Biography:

Professor Magdy Madkour, is Emeritus Professor of Biotechnology at the Arid Lands Agricultural Research Institute (ALARI), Ain Shams Univ., Egypt and Editor in Chief of the Journal of Agriculture and Food Security, BioMed Central, Springer UK.

He was the Chairman of the Technical Committee, Agric. Research for Development Fund (ARDF), Agric. R&D Council, Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Egypt (2008-2011), Senior Advisor to Bibliotheca Alexandrina (2002-2010). In 2012, Prof. Madkour was elected as Fellow of the World Academy of Science for the Developing World (TWAS) and in 2014 was appointed a member of the Technical Advisory Committee of the African Biotechnology Network of Expertise ABNE (NEPAD).

He also served as the Assistant Director General for International Cooperation, ICARDA (2004-2006). Prof. Madkour received his BSc (1969) and MSc (1972) from the faculty of Agriculture, Alexandria University (Grade of Honour). In 1977 he obtained his PhD from the Univ. of Wales, UK in Physiological Plant Pathology, was appointed Prof. of Plant Pathology, Alexandria Univ. Egypt (1982-1989), Visiting Prof. at the Univ. of California, Davis, USA (1989-1990). In 1990 he established the Agricultural Genetic Engineering Research Institute (AGERI- Egypt) and in 1995 his efforts led to the formation of the Egyptian National Biosafety Committee as well as the establishment of the Egyptian Biosafety regulations.

Madkour was appointed Vice President, then President of the Agricultural Research Center, Egypt (2001-2004). Also, he served on the Technical Advisory Committee of the CGIAR (1996-2000), and on the Board of Trustees of ICARDA and IPGRI (Bioversity). In 2007, he was decorated with Egypt�s Presidential Gold Medal and the State Award of appreciation in Advanced Agricultural Technologies. He also received three AOAD awards for scientific excellence, the Food and Agriculture Organization�s (FAO) World Food Day recognition in 2001 and the World Academy For Science (TWAS) Arab Regional Prize in 2012. Three patents for novel biological insecticides were issued in his name.

Prof. Madkour authored 136 peer reviewed scientific publications and contributed with chapters in 7 internationally published books.

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