Professor Omar M. Atrooz, PhD has been a tenured professor at Mutah University for the past 11 years. He is currently teaching Biochemistry, Immunology and Metabolism courses for PhD and Master students as well as several graduate courses. He supervised more than 40 master student thesis. He Supervised many research teams in both inside and outside of Jordan.
Atrooz, who was born in Jordan, earned an undergraduate degree in medical technology with a focus in medical sciences from Jordan University of Science and Technology. He then received acceptance into the Doctor of Philosophy program at Moscow State University of Biochemistry and Biotechnology. After accepting a teaching job at Mutah University in 1998, he went on to hold multiple positions as the head of the Medical Laboratory and Biological Sciences departments, as well as dean of the Faculty of Science and Pharmacy College. As of right now, he has around 40 master's student theses and over 60 publications.
Medicinal plants, antioxidants, food technology, nutrition, enzymology, metabolomics, host-guest complexes, and nanotechnology are among his areas of interest. Prof. Omar has visited several scientific institutions, including the Department of Chemistry and Drug Technologies at Sapienza University in Rome, Italy; the Department of Biochemistry at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Ankara University, Turkey; the Laboratory of Experimental Anticancer Therapy at the Herzfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy in Wroclaw, Poland; the Department of Pharmacology and Immunotherapy at the Veterinary Research Institute in Brno, Czech Republic; the Department of Lipid and Liposome at the Faculty of Biotechnology in Wroclaw, Poland; and the Erasmus plus Program Staff Mobility for Teaching (Teaching Activity at Ataturk University, Turkey).
He is a member of many scientific societies, platforms, and editor board and reviewers of many journals. He presently teaches a number of graduate courses as well as PhD and master's students in biochemistry, immunology, and metabolism. He oversaw the theses of around 40 master's students. He oversaw numerous research teams both inside and outside of Jordan.
Chevalier Professor Renald Blundell, a distinguished Maltese academic and scientist, has made significant contributions to the fields of biochemistry, molecular genetics, and consumer advocacy. Born on August 31, 1973, Professor Blundell holds an impressive array of academic qualifications, including a Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of Edinburgh and an M.Phil. in Molecular Genetics from the University of Malta.
Over his prolific career, Professor Blundell has served in numerous academic roles, including his current position as an Associate Professor at the University of Malta's Faculty of Medicine and Surgery. He has also held professorial roles at the American University of Malta and the Pan American University of Natural Medicine, further expanding his impact internationally.
Professor Blundell has an extensive record of scientific publications, which have been featured in prestigious journals worldwide. His research encompasses a wide range of disciplines, including biochemistry, molecular biology, forensic science, and biotechnology. A highly cited scholar, he has collaborated with leading scientists and institutions globally, contributing to groundbreaking research projects and advancing scientific innovation. His work has been recognized on platforms such as Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, underscoring his influence in the scientific community.
In addition to his academic achievements, Professor Blundell has a longstanding commitment to public service. He has served as a scientific expert in Malta's Courts of Justice since 1998, providing critical insight into forensic cases. His leadership roles include serving on various committees, such as the European Consumers Consultative Group (ECCG), Consumers’ Affairs Council (CAC), the Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST) and Malta Gaming Authority (MGA).
Professor Blundell's scholarly work spans diverse areas, including biochemistry, biotechnology, forensic medicine, and consumer safety. He has been instrumental in developing and teaching innovative courses at universities worldwide. His editorial contributions to scientific journals and participation in numerous international conferences underscore his dedication to advancing knowledge and education.
A passionate advocate for public health and consumer rights, Professor Blundell has played an active role in raising awareness on critical issues, such as food safety, toxic substances, and environmental sustainability. As a member of multiple professional organizations, including the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health and the Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland, he continues to contribute to the global scientific community.
Professor Khaoula Khwaldia earned her Ph.D. in Biotechnology and Food Science from the University of Lorraine (INPL, France) after completing her engineering degree in Food Science at the National Agronomic Institute of Tunisia. She is currently a Professor at the National Institute of Research and Physicochemical Analysis (INRAP, Tunisia)
Prof. Khwaldia is internationally recognized for her groundbreaking work in food packaging and the development of biodegradable materials derived from agri-food by-products. She has published 58 peer-reviewed articles, which have collectively garnered over 2,587 citations, reflecting the profound impact of her research on the global scientific community. She has also served as Guest Editor for four special issues in scientific journals and is ranked among the top 2% of the most-cited scientists worldwide, underscoring her significant contributions to her field.
In addition to her academic achievements, Prof. Khwaldia has demonstrated outstanding leadership in coordinating and managing research initiatives. She has successfully led 13 national and international scientific projects, driving innovation and collaboration at the intersection of biotechnology, food science, and sustainability.
Professor Fernando Ramos is an Associate Professor with tenure of the University of Coimbra,
Pharmacy Faculty – Portugal. He is Responsible for Bromatology, Hydrology, Nutrition, Analytical Chemistry, and Risk Assessment in Food Safety theoretical and lab courses for graduation and master students and he had supervised Post-Doc, PhD and MSc students in Food and Water analysis and Food Safety subjects.
He is Senior Research of REQUIMTE/LAQV and was member of the research team of 18 different research projects (1 of them still running), 3 as PI and 2 of them at International level, involving other Universities and other National and International Research Institutions.
He has collaborated with EFSA, being a member of the Scientific Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed working on the elaboration of scientific opinions. He is the Vice-Chair of the Scientific Committee of the Portuguese Food and Economic Security Authority. He has published more than 500 papers in indexed JRC journals, 5 books and 30 book chapters. He has an Hindex=44 and 18 papers with more than 100 citations.
Additionally, he is the Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Coimbra since 2021, Roster of JECFA (Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives) related to the safety of drug residues in foods and Member of several professional and scientific organizations.
Professor Jolanta Sereikaitė is the Head of the Molecular Biotechnology Laboratory at Vilnius Gediminas Technical University. Assoc. Prof. Sereikaitė completed her bachelor's/master's and doctoral studies in biochemistry at Vilnius University. She was a researcher at the Institute of Enzymology and later at the Institute of Biotechnology at Vilnius University. In 2002 she joined Vilnius Gediminas Technical University. She has many years of experience in the field of biotechnology. Currently, her research focuses on the development of new formulations and delivery systems of bioactive compounds for functional foods. Natural antimicrobials for food are also of scientific interest. She has published 80 papers in peer-reviewed journals.
Professor Ana Sanches Silva is a Professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra (Portugal). Ana holds a degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Coimbra and earned her European Ph.D. in Pharmacy with honors from the University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Ana Sanches-Silva has a remarkable track record with more than 250 scientific publications. Her research focuses on the development of innovative packaging technologies, such as active and edible packaging, and the study of packaging migration into food. She has a strong interest in analytical methodologies, particularly mass spectrometry, for detecting bioactive compounds, food contaminants (e.g. plant toxins, mycotoxins, pesticides residues), and packaging migrants. In recent years, she has also explored natural extracts from plants and food by-products for their integration into active packaging systems.
Throughout her distinguished career, Ana has received over twenty research awards, recognizing her outstanding contributions to science. In 2024, she was honored with the prestigious “Food Packaging Award in honor of Don Riester, Rees Davis, and Aaron Brody” by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), one of the most highly regarded awards in the field of food packaging globally. Additionally, Ana has been consistently recognized among the World’s Top 2% of most-cited scientists in the Stanford University ranking since 2021.
Professor Dr. I. Irem Tatli Cankaya graduated from the Faculty of Pharmacy at Hacettepe University in 1996. In 1997, she commenced her academic career as a research assistant in the Department of Pharmacognosy. She completed her master's degree in 1999 and obtained her doctorate in 2004. She was appointed as an Associate Professor in Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany in 2009 and was promoted to the rank of Professor in 2014.
Between 2000-2002, 2004, and 2012, she conducted research at the University of Mississippi, the National Center for Natural Products Research, and the Faculty of Pharmacy in the United States. In 2006, she served as a guest researcher at Lille-2 University, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences in France, under the Academic Staff Exchange Program. In 2014, she conducted research at the Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Lublin Medical University in Poland. In 2019, she was a guest researcher at the Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama in the USA.
She served as a consultant for the TÜBİTAK-MAM research project titled "The Development of Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products" from 2017 to 2020. She was a Ministry of Health, General Directorate of Health Services, Phytotherapy and Homeopathy Scientific Commission member. She actively contributes to commissions in her field, including; the Turkish Medicines and Medical Devices Agency under the Ministry of Health, and the Food Supplement Approval Commission under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, She is a member of the Hacettepe University Cosmetic Clinical Research Ethics Committee and Deputy Director of the Hacettepe University TCM Center. She is a Pharmacognosy expert for the European Pharmacopoeia Expert Group 13A and 13B on Herbal Drugs and Herbal Preparations and a member of the Working Group on Homeopathic Products.
