Advisory Board and Editors Molecular Biology
Tushar K. Dutta
I am a Senior Scientist at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, involved in pursuing basic and applied research in the field of Nematology and Entomology.
As an alternative to Bt Cry toxins for insect pest management, a number of novel bacterial protein toxins (Txp40, TcaB) derived from an insect-parasitic bacterium Photorhabdus akhurstii (symbiont of nematode Heterorhabditis indica) were characterized. The mode of action and pathogenesis process of these toxins were investigated in different lepidopteran insects including Galleria mellonella, Helicoverpa armigera, Spodoptera litura and S. exigua. The potential receptor proteins and their binding sites for these toxins were unravelled from the insect midgut epithelial cells.
My other research interests include molecular basis of plant-nematode interaction. Using RNAi, functional analysis of several plant parasitism processes was deciphered including the role of Mi-cpl-1 in metabolic process, FLP and NLP neuropeptides in neuromusculation process, ODR and TAX proteins in chemotaxis process, cell wall degrading enzymes and various MSP effectors in infection process of plant nematodes. I have contributed in understanding the genetic basis of nematode resistance in rice via genome-wide association mapping coupled with omics-driven strategies. I am currently pursuing genome editing research for developing nematode resistance by adopting CRISPR-Cas9 strategy in Arabidopsis, rice and tomato.
Andrew L Eamens
Dr Andrew Eamens joined the School of Health at the University of the Sunshine Coast as a Lecturer in Biomedical Science in 2022. Prior to joining the University of the Sunshine Coast, Andrew held teaching or research positions at the University of Queensland, University of Newcastle, University of Sydney, University of York, and CSIRO Agriculture and Food.
Jurgen Engelberth
Dr. Jurgen Engelberth has a Ph.D. in plant physiology from the Ruhr University Bochum, Germany. After working at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology and at USDA, ARS, CMAVE in Gainesville, FL, he joined the biology faculty at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). He is currently an Associate Professor for plant biochemistry. He is an Associate Editor for Plant Signaling and Behavior and Plants. His work is focussed on plant-plant interactions by volatiles signals in response to biotic and abiotic stresses.
Birthe Fahrenkrog
PhD in Cell Biology from the Biozentrum, University of Basel. Postdoctoral stays at the EMBL Heidelberg and the Biozentrum Basel. Group leader at the Biozentrum Basel (2003-2009), 2009-2020 Professor at the ULB, since August 2020 Senior Research Associate in the group of Prof. Dr. Roderick Lim at the Biozentrum, University of Basel. Research interest: nuclear pore complexes and nucleocytoplasmic transport; the role of nuclear pore proteins beyond nucleocytoplasmic transport. Editorial board member: Microbial Cell; Cells.
Faiza Farhan
Dr. Faiza Farhan earned a PhD in Clinical Science (specializing in stem cells) from Imperial College London in 2023.
Drawing on more than three years of editorial experience, Dr. Farhan seamlessly integrates her scientific knowledge with editorial prowess. Her extensive background in stem cell research fundamentally shapes her approach to scientific content editing. This powerful combination of rigorous academic training and practical editing expertise enables her to transform complex scientific concepts into clear, accessible information.
Barbara K. Felber
Dr. Felber received her Ph.D. in molecular biology from the University of Bern, Switzerland. After carrying out postdoctoral studies in the Laboratory of Biochemistry, NCI, she joined the Molecular Mechanisms of Carcinogenesis Laboratory, ABL-Basic Research Program, in 1985. In 1990, Dr. Felber established the Human Retrovirus Pathogenesis Group. In 1998, Dr. Felber received her tenure appointment and, in 1999, she joined the Center for Cancer Research, NCI.
Jorge MO Fernandes
Professor in Genomics and Molecular Biology. My main research interests are antimicrobial peptides, microRNAs and the epigenetic regulation of myogenic gene networks by environmental factors, such as temperature and photoperiod.
Noemi Fernandes
Assistant Professor of Bioinformatics and other disciplines at the Federal University of Itajuba, Brazil. She conducts research in the field of diversity and evolution of unicellular eukaryotes, with a special focus on the phylum Ciliophora. She is experienced in DNA metabarcoding analysis, molecular clock and protist phylogenomics.
Alda Maria Ferreira
I have a master's degree in microbiology and PhD in Cellular and Molecular Biology. I am an Associate Professor of Immunology at the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. I have already supervised six master's and one doctoral students in the areas of biochemistry and infectious diseases.
My main area of interest is cellular and molecular biology of pathogens, infectious diseases and biological assays. So far I have published several papers involving studies in these areas.
I am the leader of a research group certified by the CNpQ (National Council for Scientific and Technological Development) on biological assays with >Trypanosoma cruzi<, which is the etiologic agent of Chagas disease.
Gian Maria Fimia
Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Salento, Italy
Principal Investigator at the National Institute for Infectious Diseases L. Spallanzani IRCCS (Rome, Italy)
Carla Fiorentini
CARLA FIORENTINI is presently Director of Preclinical Research at the Association for Research of Integrative Oncology Therapies (ARTOI). She was Director of “Natural Substances, Traditional Medicine” Section at the Dept. of Therapeutic Research and Medicines Evaluation, and Coordinator of a Research Group at the Italian Center for Global Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), Roma. Academic Degree in Biology and Specialty in Microbiology, University of Roma. Post-doctoral training at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. Her current research is focused on unravelling the role of bacterial protein toxins in cancer and on the use the bacterial toxin CNF1 as a potential novel therapeutic for central nervous system disorders. She is co-inventor in five different patents on CNF1 activity on the central nervous system. As co-author of numerous book chapters and articles in leading journals, she is renowned in the field of bacterial protein toxins.
Mario Alberto Flores-Valdez
Dr. Mario Alberto Flores-Valdez is a Professor in the Medical and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Unit, CIATEJ, A.C., Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico (2007-present). He is a member of the National System of Researchers (SNI), and a member of the Mexican Academy of Sciences. He was a Stanford University Medical Center postdoctoral fellow (2004-2007), where he received a Dean's Fellowship Award (2006) to conduct research on Tuberculosis. He worked in UNAM as Research Assistant for Prof. Jaime Mora (2004) and Prof. Emundo Calva (2003). He has received a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from UNAM (1999-2003), a M.Sc. in Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering from UANL (1996-1999) and a B.Sc. from Universidad de Sonora (1991-1996) in Chemistry and Biology. He received fellowships from CONACYT for M.Sc. and Ph.D. studies and in M.Sc. and B.Sc. has received Diplomas as Best Student. He has expertise in Tuberculosis, particularly in developing recombinant BCG strains. He has been PI for 7 grants from 2008 to date, focused in studies about tuberculosis vaccine development and basic aspects of mycobacterial physiology.