Current Developments in Biotechnology and Bioengineering

Prof. Jonathan Wong is currently a Professor in the Department of Biology at the Hong Kong Baptist University, and Director of the Institute of Bioresource and Agriculture, and Sino-Forest Applied Research Centre for Pearl River Delta Environment and Hong Kong Organic Resource Centre. He is also the Executive Director of Earth Tech Consultancy Co. Ltd. and Hong Kong Organic Resource Centre Certification Ltd. Prof Wong has been working in the area of solid waste management with specialization in bioconversion of organic wastes using innovative composting and anaerobic digestion technology especially in the field of sustainable food waste treatment and conversion technologies for the production of bio-methane, compost etc. Over the years, he has received over HK$150 millions of research funding and published over 400 SCI publication and conference proceedings, 6 Books and 11 research patents with citation of > 10100 and H-index of 58. Professor Wong is an Academician of European Academy of Sciences and Arts, and fellow of Institute of Bioresource Association and Hong Kong Institute of Qualified Environmental Profession. Jonathan was bestowed with Medal of Honours by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in 2011 and appointed as Justice of Peace in 2014 for his service and contribution to the Environment.

Head and Professor, Department of Biology, Institute of Bioresources and Agriculture, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong

Dr Guneet Kaur is currently an Assistant Professor at Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong. Her research focusses on bioprocess engineering, integrated fermentation-separation systems, high cell density fed-batch and continuous fermentations, mathematical modelling and optimization of bioprocesses, and recombinant DNA technology for production of high-value added bio-based products such as platform chemicals, biofuels, biotherapeutics and biosurfactants. She has 14 publications (11 as first author; 2 as co-first author) in high impact factor journals and her work is well cited by researchers worldwide giving an h-index of 8 (Google Scholar). She also has one US and China patent (pending) for her work on RNAi therapeutics. She is a recipient of various prestigious awards and fellowships including FRQNT Postdoctoral Merit Fellowship Award, Ministère de l’Éducation, Quebec, Canada; ICMR Doctoral Fellowship, Government of India; Best Oral Presentation Award, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India; Foundation for Innovation and Technology Nomination for Best Industry Relevant PhD project, IITD; Merit Scholarship for Honours program, University of Delhi, India; Top Cited Article Award, Elsevier. Since 2015, she serves as editor of Journal of Food & Industrial Microbiology.

Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong

Mohammad J. Taherzadeh is professor in Biotechnology since 2004 at University of Borås in Sweden. He is also director of Resource Recovery, a research profile with about 50 researchers to convert wastes to energy and value-added products. Prof. Taherzadeh has PhD in Bioscience and MSc and Bsc in Chemical Engineering. He is working on converting wastes and residuals to ethanol, biogas, fish feed and superabsorbents, in which fermentation development using bacteria, yeast and filamentous fungi has a heavy weight. Prof. Taherzadeh has more than 120 publications in scientific peer-reviewed journals, 10 book chapters and two patents about filamentous fungi. Mohammad is the panel chairman of “biotechnology, chemical technology and environmental technology” of Swedish Research Council, and also in the editorial board of Bioresource Technology and BioResources.

Professor, Swedish Centre for Resource Recovery, University of Boras, Boras, Sweden

Professor Ashok Pandey is currently Distinguished Scientist at the Centre for Innovation and Translational Research, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow, India and Executive Director (Honorary) at the Centre for Energy and Environmental Sustainability – India. Formerly, he was Eminent Scientist at the Center of Innovative and Applied Bioprocessing, Mohali and Chief Scientist & Head of Biotechnology Division and Centre for Biofuels at CSIR’s National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology, Trivandrum. His major research and technological development interests are industrial & environmental biotechnology and energy biosciences, focusing on biomass to biofuels & chemicals, waste to wealth & energy, industrial enzymes, etc. Professor Pandey is Adjunct/Visiting Professor/Scientist in universities in France, Brazil, Canada, China, Korea, South Africa, and Switzerland and also in several universities several in India. He has ~1425 publications/communications, which include 16 patents, 90 books, >700 papers and book chapters, etc with h index of 105 and ~48,800 citations (Goggle scholar). He has transferred several technologies to industries and has done industrial consultancy for about a dozen projects for Indian/international industries. Professor Pandey is the recipient of many national and international awards and honours, which include Highest Cited Researcher (Top 1% in the world), Clarivate Analytics, Web of Science (2020, 2019 & 2018); Top scientist in Biotechnology (#1 in India and #8 in the world), Stanford University world ranking (2020); Fellow, World Society of Sustainable Energy Technologies (2020); Fellow, Indian Chemical Society (2020); Distinguished Scientist, VDGOOD Professional Association, India (2020); Distinguished Professor of Eminence with global impact in the area of Biotechnology, Precious Cornerstone University, Nigeria (2020); IconSWM Life-time Achievement Award 2019, International Society for Solid Waste Management, KIIT, Bhubaneshwar, India (2019); Yonsei Outstanding Scholar, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea (2019); Life-Time Achievement Award from the Biotech Research Society, India (2018); Life-Time Achievement Award from Venus International Research Awards (2018), Most Outstanding Researcher Award from Career360 (2018), Life-Time Achievement Award from the International Society for Energy, Environment and Sustainability (2017); Fellow, Royal Society of Biology, UK (2016); Felow, International Society for Energy, Environment and Sustainability (2016); Academician of European Academy of Sciences and Arts, Austria (2015); Fellow, National Academy of Sciences, India (2012); Fellow, Association of Microbiologists of India (2008); Honorary Doctorate degree from Univesite Blaise Pascal, France (2007); Fellow, International Organization of Biotechnology and Bioengineering (2007); Thomson Scientific India Citation Laureate Award, USA (2006); Fellow, the Biotech Research Society, India (2005); UNESCO Professor (2000); Raman Research Fellowship Award, CSIR (1995); GBF, Germany and CNRS, France Fellowships (1992) and Young Scientist Award (1989), etc. Professor Pandey is Founder President of the Biotech Research Society, India (www.brsi.in); Founder & International Coordinator of International Forum on Industrial Bioprocesses, France (www.ifibiop.org), Chairman of the International Society for Energy, Environment & Sustainability (www.isees.in), Editor-in-chief of Bioresource Technology (http://ees.elsevier.com/bite/), Honorary Executive Advisor of Journal of Energy and Environmental Sustainability (www.jees.in), Journal of Systems Microbiology and Biomanufacturing (https://www.springer.com/journal/43393), Journal of Environmental Sciences and Engineering (http://neerijese.org/editorial-board/), Subject Editor, Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences, India (https://www.springer.com/life+sciences/journal/40011) and Associate Editor, Biologia – Section Cellular and Molecular Biology (https://www.springer.com/journal/11756/editors) and editorial board member of several international and Indian journals.

Distinguished Scientist, Centre for Innovation and Translational Research, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow, India

Prof. Katia Lasaridi is Professor in Environmental Management and Technology at the School of Environment, Geography and Applied Economics in HUA. She has served as President of the Board of the Hellenic Recycling Agency, i.e. the public body responsible for the implementation and regulation of the Extended Producer Responsibility policies in Greece. Currently she serves HUA as Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs and International Relations. Katia has been involved in waste management for over 25 years. A physicist by education (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece), she holds an MSc and a PhD on organic waste treatment from the University of Leeds, UK. She has extensive research and consultancy experience with local authorities and the industry in various aspects of waste management. She has published over 150 research papers in peer reviewed Journals and Conference proceedings, while she was the Principal Investigator in over 30 waste related national and international projects focusing mainly on waste prevention, organic/food waste and WEEE

Professor, School of Environment, Geography and Applied Economics, Harokopio University, Athens, Greece