Mahendra Rai is a Senior Professor and UGC- Basic Science Research Faculty Fellow at the Department of Biotechnology, Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University at Amravati, Maharashtra, India. He was a Visiting Scientist at the following institutions and universities: Department of Bioenergetics, University of Geneva, Switzerland and at the Department of Plant Protection of Debrecen University, Debrecen, Hungary . Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas, Brazil under Indo-Brazil Research Programme (DST-CNPq collaboration). Professor in Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, Poland, State University of Campinas, Brazil, Ostrava, Czech Republic and in National University of Rosario, Argentina. His areas of expertise include microbial biotechnology and nanobiotechnology. Moreover, he studied different aspects of Phoma extensively. His present research interest include application of nanobiotechnology in medicine with particular reference to the development of nanoantimicrobials. He has published more than 400 research papers in national and international journals. In addition, he has edited/authored more than 60 books and 6 patents.Beata Zimowska is Associate Professor, at the Department of Plant Pathology, Subdepartment Phytopathology and Mycology, Faculty of Horticulture and Land Scape, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland. She has published more than 60 research papers, 30 popular articles in Polish and abroad. She is a member of several scientific societies. She has won several awards: grade I team from HM Rector the Academy of Agriculture in Lublin –2000, grade II team from HM Rector the University of Life Sciences in Lublin –2009, individual grade I from HM Rector the University of Life Sciences for scientific activity in the years 2010-2012 –2014, individual grade II from HM Rector the University of Life Sciences for scientific activity in the years 2014-2016 –2017. She was co-organizer and member of ScientificBoard 1st Eurasian Mycological Congress 3-5.07.2016, Manisa, Turkey and XIII Congress of Ecology and Environment with International Participation 12-15.09.2017, Edirne, Turkey. Since 2014 she cooperates with Bulgarian Institute of Genetics in Sofia, since 2015 with Department of Agriculture, University of Naples Federico II, Portici and Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection (IPSP)/ National Research Council (CNR)Portici, Italy, since 2015 with Department of Biology Trakya University, Edirne, Turkey. Presently her research activities are aimed at: Phoma sensu lato group of fungi, endophytic fungi, fungal symbiont and their relationships with gall midges, mutualistic interactions between the gall causing species of dipterans from Asphondylia genus (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) and on fungi developing in the inner wall of galls, etiology and epidemiology of infectious diseases of MAPs (medicinal and aromatic plants), with special regards of new and emerging infectious diseases (EIDs).György J. Kövics is professor emeritus of plant pathology at the Institute of Plant Protection, University of Debrecen, Hungary. After some years of research experience, his university career has been started in 1989 and during the last 3 decades he taught plant pathology. He has published more than 310 scientific publications, including 28 books and book chapters. He started the Scientific Trans-Tisza National Conference of Plant Protection in 1996, which includes International Plant Protection Symposia (IPPS). He was visiting professor at the University of Reading, UK (1993), Wageningen University, the Netherlands (1994), Mysore University, and Amravati University, India (2004). Prof Kövics serves as a referee for about 15 international journals and is a member of editorial boards of numerous national and international journals. He was awareded „Pro re rustica promovenda” medal for the development of agriculture (1997), „Pro Universitate etScientia” medal of the World Council of Hungarian Professors (2005), „György Linhart medal” recognition of plant pathologists (2006), Eminent Plant Doctor of Hungarian Plant Doctors’ Chamber (2014). Prof Kövics is engaged in mycotaxonomy and research on the biology of recently emerged and spreading plant pathogens.
