Molecular Mechanisms in Host - Fungal Interactions

Dr. Noshin Ilyas
is working as Chairperson/ Associate Professor in the Department of Botany, PMAS Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Earned her Ph.D. in Plant Sciences from Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan.  Always distinct in the academic carrier with a first-class first position in Masters and did Ph.D. under a fellowship from Higher Education Commission, Pakistan. She has supervised dissertational research work of 11 Ph.Ds and 50 M.Phil. students to date and is presently mentoring 04 Ph.D. and 09 M.Phil. students. She has a good publication record in prestigious journals with an impact factor of above 500 and 5800 citations, H-index of 44. Dr. Noshin is on the editorial board of various journals like Plant Pathology, Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, Frontiers, PLoS one and Sustainability. She has earned research grants from PARB, HEC and PSF and submitted two products for patent award. She serves as President of Pakistan Asian PGPR society, National Expert on Women empowerment in Agriculture Sector- 2024 by Asian Productivity Organization (APO), Country Representative for IFOAM-Organics International (2023 onwards) and a member of various Scientific and professional societies. 



She is recipient of Research Awards i from PMAS-Arid and 1st Prof. Dr. Abdul Hameed Gold Medal in Applied and Environmental Microbiology from Applied Zoological Society of Pakistan. She has presented her work at various national and international conferences particularly at USA, Malaysia, Indonesia, Turkey, Thailand, UAE, Philippine, Nepal, and Maldives. Dr. Noshin is currently working for elucidating the response-to-stress mechanisms and develop resistance strategies amelioration of various abiotic stresses.

Dr. Sushma Sharma
, a highly qualified Assistant Professor and Head of the department of Plant Pathology with a rich experience of more than 10 years in Teaching and Research in Educational Institutes. Qualified NET examination in February 2012. Completed Ph.D. and M.Sc. degree in Plant Pathology from Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan (H.P.), in Mycology and Plant Pathology and Post-doctorate funded by Department of Science and Technology (2017-2019). Research interests include Epidemiology, Integrated disease management, and Molecular Plant Pathology. Dr. Sushma Sharma has 22 research publications in various national and international Journals, completed three externally funded research projects, published one text book and guided five M.Sc. scholars.

Dr. Marika Pellegrini
, Agricultural Microbiology Researcher (RTD-b) at University of L’Aquila (Italy) since 2023 (Associate Professor 3 years track). She attended the Food Sciences PhD at the University of Teramo (Italy), performing 6 months of research experience at Miguel Hernández de Elche University (Spain). She received her PhD with honours and the Doctor Europaeus certification in 2018. Since 2018 she works at the Laboratory of Agro-Environmental Microbiology (University of L’Aquila). Her main research projects are on the selection, characterization, and exploitation of beneficial bacteria for sustainable productions and molecular characterization of environmental biomes. She published 51 articles and 10 reviews in several indexed international journals, in which she appears as the first author and corresponding author. She published 9 Book chapters, 4 Editorials, 1 Book and participates in the Editorial board of several journals (review editor, academic editor, guest editor). She is the coordinator of several national scientific projects and supervises the laboratory activities of research fellows and PhD students.