Cornelia Vasile | Plant Biotechnology | Best Scholar Award

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Assoc. Prof. Dr. Cornelia Vasile | Plant Biotechnology | Best Scholar Award

Senior Leadin Researcher at Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry Petru Poni| Romania

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Cornelia Vasile is an internationally recognized polymer scientist with an exceptional career spanning more than five decades in macromolecular chemistry, polymer blends, nanocomposites, bio-based materials, and polymer waste valorization. A Senior Researcher I at the “P. Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Romania (1966–2019), she has made pioneering contributions to polymer recycling, thermal analysis, environmentally degradable polymers, and advanced materials for medical, pharmaceutical, and energy applications. Her scientific impact includes 13,500+ citations, 61 h-index, 127 books/chapters, over 170 research papers, 35 patents, and leadership of over 50 national and international research projects, including COST, CEEX, Marie Curie, and NATO grants. A Fulbright Fellow (1994–1995) and long-standing IUPAC member, Prof. Vasile has served on editorial boards of major polymer science journals (Materials, Polymers, IJPS, Nanomaterials, etc.), acted as evaluator for research agencies across Europe, and collaborated with universities in the USA, Canada, Greece, Turkey, and Japan. Her scientific excellence has been recognized with more than 20 international awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award (2020), Polymers Best Paper Award (2025), International Research Award in Fiber-Reinforced Polymers (2025), and distinctions from the Romanian Academy. In 2025 she was named Honorary Citizen of Izvoarele Commune.

Profile :  Orcid 

Featured Publications : 

Vasile, C. (2019). Biocompatible materials based on plasticized poly(lactic acid), chitosan and rosemary ethanolic extract: I. Effect of chitosan on the properties of plasticized poly(lactic acid) materials. Polymers, 11(6), 941.

Vasile, C. (2019). New alginate/PNIPAAm matrices for drug delivery. Polymers, 11(2), 366.

Vasile, C. (2019). Chitosan-based bionanocomposite films prepared by emulsion technique for food preservation. Materials, 12(3), 373.

Vasile, C. (2018). Antioxidant/antibacterial electrospun nanocoatings applied onto PLA films. Materials, 11(10), 1973.

Vasile, C. (2018). Evaluation of the rosemary extract effect on the properties of polylactic acid-based materials. Materials, 11(10), 1825.

Vasile, C. (2018). Polymeric nanocomposites and nanocoatings for food packaging: A review. Materials, 11(10), 1834.

Mossad Maamoun | Plant Genetics | International Botanical Research Award

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Dr. Mossad Maamoun | Plant Genetics | International Botanical Research Award

Horticulture Research Institute at Researcher | Egypt

Dr. Mossad Khairy Mohamed Zaky Maamoun is a researcher at the Horticultural Research Station in Nubaria, affiliated with Egypt’s Agricultural Research Center, Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation. He earned his B.Sc. in Agricultural Sciences (2008) with honors in Floriculture and Medicinal Plants, his M.Sc. (2015) on genetic studies of Nigella sativa using radiation and chemical mutagens, and his Ph.D. (2019) in Agricultural Sciences from Kafrelsheikh University, focusing on biotechnology and polyploidization in medicinal plants. With extensive professional experience ranging from agricultural engineer to research leadership, he has played a vital role as General Supervisor in the National Program for Vegetable Seed Production in Nubaria and in supervising postgraduate theses on medicinal plant breeding. His research interests include agriculture, horticulture, plant genetics, biotechnology, tissue culture, seed technology, plant breeding, and oil extraction, with notable emphasis on improving black cumin (Nigella sativa). Dr. Maamoun’s research skills span tissue culture, molecular characterization, mutation breeding, polyploidization, and somatic embryogenesis, supported by publications in reputed journals such as HortScience, HortTechnology, and Agronomy. He has authored 4 documents, cited by 9 documents, with an h-index of 1, reflecting growing academic impact. Among his honors is the 2024 registration of a new Nigella sativa variety, “Black Diamond,” recognized for high yield and oil content. In conclusion, Dr. Mossad Maamoun stands out as an innovative agricultural scientist whose expertise, leadership in seed production, and contributions to medicinal plant breeding position him as a rising figure in international botanical research with promising future potential.

Profile : Scopus | Google Scholar | ORCID

Featured Publications

Maamoun, M. K. M., El-Mahrouk, M. E., Dewir, Y. H., & Omran, S. A. (2014). Effect of radiation and chemical mutagens on seeds germination of black cumin (Nigella sativa L.). Journal of Agricultural Technology, 10(5), 1183–1199.

El-Mahrouk, M. E., Maamoun, M. K., El-Banna, A. N., Omran, S. A., & Dewir, Y. H. (2018). In vitro gynogenesis and flow cytometry analysis of the regenerated haploids of black cumin (Nigella sativa). HortScience, 53(5), 681–686.

El-Mahrouk, M. E., Maamoun, M. K., Dewir, Y. H., Omran, S. A., & El-Banna, A. N. (2015). Morphological and molecular characterization of induced mutants in Nigella sativa L. using irradiation and chemical mutagens. Egyptian Journal of Plant Breeding, 19(5), 257–272.

El-Mahrouk, M. E., Maamoun, M. K., Dewir, Y. H., El-Banna, A. N., Rihan, H. Z., Salamh, A., Al-Aizari, A. A., & Fuller, M. P. (2022). Synchronized seed germination and seedling growth of black cumin. HortTechnology, 32(2), 182–190.

El-Mahrouk, M. E., Maamoun, M. K., Abu El-Leel, O. F., Dewir, Y. H., El-Banna, A. N., Naidoo, Y., & Datta, S. K. (2020). Morpho-agronomical and biochemical traits screening and genetic variability in selected black cumin (Nigella sativa) mutant lines. Sains Malaysiana, 49(3), 503–515.