30 June – 5 July 2019
15th World Congress on Parasitic Plants
Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Latest news

The WCPP2019 program and abstract book is complete and can be downloaded here

On behalf of the International Parasitic Plant Society (IPPS), we invite you to the 15th World Congress on Parasitic Plants (WCPP) to be held from Sunday June 30 (arrival and registration) until Friday July 5 (morning departure) 2019 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. This meeting is organized by The University of Amsterdam (UvA) in collaboration with the IPPS and the European Weed Research Society (EWRS). 

WCPP 2019 will continue the long tradition of regular meetings of experts on parasitic plants from all over the world that started in 1973 in Malta. With these meetings we stimulate the exchange of information and ideas among researchers from around the world and working on a wide spectrum of disciplines and perspectives around the common theme of plant parasitism. Conference sessions will be designed to find common interests and create synergy among the different disciplines. They will include presentations on cutting edge parasitic plants research and will cover weedy and non-weedy species, management technologies and evolution of parasitic plants.

We are looking forward to meeting researchers from all over the world for an exciting and varied scientific program. In addition to an engaging scientific program, there will be time for social events including a visit to beautiful Amsterdam. We hope you will attend the 15th World Congress on Parasitic Plants and mark the date in your calendar. On behalf of the Organizing Committee, and the IPPS and EWRS, we are looking forward to meeting you in Amsterdam. 

Local organising committee
Harro Bouwmeester, Teun Munnik,
Laura Wind, Benjamin Thiombiano,
Mehran Rahimi, Jos Raaijmakers,
Aimee Walmsley

Invited speakers
Tadao Asami, Michael Axtell,
Hanan Eizenberg, Kirsten Krause,
Shelley Lumba, Damaris Odeny,
Julie Scholes, Thomas Spallek, Jakub Tesitel,
Mike Timko, Yuichiro Tsuchiya,
Susan Wicke, Jianqiang Wu, Satoko Yoshida

Scientific advisory committee
Salim Al-Babili, Harro Bouwmeester,
Claude dePamphilis, Airong Li, David Nelson, Steven Runo, Julie Scholes, Ken Shirasu, Philippe Simmier, Mike Timko, Maurizio Vurro, Jim Westwood, Susann Wicke, Satoko Yoshida, John Yoder, Jianqiang Wu

Program

WCPP2019 offers an exciting and varied scientific program. In addition to this engaging scientific program, there will be time for social events.

Program details

Venue

The meeting will be held in Hotel Casa Amsterdam. Consider to spend some more time in Amsterdam as it is a fantastic city to visit!

All about the venue

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REGISTRATION
SUBMIT ABSTRACT
BOOK A ROOM

The 15th WCPP is proudly sponsored by the CGIAR Research Program on Grain Legumes and Dryland Cereals (CRP-GLDC). CRP-GLDC is a global partnership that harnesses the potential of crops to alleviate poverty, improve food security, nutrition, climate change resilience, and boost incomes in the semi-arid and sub-humid dryland agroecologies of sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

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Congratulation to the candidates that have been selected for the WCPP2019 fellowship program. 

Pradeepa Chandani, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

Willy Kiprotich Kibet, Kenyatta University, Kenya

Imarhiagbe Odoligie, Edo University, Nigeria

Jhonny Rabefiraisana, University of Antananarivo, Madagascar

Samuel Adewale, IITA, Nigeria

European Weed Research Society offers a number of fellowships for young scientists attending the WCCPP

The recipients of the EWRS fellowships are:

Ivana Imerovski, Canada

Amir Arellano Saab, Canada

Nicholas Flanders, USA

Estelle Billard, France

Sabine  Tourneur, France

conditions • apply

Tsuchiya Yuichiro

WCPP 2019 invited speaker TSUCHIYA YUICHIRO is a Designated associate professor at the Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules of Nagoya University. Prior to this position, he worked as a post-doctoral fellow in different highly ranked institutes including the Department of Cell and Systems Biology of the University of Toronto, the Plant Science Center of the Yokohama Institute.
He is interested in elucidating the Mechanism of strigolactone signal transduction in Striga, Evolution of parasitic plants Development of small-molecule probes for understanding plant parasitism.

Designated associate professor
Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules of Nagoya University

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2019-02-27T08:49:51+01:00

Designated associate professor
Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules of Nagoya University

WCPP 2019 invited speaker TSUCHIYA YUICHIRO is a Designated associate professor at the Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules of Nagoya University. Prior to this position, he worked as a post-doctoral fellow in different highly ranked institutes including the Department of Cell and Systems Biology of the University of Toronto, the Plant Science Center of the Yokohama Institute. He is interested in elucidating the Mechanism of strigolactone signal transduction in Striga, Evolution of parasitic plants Development of small-molecule probes for understanding plant parasitism.

Jianqiang Wu

WCPP 2019 invited speaker JIANQIANG WU is a Full Professor from the Kunming Institute of Botany, of Chinese Academy of Sciences.
He spent a big part of his career at the Max Plank Institute as a group leader in the Department of Molecular Ecology. His research interests gather defence mechanisms of maize against insects and plant-parasitic plant interactions.

Professor
Kunming Institute of Botany

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2019-02-27T08:51:03+01:00

Professor
Kunming Institute of Botany

WCPP 2019 invited speaker JIANQIANG WU is a Full Professor from the Kunming Institute of Botany, of Chinese Academy of Sciences. He spent a big part of his career at the Max Plank Institute as a group leader in the Department of Molecular Ecology. His research interests gather defence mechanisms of maize against insects and plant-parasitic plant interactions.

Damaris Achieng Odeny

WCPP 2019 invited speaker DAMARIS ACHIENG ODENY (PhD) is a genomics scientist currently in charge of molecular breeding activities of all ICRISAT mandate crops in eastern and southern Africa. Prior to this, she worked as a senior researcher at the Agricultural Research Council (ARC), South Africa (2009 – 2013), where she played a key role in establishing the underutilized vegetable genomics group. Damaris is particularly passionate about mentoring of upcoming young scientists and ties most of her research activities to capacity building of African scientists.

Genomics scientist
ICRISAT

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2019-01-23T08:47:29+01:00

Genomics scientist
ICRISAT

WCPP 2019 invited speaker DAMARIS ACHIENG ODENY (PhD) is a genomics scientist currently in charge of molecular breeding activities of all ICRISAT mandate crops in eastern and southern Africa. Prior to this, she worked as a senior researcher at the Agricultural Research Council (ARC), South Africa (2009 – 2013), where she played a key role in establishing the underutilized vegetable genomics group. Damaris is particularly passionate about mentoring of upcoming young scientists and ties most of her research activities to capacity building of African scientists.

Jim Westwood

WCPP 2019 session chair Jim Westwood has been studying parasitic plants for 25 years. He has worked primarily with Orobanche, Phelipanche and Cuscuta, and is interested in host-parasite interactions, especially with respect to exchange of macromolecules, host defense responses, and parasite genomics. He is among the founding members of IPPS and is a past president of the society.  Jim has a B.A. from Concordia College (Moorhead, MN), M.S. from the University of Minnesota and Ph.D. from Purdue University. He is currently a Professor in the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences at Virginia Tech.

Professor

School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech

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2019-03-20T22:05:39+01:00

Professor

School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech

WCPP 2019 session chair Jim Westwood has been studying parasitic plants for 25 years. He has worked primarily with Orobanche, Phelipanche and Cuscuta, and is interested in host-parasite interactions, especially with respect to exchange of macromolecules, host defense responses, and parasite genomics. He is among the founding members of IPPS and is a past president of the society.  Jim has a B.A. from Concordia College (Moorhead, MN), M.S. from the University of Minnesota and Ph.D. from Purdue University. He is currently a Professor in the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences at Virginia Tech.

Hanan Eizenberg

WCPP 2019 invited speaker Hanan Eizenberg is a senior scientist in the Agricultural Research Organization, Israel (Head of the Newe Yaar Research Center), and an adjunct Professor of Weed Science at the Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel. His research focuses on biology and management of parasitic plants using advanced technologies. During the past 20 years, Prof. Eizenberg supervised more than 20 students on topics related to parasitic plants and published more than 50 research papers, reviews and book chapters. In Israel, Prof. Eizenberg recently led multi-regional projects to alleviate broomrape damage in tomato, sunflower and carrot, the results of which are now implemented on a national scale. In these studies, broomrape management was achieved using an integrated approach, based on parasitism dynamics models, precise chemical management and decision support systems.

Adjunct Professor of Weed Science

Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

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2019-03-28T10:04:53+01:00

Adjunct Professor of Weed Science

Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

WCPP 2019 invited speaker Hanan Eizenberg is a senior scientist in the Agricultural Research Organization, Israel (Head of the Newe Yaar Research Center), and an adjunct Professor of Weed Science at the Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel. His research focuses on biology and management of parasitic plants using advanced technologies. During the past 20 years, Prof. Eizenberg supervised more than 20 students on topics related to parasitic plants and published more than 50 research papers, reviews and book chapters. In Israel, Prof. Eizenberg recently led multi-regional projects to alleviate broomrape damage in tomato, sunflower and carrot, the results of which are now implemented on a national scale. In these studies, broomrape management was achieved using an integrated approach, based on parasitism dynamics models, precise chemical management and decision support systems.

Susann Wicke

WCPP 2019 invited speaker SUSANN WICKE is an Independent Research Group Leader from the Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity of the University of Münster, Germany. Her research centers on causes and consequences of heterotrophy in plants. Her overall goal is to understand the evolutionary-ecological and functional-genomic bases of organismal interaction between parasitic plants and their environment. Her group studies molecular adaptations associated with parasitism in plants to obtain fundamental insights into trophic specialization and the emergence of agricultural pests.

Independent Research Group Leader
Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity of the University of Münster, Germany

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2019-01-23T08:45:10+01:00

Independent Research Group Leader
Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity of the University of Münster, Germany

WCPP 2019 invited speaker SUSANN WICKE is an Independent Research Group Leader from the Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity of the University of Münster, Germany. Her research centers on causes and consequences of heterotrophy in plants. Her overall goal is to understand the evolutionary-ecological and functional-genomic bases of organismal interaction between parasitic plants and their environment. Her group studies molecular adaptations associated with parasitism in plants to obtain fundamental insights into trophic specialization and the emergence of agricultural pests.

Julie Scholes

WCPP 2019 invited speaker JULIE SCHOLES obtained her PhD in Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology at the University of Wales in 1986 and then moved to Sheffield University she now is Professor of Plant and Microbial Sciences. Prof Scholes’ research is focused on understanding the physiological and molecular interactions between plants and their symbionts particularly the root parasitic witchweeds of the genus Striga. She exploits genomic, comparative genomic, quantitative genetic and molecular approaches to identify genes underlying resistance in cereals to different genetic ecotypes of Striga species and to identify virulence/avirulence genes in the parasite to understand the molecular basis of host-parasite specificity.

Professor of Plant and Microbial Sciences
Sheffield University

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2019-02-27T08:59:02+01:00

Professor of Plant and Microbial Sciences
Sheffield University

WCPP 2019 invited speaker JULIE SCHOLES obtained her PhD in Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology at the University of Wales in 1986 and then moved to Sheffield University she now is Professor of Plant and Microbial Sciences. Prof Scholes’ research is focused on understanding the physiological and molecular interactions between plants and their symbionts particularly the root parasitic witchweeds of the genus Striga. She exploits genomic, comparative genomic, quantitative genetic and molecular approaches to identify genes underlying resistance in cereals to different genetic ecotypes of Striga species and to identify virulence/avirulence genes in the parasite to understand the molecular basis of host-parasite specificity.

Satoko Yoshida

WCPP 2019 invited speaker SATOKO YOSHIDA is Associate professor in the Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST), Japan. She obtained her Ph. D in plant science from the University of Tokyo. She worked as a post-doctoral scientist on plant symbiosis in the Sainsbury Laboratory, UK and as a faculty member at the University of Munich, Germany. She started her research on parasitic plants in RIKEN, Japan with Prof. Ken Shirasu in 2006, and started her own laboratory in 2016. Her research focus is molecular mechanisms of haustorium formation and parasitic plant-host interaction in Orobanchaceae, especially in Striga spp and Phtheirospermum japonicum.

Assoc. Prof. Plant Symbiosis
Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST), Japan

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2019-01-23T08:43:57+01:00

Assoc. Prof. Plant Symbiosis
Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST), Japan

WCPP 2019 invited speaker SATOKO YOSHIDA is Associate professor in the Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST), Japan. She obtained her Ph. D in plant science from the University of Tokyo. She worked as a post-doctoral scientist on plant symbiosis in the Sainsbury Laboratory, UK and as a faculty member at the University of Munich, Germany. She started her research on parasitic plants in RIKEN, Japan with Prof. Ken Shirasu in 2006, and started her own laboratory in 2016. Her research focus is molecular mechanisms of haustorium formation and parasitic plant-host interaction in Orobanchaceae, especially in Striga spp and Phtheirospermum japonicum.

John Yoder

WCPP 2019 session chair John Yoder is professor of Plant Biology at UC Davis. He investigates molecular genetic mechanisms governing plant-plant interactions. He is specifically interested in understanding how molecules released by the roots of some plants effect the growth and development of nearby plants and intends to translate these findings into developing crops that are “self-weeding”. Probably the most robust model for investigating chemical signaling between plants are parasitic plants in the Orobanchaceae because these root parasites use molecules released into the rhizosphere by host roots as chemical cues to initiate the development of invasive haustoria. Haustorium development can be monitored in vitro by adding host-derived chemicals to aseptically grown parasite seedlings and visualizing haustorium development under a dissecting microscope within hours of treatment. His lab uses a combination of genomics, biochemistry, and plant biology approaches to identify bioactive molecules in host root exudates, learn how their release into the rhizosphere is regulated, and understand how the parasite recognizes and responds to molecular signals from other plants.

professor of Plant Biology at UC Davis

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2019-03-20T21:32:54+01:00

professor of Plant Biology at UC Davis

WCPP 2019 session chair John Yoder is professor of Plant Biology at UC Davis. He investigates molecular genetic mechanisms governing plant-plant interactions. He is specifically interested in understanding how molecules released by the roots of some plants effect the growth and development of nearby plants and intends to translate these findings into developing crops that are “self-weeding”. Probably the most robust model for investigating chemical signaling between plants are parasitic plants in the Orobanchaceae because these root parasites use molecules released into the rhizosphere by host roots as chemical cues to initiate the development of invasive haustoria. Haustorium development can be monitored in vitro by adding host-derived chemicals to aseptically grown parasite seedlings and visualizing haustorium development under a dissecting microscope within hours of treatment. His lab uses a combination of genomics, biochemistry, and plant biology approaches to identify bioactive molecules in host root exudates, learn how their release into the rhizosphere is regulated, and understand how the parasite recognizes and responds to molecular signals from other plants.

Kirsten Krause

WCPP 2019 invited speaker KIRSTEN KRAUSE Head of the Microbes & Plants Research Unit (The Arctic University of Norway) will be one of the keynote speakers at the WCPP19. Her research is focused on molecular sensing and signaling at the cellular and organismic level, its evolution and its role in parasitic plants, with a particular emphasis on the genus Cuscuta.

Head of the Microbes & Plants Research Unit
The Arctic University of Norway

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2019-02-27T08:53:06+01:00

Head of the Microbes & Plants Research Unit
The Arctic University of Norway

WCPP 2019 invited speaker KIRSTEN KRAUSE Head of the Microbes & Plants Research Unit (The Arctic University of Norway) will be one of the keynote speakers at the WCPP19. Her research is focused on molecular sensing and signaling at the cellular and organismic level, its evolution and its role in parasitic plants, with a particular emphasis on the genus Cuscuta.

Michael Axtell

WCPP 2019 invited speaker MICHAEL AXTELL earned a B.A. in Biology from Ithaca College in 1998 and a Ph.D. in Plant Biology from The University of California, Berkeley, in 2003. From 2003 to 2006 he was a postdoctoral researcher at The Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, where he studied microRNAs and short RNAs. In 2006 he joined the Department of Biology at The Pennsylvania State University where he is Professor now. Dr. Axtell's research focuses on the analysis, evolution and function of regulatory small RNAs in plants including parasitic plants.

Professor
Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University

 

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2019-02-27T08:55:04+01:00

Professor
Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University

 

WCPP 2019 invited speaker MICHAEL AXTELL earned a B.A. in Biology from Ithaca College in 1998 and a Ph.D. in Plant Biology from The University of California, Berkeley, in 2003. From 2003 to 2006 he was a postdoctoral researcher at The Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, where he studied microRNAs and short RNAs. In 2006 he joined the Department of Biology at The Pennsylvania State University where he is Professor now. Dr. Axtell's research focuses on the analysis, evolution and function of regulatory small RNAs in plants including parasitic plants.

Steven Runo

WCPP 2019 session chair Steven Runo obtained his Molecular Biology PhD degree in 2007 at Kenyatta University as a Rockefeller Foundation Fellow in the groups of Prof. Neelima Sinha (University of California, Davis, USA) and Prof Jesse Machuka (Kenyatta University, Kenya). His PhD research focused on Long Distance RNA trafficking between the parasitic plant Cuscuta and hosts tomato, tobacco and medicago. In 2008, he started working as Lecturer at Kenyatta University in the Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology. In 2009, he worked as a visiting Scientist at the University, Sheffield in the laboratory of Julie Scholes where he researched on interaction of maize and Striga. In 2010 he returned to Kenya and his position became Senior Lecturer in 2012. This was followed by another visiting scientist position at the University of Virginia in 2014 in the laboratory of Prof Michael Timko where he did research on Striga genomics. Upon his return to Kenyatta University, he started his research group focusing on natural resistance of Striga hosts using molecular biology and genomic tools. He continues to hold the position of Senior Lecturer at Kenyatta University and where he is also the current head of the Biochemistry, Microbiology and Biotechnology Department.

Group leader

Kenyatta University

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2019-03-20T22:00:40+01:00

Group leader

Kenyatta University

WCPP 2019 session chair Steven Runo obtained his Molecular Biology PhD degree in 2007 at Kenyatta University as a Rockefeller Foundation Fellow in the groups of Prof. Neelima Sinha (University of California, Davis, USA) and Prof Jesse Machuka (Kenyatta University, Kenya). His PhD research focused on Long Distance RNA trafficking between the parasitic plant Cuscuta and hosts tomato, tobacco and medicago. In 2008, he started working as Lecturer at Kenyatta University in the Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology. In 2009, he worked as a visiting Scientist at the University, Sheffield in the laboratory of Julie Scholes where he researched on interaction of maize and Striga. In 2010 he returned to Kenya and his position became Senior Lecturer in 2012. This was followed by another visiting scientist position at the University of Virginia in 2014 in the laboratory of Prof Michael Timko where he did research on Striga genomics. Upon his return to Kenyatta University, he started his research group focusing on natural resistance of Striga hosts using molecular biology and genomic tools. He continues to hold the position of Senior Lecturer at Kenyatta University and where he is also the current head of the Biochemistry, Microbiology and Biotechnology Department.

Tadao Asami

WCPP 2019 invited speaker TADAO ASAMI had his first experience with plant drug discovery research in Nobutaka Takahashi’s lab while he was an undergraduate at the University of Tokyo. He continued to work with Nobutaka Takahashi, earning his PhD in Drug Discovery in 1987. After working for Japan Bayer Crop Sciences Co. Ltd., Tadao became a researcher at RIKEN in 1991. In 2006, Tadao moved to the University of Tokyo, where he is now Professor. His lab’s research is focused on the design and synthesis of chemical regulators of karrikin and strigolactone signaling.

Professor

Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences

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2019-03-20T22:09:27+01:00

Professor

Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences

WCPP 2019 invited speaker TADAO ASAMI had his first experience with plant drug discovery research in Nobutaka Takahashi’s lab while he was an undergraduate at the University of Tokyo. He continued to work with Nobutaka Takahashi, earning his PhD in Drug Discovery in 1987. After working for Japan Bayer Crop Sciences Co. Ltd., Tadao became a researcher at RIKEN in 1991. In 2006, Tadao moved to the University of Tokyo, where he is now Professor. His lab’s research is focused on the design and synthesis of chemical regulators of karrikin and strigolactone signaling.

Dave Nelson

WCPP 2019 session chair DAVE NELSON had his first experience with plant genetic research in Bonnie Bartel’s lab while he was an undergraduate at Rice University. He worked with Michael Sussman at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, earning his PhD in Genetics in 2006. After postdoctoral research positions with Steven Smith at the University of Western Australia and Winslow Briggs at the Carnegie Institution for Science, Dave became an Assistant Professor in the Department of Genetics at the University of Georgia in 2011. In 2016, Dave moved to the University of California, Riverside, where he is now an Associate Professor. His lab’s research is focused on the mechanisms and evolution of karrikin and strigolactone signaling.

Associate Professor
University of California, Riverside

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2019-02-27T11:00:23+01:00

Associate Professor
University of California, Riverside

WCPP 2019 session chair DAVE NELSON had his first experience with plant genetic research in Bonnie Bartel’s lab while he was an undergraduate at Rice University. He worked with Michael Sussman at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, earning his PhD in Genetics in 2006. After postdoctoral research positions with Steven Smith at the University of Western Australia and Winslow Briggs at the Carnegie Institution for Science, Dave became an Assistant Professor in the Department of Genetics at the University of Georgia in 2011. In 2016, Dave moved to the University of California, Riverside, where he is now an Associate Professor. His lab’s research is focused on the mechanisms and evolution of karrikin and strigolactone signaling.

Maurizio Vurro

WCPP 2019 session chair Maurizio Vurro is a plant pathologist specialized in: production and biological characterization of bioactive metabolites by phytopathogenic fungi; use of microbes, microbial products and natural metabolites as agrochemicals; parasitic weed management; weed biological control. He is employed as Director of Research at the Institute of Sciences of Food Production (ISPA), National Research Council, Bari, Italy. He was the coordinator of several projects, and acted as scientific and local organizer of several international events, e.g., among others: a Rockefeller/OECD-CRP Conference, a NATO Advanced School and a NATO Workshop; a OECD conference on parasitic weed management; the 11' World Congress on Parasitic Plants; the 13' European Weed Research Society Symposium. He was involved in several European COST actions. He is coordinator of the WG Parasitic Weeds within the EWRS.

Director of Research Institute of Sciences of Food Production (ISPA), National Research Council, Bari

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2019-03-20T21:31:17+01:00

Director of Research Institute of Sciences of Food Production (ISPA), National Research Council, Bari

WCPP 2019 session chair Maurizio Vurro is a plant pathologist specialized in: production and biological characterization of bioactive metabolites by phytopathogenic fungi; use of microbes, microbial products and natural metabolites as agrochemicals; parasitic weed management; weed biological control. He is employed as Director of Research at the Institute of Sciences of Food Production (ISPA), National Research Council, Bari, Italy. He was the coordinator of several projects, and acted as scientific and local organizer of several international events, e.g., among others: a Rockefeller/OECD-CRP Conference, a NATO Advanced School and a NATO Workshop; a OECD conference on parasitic weed management; the 11' World Congress on Parasitic Plants; the 13' European Weed Research Society Symposium. He was involved in several European COST actions. He is coordinator of the WG Parasitic Weeds within the EWRS.

Claude dePamphilis

WCPP 2019 session chair and invited speaker Claude dePamphilis is a Professor of Biology at Penn State University.  He earned his undergraduate degree in Biology at Oberlin College and graduate degrees at the University of Georgia, where he studied population genetics, pollination biology, and evolution. After thinking about parasitic plants as fascinating oddities for many years, his "aha moment" with parasitic plants came in 1986 when he realized that parasitic plants were powerful "evolutionary mutants" for the study of plant genomes and gene function.  He secured a postdoctoral fellowship in 1988 to study the evolution of the plastid genome of the non-photosynthetic parasite Epifagus, in the lab of Jeff Palmer, and has continued to research parasitic plants with a passion ever since, including molecular analyses of every major group of parasitic plants. For the last 11 years, with the initiation of the Parasitic Plant Genome Project and other collaborations, his focus has largely been to generate and leverage comparative genomic data in the search for and experimental testing of 'genes that matter' in parasitic plant - host plant interactions.

Professor of Biology Penn State University

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2019-03-18T15:09:38+01:00

Professor of Biology Penn State University

WCPP 2019 session chair and invited speaker Claude dePamphilis is a Professor of Biology at Penn State University.  He earned his undergraduate degree in Biology at Oberlin College and graduate degrees at the University of Georgia, where he studied population genetics, pollination biology, and evolution. After thinking about parasitic plants as fascinating oddities for many years, his "aha moment" with parasitic plants came in 1986 when he realized that parasitic plants were powerful "evolutionary mutants" for the study of plant genomes and gene function.  He secured a postdoctoral fellowship in 1988 to study the evolution of the plastid genome of the non-photosynthetic parasite Epifagus, in the lab of Jeff Palmer, and has continued to research parasitic plants with a passion ever since, including molecular analyses of every major group of parasitic plants. For the last 11 years, with the initiation of the Parasitic Plant Genome Project and other collaborations, his focus has largely been to generate and leverage comparative genomic data in the search for and experimental testing of 'genes that matter' in parasitic plant - host plant interactions.

Jakub Těšitel

WCPP 2019 invited speaker JAKUB TĚŠITEL is a plant ecologist interested in a broad scope of ecological topics ranging from ecophysiology and population ecology to community and ecosystem processes. Since his PhD studies, he has specialized in the biology and ecology of root-hemiparasitic Orobanchaceae. He investigated heterotrophic organic carbon uptake by hemiparasites as well as the adaptive value of the hemiparasitic life strategy. In recent years, Jakub studied the use of hemiparasitic plant species in grassland restoration and conservation to suppress competitive grasses threatening biodiversity.

Associate Professor
Department of Botany and Zoology, Masaryk University

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2019-02-27T08:57:48+01:00

Associate Professor
Department of Botany and Zoology, Masaryk University

WCPP 2019 invited speaker JAKUB TĚŠITEL is a plant ecologist interested in a broad scope of ecological topics ranging from ecophysiology and population ecology to community and ecosystem processes. Since his PhD studies, he has specialized in the biology and ecology of root-hemiparasitic Orobanchaceae. He investigated heterotrophic organic carbon uptake by hemiparasites as well as the adaptive value of the hemiparasitic life strategy. In recent years, Jakub studied the use of hemiparasitic plant species in grassland restoration and conservation to suppress competitive grasses threatening biodiversity.

Shelley Lumba

WCPP 2019 invited speaker Shelley Lumba is an Early Career Researcher who joined the Department of Cell and Systems Biology at the University of Toronto as Assistant Professor in September 2016. The aim of the Lumba lab is to elucidate the signalling networks underpinning germination of the parasitic witchweed, Striga. Her group is integrating bioinformatics, high-throughput proteomics and functional approaches to discover functions of genes involved in Striga germination and construct StrigaNet, the first Striga protein interaction network. Shelley received her B.Sc. Honours and Ph.D. in Plant Molecular Genetics from the University of Toronto, where she also conducted post-doctoral studies. Overall, Shelley’s collective research has been cited over 2000 times. Due to the potential of her research to become world leading, she was awarded an NSERC Accelerator Supplement, which aims to support researchers with superior, highly innovative and original research programs. Shelley has served on the International Plant Growth Substances Association (IPGSA) Conference Organizing Committee, the International Plant Molecular Biology (IPMB) Scientific Board and is currently on the International Strigolactone Meeting Organization Committee.

Assistant Professor

University of Toronto

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2019-03-25T12:04:31+01:00

Assistant Professor

University of Toronto

WCPP 2019 invited speaker Shelley Lumba is an Early Career Researcher who joined the Department of Cell and Systems Biology at the University of Toronto as Assistant Professor in September 2016. The aim of the Lumba lab is to elucidate the signalling networks underpinning germination of the parasitic witchweed, Striga. Her group is integrating bioinformatics, high-throughput proteomics and functional approaches to discover functions of genes involved in Striga germination and construct StrigaNet, the first Striga protein interaction network. Shelley received her B.Sc. Honours and Ph.D. in Plant Molecular Genetics from the University of Toronto, where she also conducted post-doctoral studies. Overall, Shelley’s collective research has been cited over 2000 times. Due to the potential of her research to become world leading, she was awarded an NSERC Accelerator Supplement, which aims to support researchers with superior, highly innovative and original research programs. Shelley has served on the International Plant Growth Substances Association (IPGSA) Conference Organizing Committee, the International Plant Molecular Biology (IPMB) Scientific Board and is currently on the International Strigolactone Meeting Organization Committee.
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