Committee Members

Ms. Boitumelo Magret Modise-Tlotleng is a Senior Research Scientist at Botswana National Veterinary Laboratory  under the National Agricultural Research and Development Institute,within Ministry of Agriculture. She earned her BSc in Biological Sciences from the University of Botswana and an MSc in Veterinary Science from the University of Pretoria, where she focused on the development and evaluation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex-specific antigens for use in the serodiagnosis of bovine tuberculosis. Currently pursuing a PhD in Biological Sciences, her research involves molecular detection and characterization of zoonotic abortifacient agents in livestock across Botswana. Ms. Modise-Tlotleng collaborates with various institutions to enhance disease surveillance and promote public awareness of zoonotic risks among farming communities.

Vanesa Herlax earned her PhD in 2006 from the Faculty of Exact Sciences at the National University of La Plata (UNLP). She currently serves as the director of the Laboratory of Biophysics and Biochemistry of Bacterial Toxins at the Research Institute of Biochemistry of La Plata (INIBIOLP), within the Faculty of Medical Sciences at UNLP. Additionally, she holds a position as an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Medical Sciences at UNLP. She has authored over 30 publications in prestigious journals and actively contributes as a reviewer for several renowned scientific journals.

Melissa Itzel González Cázarez is a Master’s student in Biotechnology at the Research Center for Food and Development (CIAD), Culiacán, Mexico. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Science from the Autonomous University of Sinaloa (UAS). Her research focuses on the isolation, characterization, and bioinformatic analysis of bacteriophages for personalized therapy against multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections.

Mariángel Rinaudo is a Biochemist, specialist in Clinical Bacteriology, and professor of Bacteriology at the Faculty of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences of the National University of Rosario, Argentina. Since 2015, she has been the Technical Director of the Microbiology Laboratory at the Sanatorio Británico in Rosario. She has participated in numerous research projects related to multidrug resistance in gram-negative bacilli and hypervirulence in Klebsiella pneumoniae. She has been a member of the board of directors of the Rosario branch of the Argentine Association of Microbiology, has served as a committee member at local Microbiology Conferences, and has been a director and evaluator of theses for Specialization in Clinical Bacteriology at the Faculty of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences of the National University of Rosario, Argentina. Additionally, she has taught numerous postgraduate courses in Clinical Bacteriology

Li Peng is a leading researcher in biomaterials, specializing in antimicrobial materials. He develops antimicrobial peptides, polymers, and coatings for biomedical applications. His work extends to drug delivery, photodynamic therapy, and water treatment technologies. Currently, he is a Professor at Northwestern Polytechnical University, with previous roles at Nanjing Tech University and Xi’an Jiaotong University. He earned his PhD from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. His research has been published in top journals like Nature Materials and Advanced Materials. He also holds four US patents and collaborates with international industries.

Fabiana Pilarski is a researcher at the Aquaculture Center of Unesp (CAUNESP), responsible for the Laboratory of Microbiology and Parasitology of Aquatic Organisms. Expert in ​​diagnosis and prevention of pathogens in aquaculture. Professor of the Postgraduate Program in Aquaculture of Caunesp and of the Postgraduate Program in Agricultural Microbiology, of Unesp, Campus de Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil. Graduated in Biological Sciences, specializing in Microbiology, master’s degree in animal science (Animal Quality and Productivity) from the University of São Paulo (USP), phD in Aquaculture from the Aquaculture Center of Unesp (CAUNESP), a post-doctorate in Food Science from FEA (UNICAMP) and in Animal Toxicology from the Complutense University of Madrid (Spain).

Josefina León completed her master’s and doctorate in sciences in Experimental Pathology at the Center for Research and Advanced Studies (CINVESTAV-IPN) (1999, 2004). Currently, she is working as Professor and Senior Researcher at the Center for Research in Food and Development (CIAD), It is Level II in the National System of Researchers SNII. She has received awards such as the National Research Award by GlaxoSmithKline Foundation (2006), Merit Award in Science and Technology from the State Council for Plant Health (2008), CANIFARMA Award (2017) for Basic Research on Phage Therapy Issues. She has published more than 90 papers in reputed journals and has been serving as an editorial board member of repute.

Urška Henigman is a veterinarian and junior researcher in the field of food microbiology. Due to daily professional and scientific challenges, she works in the microbiology laboratory on the most important foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter, Staphylococcus aureus and others. Recently, some findings in the field of food safety have aroused her particular interest, especially in relation to Clostridioides difficile in food.

Dr. Mihail Lucian Birsa is currently a Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Romania. In 2003 he was selected as a member of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, working with Professor Henning Hopf in TU Braunschweig – Germany. Since then numerous return fellowships were granted by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. He has more than 120 publications in peer-review journals and published +45 books/book chapters (John Wiley & Sons, Thieme etc). Also, is editorial board member in more than 50 journals such as Applied Sciences, Arkivoc, BioChem, Edelweiss Chemical Science Journal, Journal of Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Design, Journal of Fine Chemical Engineering, Modern Approaches in Drug Designing, Pharmaceutical Toxicology.

Professor Valeria Allizond has completed a PhD in Molecular Medicine in 2016 and a PhD in
Microbiology and Virology in 2007 from University of Torino, School of Medicine. She has
numerous collaboration in the field of applied bacteriology and mycology focoused on the
evaluation of new strategies for reducing microbial infection. She has published about 60 papers in
reputed journals, she is the Guest Editor of the Special issue “Biomaterials and Antibacterial
Materials for Bone Biology” on International Journal of Molecular Sciences and a Reviewing editor
for the Journal Microbiology Spectrum of the American Society of Microbiology.

Dr Aijaz Ahmad Rather obtained his Medical graduation from Govt. Medical College Srinagar. He did his Masters in Surgery from government medical college Srinagar in1999 and completed his Registrar ship in 2006.  He was selected as an lecturer in the deptt. of surgery at Sher-i-kashmir Institute of medical sciences medical college year 2006.He was awarded Fellowship International College of Surgeons (F.I.C.S ) in july 2008,and Travelling fellowship in Colo-Rectal Surgery- Birmingham UK in Sept 2013. He qualified the exams of Fellowship Association of Colorectal Surgeons of India  -(F.A.C.R.S.I) in 2010 and  American college of surgeons  (F.A.C.S) in  Oct 2010.He was also awarded Fellowship International College of Laparoscopic Surgeons (FCLS) in 2013 .He is a fellow of Royal college of surgeons Edn (FRCS Edn-2021)He has delivered 65  invited and guest lectures at National and International conferences,has 96 publications to his credit .                                                                                                                                                                                                                                He has contributed many International and National publications  in various international and national journals, and many abstracts. He is a certified editor and  reviewer of many  journals and contributed in many books,

Ana Flávia has a degree in Veterinary Medicine from the Federal University of Juiz de Fora and a master’s degree in Postgraduate Studies in Science and Technology of Milk and Dairy Products from the Federal University of Juiz de Fora.

Marcio Roberto Silva completed his PhD at 37 at the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil. He is a researcher at Embrapa Gado de Leite, a public agricultural research organization, and accredited as an advisor in two postgraduate programs: Public Health and Science and Technology of Milk and Dairy Products, both at the Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil. He has published over 50 articles in reputable journals and was recently recommended by peers as a full membership of Sigma Xi.

Juan Manuel Salgado Camacho is a surgeon from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), with postgraduate studies in Neurosurgery from UNAM and High Medical Specialty in Skull Base Surgery and Endoneurosurgery from UNAM. He has a Master’s degree in Neurosciences and Behavioral Biology from Pablo de Olavide University in Seville, Spain. Currently Head of Neurosurgery at the Regional High Specialty Hospital in Mexico, and Professor of the University Course in Neurosurgery at UNAM.

S. Charles Malka is a professor of management at Sullivan University’s Graduate School, with a distinguished career blending business and academia. He has served as president of multiple franchises and earned national awards from Gingiss International Inc. His consulting experience includes advising on small business acquisitions and state-funded programs. Malka has taught at Haifa University and Ottawa University, where he contributed to MBA and MAHR program development. At Sullivan University, he is involved in the Curriculum Committee and the Executive Curriculum Committee. His research spans business strategy, entrepreneurship, and workforce development, with publications in several peer-reviewed journals. Malka holds degrees from the University of Haifa, Tel-Aviv University, University of Pittsburgh, and Ottawa University. He was recognized as a Distinguished Citizen by Louisville Mayor Harvey Sloane and voted best faculty member at the University of Haifa in 1987.

Chengming Wang is a Professor and the Director of the Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory at Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, USA. He obtained his DVM from Anhui Science & Technology University in 1989 and an MS in Veterinary Preventive Medicine from Nanjing Agricultural University in 1992. He later earned an MS in Poultry Science in 2002 and a PhD in Biomedical Sciences in 2005 from Auburn University. From 2010 to 2012, he served as an assistant professor at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine. Following this, he joined Yangzhou University College of Veterinary Medicine in China as a Jiangsu specially-appointed professor from 2012 to 2016. His research primarily focuses on antimicrobial resistance, molecular diagnosis, and vector-borne agents of zoonotic importance. He has published over 150 SCI-indexed articles and has received extramural funding from the NIH, USDA, FDA, and the Natural Science Foundation of China.