Jorge Cadena Iniguez | Agricultural and Biological Sciences | Excellence in Research Award

Published on by Award and Honors

Prof. Dr. Jorge Cadena Iniguez | Agricultural and Biological Sciences | Excellence in Research Award

Postgraduate College, San Luis Potosi Campus | Mexico

Prof. Dr. Jorge Cadena-Iniguez is a botanist and Phyto chemist widely recognized for his contributions to plant genetic resources, agricultural biodiversity, and the scientific advancement of Sechium edule (chayote). His research spans plant physiology, biochemical and phytochemical characterization, genetic improvement, postharvest biology, and the generation of value-added innovations derived from underutilized crops. He has built a solid scientific trajectory, reflected in 87 documents indexed in Scopus, 627 citations, and a Scopus h-index of 13, demonstrating his consistent impact on plant science, agronomy, and natural-product research. Dr. Jorge Cadena-Iñiguez integrates molecular tools, metabolite profiling, conservation biology, and biotechnology to support the sustainable use, improvement, and valorization of agricultural species, particularly those with ancestral, endemic, or underexploited importance. His leadership includes founding the global germplasm bank of Sechium edule, contributing to the development of biodiversity governance models aligned with the Nagoya Protocol, and participating in national and international initiatives focused on agricultural biodiversity conservation. His research has enabled the development of new varieties, technological innovations, and patented processes that strengthen rural value chains and promote the bioeconomic potential of native crops. Alongside these contributions, he has guided numerous graduate researchers and supported the scientific community through editorial service, peer review, and international collaborations. His body of work has been recognized for advancing agricultural innovation, enhancing the understanding of functional compounds in plants, and promoting sustainable strategies for genetic resource management.

Profiles: Scopus | Google Scholar | ORCID | ResearchGate

Featured Publications 

1. Iniguez Luna, M. I., Cadena-Zamudio, J. D., Ramírez-Mosqueda, M. A., Aguirre Noyola, J. L., Cadena, D. A. A., & Cadena-Iniguez, J. (2025). Molecular docking as a key driver of biocontrol for agri-food security. BioTech, 14(80), 1–25.

2. Barrera-Guzman, L. A., Cadena-Iniguez, J., Legaria-Solano, J. P., Cisneros-Solano, V. M., Watanabe, K. N., & Cadena, D. A. A. (2025). Biogeographical analysis of the Central American clade of Sechium (Cucurbitaceae). Revista de Biologia Tropical, 73(e20251987), 1–14.

3. Cadena-Iniguez, J., Arevalo-Galarza, M. de L., Aguirre-Medina, J. F., Avendano-Arrazate, C. H., Cadena, D. A. A., Cadena-Zamudio, J. D., Soto-Hernandez, M., Cisneros, V., Ruiz-Posadas, L. M., Soto-Mendoza, C., & Mejia Mendez, J. L. (2025). Chayote [Sechium edule (Jacq.) Sw.] fruit quality influenced by plant pruning. Horticulturae, 11(8), 1–23.

4. Aguiniga-Sanchez, I., Morales-Altamirano, A. M., Santiago-Osorio, E., Rosado-Perez, J., Cadena-Iniguez, J., Mendoza-Nunez, V. M., Weiss-Steider, B., Gavia García, G., Arista-Ugalde, T. L., Arreola-Gomez, N. A., Amador-Gomez, A. I., & Montiel Garcia, L. D. (2025). Hypoglycemic and lipid metabolic control in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice by hybrid extract. Food Bioscience, 68(20), Article 106499.

5. Santiago-Osorio, E., Ramirez-Padilla, M. G., Mendoza-Nunez, V. M., Cadena-Iniguez, J., Soto-Hernandez, M., Rosado-Perez, J., Romero-Lopez, E., Weiss-Steider, B., Gavia-Garcia, G., Arista-Ugalde, T. L., Cisneros-Solano, V. M., & Aguiñiga-Sanchez, I. (2025). Hepatoprotective effect of the Sechium HD-Victor hybrid extract in a model of liver damage induced by carbon tetrachloride in mice. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, 183, Article 117831.

Marlon Caicedo | Biological Sciences | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Award and Honors

Dr. Marlon Caicedo | Biological Sciences | Best Researcher Award

Unit Manager | Agricultural Research National Institute (INIAP) | Ecuador

Dr. Marlon Brainer Caicedo Villafuerte is a distinguished agricultural scientist recognized for his pioneering work in maize breeding, crop improvement, and sustainable agriculture. He has led major initiatives to develop high-yielding, stress-tolerant, and disease-resistant maize hybrids that enhance food security and agricultural productivity. As a senior research scientist, he has directed multiple projects on genetic improvement, agronomic performance, and hybrid evaluation, integrating classical breeding with molecular and biotechnological tools to strengthen crop resilience under changing climates. His collaborations with global institutions have advanced research in plant physiology, genetics, and sustainable crop management. Dr. Caicedo’s impactful research is reflected in 160 citations by 138 documents, with 10 published papers and an h-index of 6, demonstrating his growing influence in the field of agricultural science and his commitment to innovation and sustainable development in modern crop systems.

Profiles : Scopus | Google Scholar 

Featured Publications 

Caicedo Villafuerte, M. B. (2012). Effect of visual selection during the development of inbred lines of maize. Crop Science. Widely cited for improving inbred line selection efficiency.

Caicedo Villafuerte, M. B. (2016). Stay-green QTLs in temperate elite maize. Euphytica. Influential in mapping genetic regions controlling leaf senescence.

Caicedo Villafuerte, M. B. (2016). Redefining agricultural residues as bioenergy feedstocks. Materials. Contributed to bioenergy and sustainability research.

Caicedo Villafuerte, M. B. (2018). Fine analysis of a genomic region involved in resistance to Mediterranean corn borer. BMC Plant Biology. Explored pest resistance through genetic mapping.

Caicedo Villafuerte, M. B. (2022). Genome-wide association analysis of senescence-related traits in maize. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. Advanced knowledge on aging and yield traits in maize.

 

 

Hamideh HASSANNEZHADDIVKOLAEI | Agricultural and Biological Sciences | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Award and Honors

Mrs.Hamideh Hassannezhaddivkolaei | Agricultural and Biological Sciences | Best Researcher Award

Mrs.Hamideh Hassannezhaddivkolaei | University of Murcia | Spain

Mrs. Hamideh Hassannezhaddivkolaei is an Iranian researcher and Ph.D. candidate in Biodiversity and Environmental Management at the University of Murcia, Spain. Passionate about plant systematics, molecular biology, and bioinformatics, she combines over five years of teaching experience with advanced research skills. Her work focuses on understanding plant biodiversity through genomic approaches, including chloroplast genome sequencing of mosses such as Tortula acaulon, and contributing to conservation biology. She is skilled in laboratory techniques like DNA extraction, PCR, and RAPD markers, and proficient in bioinformatics tools such as BLAST, Geneious, MEGA, SPAdes, and R. Hamideh holds an M.Sc. in Plant Biology (Systematics–Ecology) and a B.Sc. in General Biology from the University of Mazandaran, Iran, where her thesis on the biosystematics of Glycyrrhiza species earned an A+ distinction. She has taught biology and science at Allameh Helli Free Academic Institute and Mehre Ofogh Koshan Private School in Iran, developing engaging lessons and fostering environmental awareness among students. Multilingual in Persian, English, and intermediate Spanish, she actively participates in international collaborations. Her research interests span plant systematics, phylogenetics, and molecular evolution, aiming to elucidate evolutionary relationships and genetic diversity, particularly in bryophytes and angiosperms of the Hyrcanian forests and Mediterranean ecosystems. She integrates bioinformatics pipelines (FastQC, Trimmomatic, IRSCOP, Chlorobox) with statistical approaches in R to analyze genomic data. Recognized for her innovative teaching and research excellence, Hamideh has received commendations for Olympiad training, presented at national conferences, and earned a place in the competitive Ph.D. program at the University of Murcia. Her ultimate goal is to combine genomics and conservation strategies to preserve endangered plant species and address climate change impacts on biodiversity.

Profile: ORCID

Featured Publications

Hasannejad Divkolaei, H. (2014). Palynology [Book]. University of Mazandaran Press.
Cited by 5 articles.

Hasannejad Divkolaei, H., & Mahmoudi Otaghvari, A. (2016). Biosystematics investigation of genus Glycyrrhiza using RAPD molecular marker. Journal of Plant Cell Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, 17(7–8), 307–316.
Cited by 12 articles.

Mahmoudi Otaghvari, A., Hassannejad Div-kolaei, H., & Kazemitabar, S. K. (2016). Impact of climate change on Iran’s agricultural bottlenecks. In Proceedings of the National Conference (Sari, Iran).
Cited by 3 articles.

Hasannejad Divkolaei, H., Talibzadeh, A., & Ghorbanzadeh, A. (2020). New irrigation technologies in agriculture. In Proceedings of the 5th National Conference (Mazandaran, Iran).
Cited by 2 articles.

Hassannejad DivKolaei, H., Fadaie, F., Mahmoudi Otaghvari, A., & Kazemitabar, S. K. (2019). Numerical taxonomy of Glycyrrhiza in the Hyrcanian region. Rostaniha, 19(2), 176–183.
Cited by 8 articles.

Sobhani, G., Shahidi, S. A., Ghorbani, A., Hasan-saraei, S., Sobhani, S., & Hasannejad Divkolaei, H. (2021). Comparing the properties of improved breads with omega-3. Journal of Cereal Science.
Cited by 6 articles.