Vignesh Mohanavel | Plant Biotechnology | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Vignesh Mohanavel | Plant Biotechnology | Best Researcher Award

Research Fellow at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, India

Dr. Vignesh Mohanavel is a plant biotechnology researcher currently serving as a Senior Research Fellow at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore. He holds a Ph.D. in Plant Biotechnology from TNAU, awarded in 2023, and previously earned his M.Sc. (Ag.) in Agricultural Biotechnology and B.Sc. in Agriculture from Annamalai University. His academic and research career focuses on the development of multiple stress-tolerant rice genotypes through marker-assisted breeding. He has also worked on salinity tolerance screening in indigenous rice varieties. With hands-on expertise in molecular breeding, genomics, phenomics, metabolomics, and plant tissue culture, Dr. Vignesh brings an interdisciplinary approach to crop improvement. He has received several awards for his scientific contributions, including poster presentation recognitions and the Young Researcher Award. Dr. Vignesh is also an active peer reviewer for major scientific publishers and holds memberships in multiple national and international professional societies dedicated to plant science and biotechnology.

Profile

Google Scholar

πŸŽ“ Education 

Dr. Vignesh Mohanavel completed his Ph.D. in Plant Biotechnology from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, in 2023, securing  His doctoral research focused on the development of multiple stress-tolerant rice genotypes using marker-assisted breeding. Prior to this, he completed his M.Sc. (Ag.) in Agricultural Biotechnology in 2018 with a remarkable from Annamalai University, where he conducted a thesis on screening salinity tolerance in indigenous rice varieties through morphological and molecular markers. He began his academic journey with a B.Sc. in Agriculture from Annamalai University in 2016, securing. His education reflects a strong blend of theoretical knowledge and practical training in genetics, crop improvement, and molecular biology. He has also been trained in various laboratory and computational tools, giving him a comprehensive academic foundation to address challenges in crop productivity, stress management, and sustainable agriculture through modern biotechnological interventions.

πŸ’Ό Experience 

Dr. Vignesh Mohanavel has substantial research experience in plant biotechnology, particularly in rice stress tolerance. Since October 2023, he has been working as a Senior Research Fellow at TNAU in the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation-sponsored project on biostimulant efficacy. His Ph.D. research, supervised by Dr. M. Raveendran at TNAU, focused on marker-assisted breeding for multiple stress tolerance in rice. During his postgraduate studies, he conducted salinity screening research under the guidance of Dr. S. Murugan. His skill set includes molecular techniques such as DNA and RNA extraction, PCR, SDS-PAGE, gene cloning, plant transformation, and tissue culture. He is also experienced in phenotyping rice under various biotic and abiotic stresses. In addition, Dr. Vignesh is proficient in bioinformatics tools, genome-wide association studies, and metabolomic and proteomic techniques such as HPLC, GC-MS, LC-MS, and MALDI-TOF. His work bridges field research and lab-based molecular approaches for improving crop resilience.

πŸ† Awards and Honors 

Dr. Vignesh Mohanavel has received multiple awards in recognition of his research contributions. He won the Best Poster Presentation Award in 2018 for his work on salinity tolerance in sesame genotypes during a UGC-sponsored seminar at Annamalai University. He was honored again with the Best Poster Award in 2024 at TNAU for his work on marker-assisted pyramiding of drought, submergence, and blast resistance genes in rice. He received a similar award during National Science Day 2025 at TNAU. In 2024, he was conferred the Young Researcher Award by the Institute of Scholars. Dr. Vignesh has also been recognized with Reviewer Recognition Awards from both Elsevier and Springer Nature for his valuable contributions to scientific peer review. His honors reflect a consistent record of excellence in agricultural biotechnology and his active engagement in scholarly communication and research dissemination at both national and institutional levels.

πŸ”¬ Research Focus 

Dr. Vignesh Mohanavel’s research focuses on the genetic improvement of rice through molecular plant breeding and marker-assisted selection. He works on identifying and integrating resistance genes and quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for key biotic and abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, submergence, bacterial leaf blight, blast, and brown plant hopper. His goal is to develop elite rice lines with improved resilience and productivity. His expertise includes phenotyping, DNA and RNA isolation, PCR, gene cloning, plant tissue culture, and transformation techniques. In addition to wet lab techniques, he uses advanced bioinformatics tools for genome-wide association studies, haplotype analysis, and trait mapping. He also applies metabolomics and proteomics approaches, including HPLC, GC-MS, LC-MS, MALDI-TOF, and two-dimensional protein profiling. Dr. Vignesh’s interdisciplinary research integrates genomics, phenomics, and biochemical profiling, aiming to develop climate-resilient crops and support sustainable agriculture in the face of global food security challenges.

 Conclusion

Dr. Vignesh Mohanavel is a promising early-career scientist with commendable achievements in plant stress physiology and biotechnology. His rigorous academic training, involvement in high-level research projects, and recognition through multiple awards position him as a strong contender for the Best Researcher Award. Strengthening international collaborations and increasing high-impact publications would further elevate his scientific profile. Overall, he displays the innovation, dedication, and academic excellence expected of a recipient of this honor

πŸ“Publications 

  1. Marker assisted pyramiding of major brown plant hopper resistance genes in an elite culture CBMAS14065
    Year: 2023
    Authors: M Vignesh, M Valarmathi, P Rakshana, A Bharathi, KR Dilip, M Sudha, …
    Citations: 14

  2. Evaluation of black gram genotypes for saline tolerance at seedling stage
    Year: 2019
    Authors: B Priyadharshini, M Vignesh, M Prakash, R Anandan
    Citations: 14

  3. Marker-assisted breeding accelerates the development of multiple-stress-tolerant rice genotypes adapted to wider environments
    Year: 2024
    Authors: V Mohanavel, V Muthu, R Kambale, R Palaniswamy, P Seeli, B Ayyenar, …
    Citations: 8

  4. Relationship between biometric and biophysical parameters with yield in traditional rice varieties in coastal saline belts of Tamil Nadu
    Year: 2019
    Authors: M Prakash, M Vignesh
    Citations: 8

  5. Developing early morning flowering version of rice variety CO 51 to mitigate the heat-induced yield loss
    Year: 2023
    Authors: B Ayyenar, R Kambale, S Duraialagaraja, S Manickam, V Mohanavel, …
    Citations: 6

  6. Comparison of Methods for Genomic Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) Extraction Suitable for Whole-Genome Genotyping in Traditional Varieties of Rice
    Year: 2019
    Authors: B Priyadharshini, M Vignesh, M Prakash, R Anandan
    Citations: 6

  7. Haplotype and diversity analysis of indigenous rice for salinity tolerance in early-stage seedling using simple sequence repeat markers
    Year: 2021
    Authors: V Mohanavel, A Selvam Yesudhas, A Sharma, A Ramasamy, PMA Samy, …
    Citations: 5

  8. Estimation of morphological and molecular genetic diversity in blackgram [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper] under YMV hotspot regime
    Year: 1970 (likely an error; possibly meant to be recent)
    Authors: S Jeevitha, R Karthikeyan, M Vignesh, A Malarkodi, R Tirumalai, AJ Nainu, …
    Citations: 5

 

Kamaran Rasul | Plant Biotechnology | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Kamaran Rasul | Plant Biotechnology | Best Researcher Award

Lecturer and Researcher, University of Sulaimani, Iraq

Kamaran Salh Rasul, a dedicated academician and researcher in Horticulture and Plant Biotechnology, was born on June 12, 1985, in Sulaimani, Iraq. He holds a significant position as a Lecturer in the Department of Horticulture, College of Agricultural Sciences, University of Sulaimani. Kamaran is multilingual, speaking Kurdish (mother tongue), English, and Arabic fluently. His journey in academia reflects his passion for advancing agricultural sciences, with a focus on innovative solutions to address plant stress and enhance genetic diversity. 🌟

Publication Profile

ORCID

Education πŸŽ“

Kamaran holds a Bachelor’s degree in Horticulture Science from the University of Sulaimani (2008), an MSc in Plant Genetic Manipulation from the University of Nottingham (2013), and a Ph.D. in Plant Biotechnology from the University of Sulaimani (2023). His academic pursuits included advanced training in English at the University of Leeds and the University of Nottingham, United Kingdom. His MSc thesis explored self-incompatibility in Petunia hybrida, while his Ph.D. focused on the response of tomato accessions to biotic and abiotic stresses. πŸ“˜

Experience πŸ’Ό

Kamaran commenced his career as an Assistant Researcher in 2009 and steadily rose through academic ranks, becoming a Lecturer in 2023. He has taught courses such as Plant Tissue Culture, Principles of Genetics, Plant Breeding, and Plant Biotechnology. He actively contributes to departmental administration and curriculum development while mentoring MSc students. His international exposure includes participation in conferences and training sessions, showcasing his expertise in agricultural sciences. 🌍

Awards and Honors πŸ…

Kamaran has been recognized for his impactful contributions to agricultural sciences. He actively engages with the academic community as a member of the Kurdistan Agricultural Engineers Syndicate and has played key roles in organizing training courses and departmental activities. His achievements reflect his dedication to advancing plant sciences in Kurdistan and beyond. πŸ†

Research Focus πŸ”¬

Kamaran’s research centers on plant stress tolerance, including drought, heavy metals, salt, and heat stress. He explores the use of plant extracts and nanoparticles to enhance stress resilience. His interests extend to plant genetics, diversity, molecular breeding, tissue culture, and biotic stress management. Through his work, he aims to innovate sustainable solutions for agricultural challenges and enhance genetic diversity in plants. 🌱

Conclusion 🌟

Kamaran Salh Rasul is an accomplished academic and researcher, making significant strides in agricultural sciences and biotechnology. His dedication to teaching, research, and community engagement showcases his unwavering commitment to addressing global agricultural challenges. 🌍

Publications πŸ“š

Effect of some Plant Extracts and Media Culture on Seed Germination and Seedling Growth of Moringa oleifera (2020) – Journal of Plant Production, cited by 20.

Genetic diversity and population structure assessment of Iraqi tomato accessions (2022) – Horticulture, Environment, and Biotechnology, cited by 18.

Exogenous application of moringa water extract enhanced barley traits (2022) – Agriculture, cited by 25.

Effects of Oak Leaf Extract and Biofertilizer on Tomato under Water Stress (2022) – Agriculture, cited by 15.

Assessment of genetic variation in Iraqi barley using ISSR markers (2023) – Czech Journal of Genetics and Plant Breeding, cited by 10.

Cadmium tolerance in barley accessions (2023) – Agronomy, cited by 8.

Effect of mixing oak leaf biomass on cadmium toxicity in tomatoes (2023) – Heliyon, cited by 12.

Genetic diversity of reticulated iris accessions in Iraqi Kurdistan (2024) – Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution, cited by 5.

Analysis of genetic diversity in Iraqi durum wheat cultivars (2024) – Kirkuk University Journal of Agricultural Sciences, cited by 3.