Confirmed Speakers

Wolfgang Busch

Professor and Executive Director, Harnessing Plants Initiative, Salk Institute for Biological Sciences

Jane Fife

Chief Technical Director, 3 Bar Biologics

Jeff Bennetzen

Giles Professor, Department of Genetics, University of Georgia

Amanda Pierce

Senior Advisor, Emerging Technologies Branch, Biopesticides Division, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Wolfgang Busch

Professor and Executive Director, Harnessing Plants Initiative, Salk Institute for Biological Sciences

Jane Fife

Chief Technical Director, 3 Bar Biologics

Jeff Bennetzen

Giles Professor, Department of Genetics, University of Georgia

Amanda Pierce

Senior Advisor, Emerging Technologies Branch, Biopesticides Division, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Patrick Doyle

Vice President Product Development and Regulatory, Plant Health Care, Inc.

Jiarui Li

Chief Executive Officer, Innatrix Inc

Keith Matthews

Principal, Matthews Law LLC

Morgan Carter

Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences and CIPHER, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Michael DiLegge

Director of Microbiology, Impello Biosciences

Xinnian Dong

HHMI investigator/Arts & Sciences Professor of Biology, Duke University

Harsh Bais

Professor of Plant and Soil Interface, University of Delaware

Chris Wooley

Portfolio Manager- Specialty Actives, Wilbur-Ellis Agribusiness

Wiebke Striegel

Senior Scientist, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Yuri Mizuno

Chief Scientist, Manda Fermentation Co. Ltd

Michael Zulch

PhD Candidate, Boston University

Wolfgang Busch

Professor and Executive Director, Harnessing Plants Initiative, Salk Institute for Biological Sciences

Wolfgang Busch is Professor and holds the Hess Chair in Plant Science at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, California. He studies genetic and molecular processes underpinning root growth and its responses to the environment. His major interest are root processes that can facilitate carbon storage in soils or otherwise can mitigate climate change and he has co-founded and serves as the Executive Director of the Salk Harnessing Plants Initiative that develops plant varieties with enhanced carbon sequestration capabilities for removing CO₂ from the atmosphere, thereby counteracting climate change. To realize this goal, he has also co-founded the AgriTech company Cquesta, which develops carbon sequestration traits and their co-benefits in crops, as well as works on opportunities for farmers to access revenue from carbon credits. Dr. Busch has published more than 90 scientific papers, many of them in world-leading top scientific journals and received several international awards.

Jane Fife

Chief Technical Director, 3 Bar Biologics

Dr. Fife’s research focuses on improving formulation and delivery of biologics for more effective application of beneficial microbes to promote plant growth and biological disease control. Prior to joining 3Bar Biologics, she has more than 15 years of expertise in application technology and agricultural biologics through her leadership role managing technology development in agribusiness at Battelle Memorial Institute. Dr. Fife holds a PhD in Agricultural Engineering from The Ohio State University, where she currently serves as an Adjunct Faculty and teaches courses in engineering design.

Jeff Bennetzen

Giles Professor, Department of Genetics, University of Georgia

Jeff Bennetzen received his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Washington for studies of yeast molecular genetics, did postdoctoral work for one year, worked in industry for two years, and then joined the Department of Biological Sciences at Purdue University as an Assistant Professor in 1983. He rose to the positions of Professor in 1991 and Umbarger Professor in 1999. Since 2003, he has been the Giles Professor in the Department of Genetics at the University of Georgia. Dr. Bennetzen was elected a member of the US National Academy of Sciences in 2004. He was the founder or co-founder of the International Grass Genome Initiative, the Maize Genetics Executive Committee and the McClintock Prize. His research investigates the dynamic processes that determine the structure/function of plant genomes, the diversity in developing world crop genomes, the genetic basis of tea palatability, and the role of microbiomes in plant fitness.

Amanda Pierce

Senior Advisor, Emerging Technologies Branch, Biopesticides Division, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Amanda Pierce is a Senior Advisor in the Emerging Technologies Branch in the Office of Pesticide Programs at EPA where she evaluates and ensures the safety of novel applications of recent discoveries in genetics and molecular biology to real world pest control problems – e.g., genetically engineered microorganisms and plant-incorporated protectants. At EPA, she focuses on advancing ecological risk assessment and policy initiatives for these biotechnologies within the United States government and internationally.

Patrick Doyle

Vice President Product Development and Regulatory, Plant Health Care, Inc.

Patrick Doyle is Vice President of Product Development & Regulatory at Plant Health Care, a leading provider of proprietary biological products to global agricultural markets. Patrick has ~ 35 years of industry experience with roles in R&D, Product Management, Business Development, Regulatory, Corporate, and Government Affairs within various large & small teams across Canada, Switzerland, and now in the USA. Patrick is a graduate of both the University of Saskatchewan (B.Sc. & M.Sc.) & University of Guelph (Ph.D. Molecular Biology) with each dissertation focused on the development and evaluation of Biological Products as inputs for Commercial Agriculture. Patrick calls Raleigh, North Carolina home, but is never too far away from various family farming operations in Western Canada.

Jiarui Li

Chief Executive Officer, Innatrix Inc

Jiarui Li received MBA and Ph.D. in plant biology. Jiarui is an accomplished scientist and agtech industry leader. He worked in K-State as Research Assistant Professor, and then worked in Bayer CropScience and Simplot as a scientist. Starting from 2020, as Innatrix CEO, he has been leading the Innatrix team to develop eco-friendly biological products for crop protection. Till now, he has raised over $3 million in non-dilutive and capital funds, published over 30 peer-reviewed publications and 2 patents.

Keith Matthews

Principal, Matthews Law LLC

Keith Matthews has practiced environmental law focussing on the regulation of chemical substances for over 30 years. He has practiced in the private sector, and for over 13 years was a staff attorney and Assistant General Counsel in the Office of General Counsel at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — first in the Air and Radiation Law Office, and then in the Pesticides and Toxic Substances Law Office. He also served for four years as the Director of the Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division (BPPD) in EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs. Since 2013, Keith has been in private practice, counseling and representing ag biotech companies as they navigate the U.S. regulatory system. As Principal of Matthews Law LLC, Keith’s practice focusses on the regulation of chemical products and genetically engineered organisms regulated by EPA, the Food and Drug Administration, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Keith counsels and advises his clients using his breadth of knowledge on a variety of statutes, including FIFRA, the FFDCA, the Endangered Species Act, and the Plant Protection Act

Morgan Carter

Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences and CIPHER, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Morgan Carter is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences and CIPHER Center at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She has a B.S. in Biochemistry from North Carolina State University and a Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from Cornell University. She has received fellowship funding from the USDA and been spotlighted in early career sessions by the American Phytopathological Society. Her research program studies how bacteria and fungi interact within microbiomes altering host health outcomes. As one of the only labs in the world focused on how bacteria colonize and manipulate fungi, her research group aims to understand the rules for endofungal bacteria, a surprisingly common and understudied symbiotic interaction that may hold the key to new fungal control strategies.

Michael DiLegge

Director of Microbiology, Impello Biosciences

Michael DiLegge, MSc, serves as the Director of Microbiology at Impello Biosciences, Inc. He earned his MSc degree from Colorado State University, where his research explored various aspects of plant-microbe interactions including rhizosphere microbiome systems, legacy effects of replanting on soil microbiota, and the caterpillar-gut microbiome. At Impello Biosciences, Michael spearheads bioprospecting initiatives, delving into the intersection of biological and biochemical processes to identify novel agricultural inputs. His research focuses on enhancing crop and soil health by developing innovative solutions to address the current and upcoming challenges faced by modern agriculture.

Xinnian Dong

HHMI investigator/Arts & Sciences Professor of Biology, Duke University

Xinnian Dong received her B.S. in microbiology from Wuhan University in China in 1982 and Ph.D. in molecular biology from Northwestern University in Chicago in 1988. She began her study of plant immune mechanisms as a postdoc at MGH, Harvard Medical School. Dong is currently an Arts & Sciences Professor of Biology at Duke University. Dong became a HHMI investigator in 2011, an AAAS fellow in 2011, a member of US NAS in 2012, and an AAM Fellow in 2013. Dong received the Chinese Biological Investigators Society (CBIS) Ray Wu Award in 2018, named the Clarivate Highly Cited Researchers in 2018-2023. Awarded the Stephen Hales Prize by the American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB) in 2022, and recognized as a Pioneer of ASPB in 2024.

Harsh Bais

Professor of Plant and Soil Interface, University of Delaware

Harsh Bais is a professor of Plant and Soil Interface at Universioty of Delaware. Bais lab rhizosphere biology research is focused on understanding the biological significance of root exudation. Though root exudation clearly represents a significant carbon cost to the plant, the mechanisms and regulatory processes controlling root secretion are just now beginning to be examined. Root-root, root-microbe, and root-nematode communications are continuous occurrences in the rhizosphere, but due to the underground nature of roots, these intriguing interactions have largely been overlooked. Bais’ lab research is taking a multidisciplinary approach by interfacing plant biology, microbiology, and chemistry to unravel the underground communication process.

Chris Wooley

Portfolio Manager- Specialty Actives, Wilbur-Ellis Agribusiness

Chris Wooley is the Specialty/Active Portfolio Manager for Wilbur-Ellis Company. In this role he helps develop new EPA registered products and manages the existing EPA registered products approved for conventional and organic production in the Wilbur-Ellis Company Branded Technology and Branded Solutions Team. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a B.S. in Agronomy and a B.S in Soil Science, and Iowa State University with a M.S in Agronomy Crop Production and Plant Physiology with a focus on Weed Science. Prior to joining Wilbur-Ellis Company, he has held product management, marketing research, marketing communications, sales and technical development roles within agricultural basic manufacturers, distributors and retail companies for North America.

Wiebke Striegel

Senior Scientist, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Wiebke Striegel is a Senior Scientist in the Emerging Technologies Branch at EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs. Her work focuses on a broad range of product characterization, human health risk assessment, and related policy questions for pesticide products derived from biotechnology. These products include plant-incorporated protectants, genetically engineered microorganisms, and topically applied dsRNA. Wiebke joined BPPD in 2016 after completing a one-year AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowship in the same Division. Prior to joining EPA, Wiebke held a postdoc position at the University of Maryland. She received her Ph.D. in molecular plant biology from Colorado State University and her M.Sc. in Biology from the Technical University of Braunschweig in Germany.

Yuri Mizuno

Chief Scientist, Manda Fermentation Co. Ltd

Yuri graduated from Nagoya University in 2019 with Ph.D. in Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, with a specialty in majored in plant pathology. She joined Manda fermentation Co., Ltd. in 2020 and working as a researcher in the Research and Development Department for three years. Currently, she is engaged in research on elucidating the mechanism of MFBP in the plant business.

Michael Zulch

PhD Candidate, Boston University

Michael Zulch is a PhD candidate at Boston University, focusing on quantitative plant-microbe interactions and microbial engineering. His dissertation explores how many microbes a plant can support and examines the effects of microbial engineering on their role as biofertilizers in competitive environments. This work, conducted at Boston University, integrates both theoretical and experimental approaches. Previously, at Joyn Bio (now Ginkgo Bioworks), Michael developed nitrogen-fixing biofertilizers, gaining valuable industry experience. His expertise spans fundamental research and applied microbial technologies, contributing to sustainable agricultural solutions.

Date	Room 1	Room 2	Site Visit
Day 1 - 21/10/24	Plant Genomics & Gene Editing	Plant Biocontrol & Biostimulants
Day 2 - 22/10/24	Plant Biostimulants, Computational Tools & Data Analysis	Plant Microbiome	Tour the cutting-edge North Carolina Plant Sciences Initiative

Sponsors

Gold

Silver

Exhibitor & Content Sponsors

Hudson River

Yokogawa

Founded in 1915, Yokogawa Electric Corporation is a leading company in industrial automation and control systems, structured into three key segments: energy and sustainability, materials, and life sciences. In our life sciences division, we recently achieved a breakthrough in DNA-free genome editing in plants using our nano-delivery system. With this innovation, we aim to contribute to the development of new crop varieties and addressing global food challenges.

Kaneka

Kaneka Corporation, established in 1949, is a leading technology-driven company headquartered in Osaka and Tokyo, Japan. Kaneka is providing an array of innovative solutions to diverse markets worldwide. Kaneka focuses on four strategic solutions units: materials, quality of life, health care, and nutrition. Plant Biotechnology(PBT) Unit is one of units in food production support strategic unit. PBT Unit is trying to develop innovative technologies to provide the solutions to the global food insecurity.

Conference Locate

Conference Locate (Clocate) is a leading international directory for worldwide conferences and exhibitions. Conference Locate (Clocate) is equipped with a unique and comprehensive search that helps you find easily any event in any category or location. Each event includes detailed information, like, description, dates, location, map, prices, link to the event’s website and more…
If you search for a conference or exhibition in areas such as Industry and manufacturing, Health and medicine, Technology and IT, Business and finance, sciences, education, services (banking, insurance, tourism, Hospitality and more), government, environment, life style and arts, you’ll find it in Conference Locate (Clocate).

Pairwise

Pairwise is pioneering the application of CRISPR technology in food and agriculture. The company brings together leaders in agriculture, technology, and consumer foods to harness the transformative potential of new genomics technologies to create innovative new products. Pairwise is working to develop new varieties of crops, and to partner with organizations that seek to deliver innovation across the plant-based economy.

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Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing

Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing is an award-winning independent publisher of content in agricultural and food science. Through our innovative publishing model, we bridge the knowledge gap between science and its application, empowering you to make a positive impact on sustainable agriculture, climate change and the UN Sustainable Development Goals as a result.

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Genewiz - Azenta Life Sciences

Azenta is a leading provider of life sciences solutions worldwide, enabling impactful breakthroughs and therapies to market faster. Azenta provides a full suite of reliable cold-chain sample management solutions and genomic services for the industry’s top agriculture/food science, pharmaceutical, biotech, academic and healthcare institutions globally. GENEWIZ by Azenta services include a wide variety of synthesis and sequencing services specifically for agrigenomics that allow for the optimization of productivity, nutrition and viability of many agricultural products.

https://www.genewiz.com/

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The Phytobiomes Alliance

The Phytobiomes Alliance is an international, non-profit consortium of industry, academic, and governmental scientist. The goal of the Alliance is to establish a science and technology foundation for site-specific, phytobiome-based enhancement of sustainable food, feed, and fiber production.

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Solis Agroscience

Solis Agrosciences has launched the world’s first Plant Pipeline as a Service (PPaaS™), an integrated, end-to-end pipeline for the design, production, and characterization of gene-edited and transgenic plants. This fee-for-service model allows our clients to retain intellectual property rights. Our full-service offerings include gene cloning, gene editing, plant transformation, plant growth, and various molecular, biochemical and physiological assays. Our team of experienced scientists, entrepreneurs, and AgTech leaders are here to support your research needs.

Novogene

Novogene is a leading provider of genomic services and solutions with cutting-edge NGS and bioinformatics expertise and the largest sequencing capacity in the world. As the largest NGS service provider, Novogene has branches in the US, UK, Germany, Singapore, Netherlands, China, and Japan. Novogene was founded in 2011 and has been growing rapidly over the past few years, and has genomic sequencing labs in the US, the UK, Germany, China, Singapore, and Omics CORE in Japan.

Eremid Genomic Services

Eremid® Genomic Services is a high complexity CLIA-certified genomics contract research organization, with world-class scientific staff, and cutting-edge genomic instrumentation and automation to create a unique offering to meet the increasing demands for higher data quality, reliability, and accuracy in genomics research.