Plant-Microbe Interactions for Environmental and Agricultural Sustainability

Ashutosh Pandey is an Assistant Professor in Biotechnology at AKS University, Satna, India. He specializes in microbial applications, phyco-remediation, fermentation technology, renewable energy, and microbial fuel cells. Dr. Pandey earned his Ph.D. from MNNIT Allahabad, focusing on algae cultivation for biofuel and bioremediation. He holds an M.Tech. in Biochemical Engineering from HBTI Kanpur and a B.Tech. in Biotechnology from SVPUAT Meerut. With 8+ years of experience, he has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals, contributing to biotechnology and environmental science. A member of BRSI and IWA, he also serves on editorial boards of reputed journals.

Dr. Kamlesh Choure is a Professor and Head of the Biotechnology Department at AKS University, Satna, and Director of the Centre for Research Innovation, Incubation, and Skill Development (CRIISD). With over 18 years of teaching and research experience, his expertise lies in molecular taxonomy, phylogenetic analysis, and microbial applications for environmental and agricultural sustainability. He has published 20 research articles and book chapters, supervised 13 M.Sc. dissertations, and guided 3 Ph.D. scholars, with 5 currently under his mentorship. Honored with awards like the Best Faculty Award (2018) and Biotechnology Excellence Award (2020), Dr. Choure is recognized for his contributions to biotechnology, research, and rural development.

Mostafa El-Sheekh is Professor of Phycology at Tanta University, Egypt. Dr. El-Sheekh has 38 years of experience of research and teaching in the field of algae, microbiology, and its applications. Dr. El-Sheekh served as the Vice Dean and Dean Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Egypt, and as a Cultural counselor in the Egyptian Embassy in Yemen and Uzbekistan. He also served as Vice President of Tanta University for postgraduate studies and research. Dr. El-Sheekh holds a PhD in Phycology from Tanta University and Göttingen University, Germany, as a Chanel System Fellowship. Dr. El-Sheekh is the recipient of fellowships in Germany, Hungary, India, Sweden, the Czech Republic, and Japan. He is the author of more than 210270 papers, 1331 book chapters, and 047 books. He also serves as an editorial member and reviewer for more than 92115 peer-reviewed journals. He has published several papers on the production of biodiesel, ethanol, and hydrogen from algae. He was included in the World's Top 2% of Scientists List published by Stanford University in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Dr. Ajar Nath Yadav serves as Head of the Department of Genetics, Plant Breeding, and Biotechnology and Assistant Controller of Examinations at Eternal University, Himachal Pradesh, India. With 13 years of research and 9 years of teaching experience, his expertise includes Microbial Biotechnology, Microbial Diversity, and Plant-Microbe Interactions. Dr. Yadav has 385 publications, an h-index of 92, i10-index of 319, and 23,500 citations. He has edited 33 international books, including works with Springer Nature and Elsevier. Serving as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Applied Biology and Biotechnology and an associate editor for 11 international journals, he has reviewed 475 manuscripts. Recognized among the top 2% world scientists by Stanford University, Dr. Yadav has received numerous awards, including the Outstanding Associate Editor Award (2022, 2023) and University Best Researcher Award (2022, 2023). A lifetime member of scientific associations, he remains a leading global contributor to microbiology and biotechnology.