata var. Dwarf Cavendish) Fruit
  • Journal: Agriculture
  • Publication Date: 2024-01-30
  • DOI: 10.3390/agriculture14020222
  • Contributors: Eric-Ivan Ngoko Tchamba; Thorsten Tybussek; Peter Muranyi; Victor Francois Nguetsop; Jean Aghofack-Nguemezi; Wilfried Schwab