Committees
The Organizing Committee
Prof. Khalid Meksem
Prof. Moulay Abdelmajid Kassem (Majid)
Dr. Khalid Meksem is a distinguished Professor of Plant Genomics and Genetics in the Department of Plant, Soil, and Agricultural Systems at Southern Illinois University (SIU) Carbondale. He began his career at SIU as a Postdoctoral Fellow in 1996 and progressed through the faculty ranks—serving as Assistant Professor (2000–2005), Associate Professor (2005–2008), and achieving the rank of Full Professor in 2009
Dr. Meksem’s research program focuses on structural and functional genomics, with a long-standing emphasis on the molecular mechanisms of plant disease resistance, particularly against nematodes and fungal pathogens. His work also explores genetic diversity, mutation breeding, and crop improvement, including enhancing soybean and potato resistance traits.
He has authored more than 60 peer-reviewed publications, 3 book chapters, and edited 3 scientific books, and his innovations have led to multiple patents related to disease resistance genes in key crops. Dr. Meksem serves as editor and reviewer for numerous international scientific journals and funding agencies, contributing broadly to the global plant science community.
Dr. Meksem received his Ph.D. in Genetics, Biochemistry, and Botany from the University of Cologne and the Max Planck Institute (1995), after earning an M.S. in Plant Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of Paris XI and a B.S. in Biology and Genetics from universities in Morocco.
His distinguished career continues to advance plant genomics and crop resilience, bridging fundamental research and practical agricultural applications.
Dr. Moulay Abdelmajid Kassem is a Professor of Plant Biology and former Department Chair in the Department of Biological and Forensic Sciences at Fayetteville State University (FSU), North Carolina, USA. With more than 25 years of experience in higher education, he has built a distinguished career spanning teaching, research, academic leadership, and interdisciplinary innovation at the interface of plant science, bioinformatics, and data science.
Dr. Kassem earned his Ph.D. in Plant Biology from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, where his research focused on quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping and molecular genetics of soybean (Glycine max). He also holds an M.S. in Enzymatic Engineering, Bioconversion, and Microbiology from the University of Picardie Jules Verne (France) and a B.S. in Plant Biology from Mohamed V University (Morocco). To further strengthen his computational expertise, he completed an M.S. in Data Science at Eastern University (2024), along with advanced training in machine learning and artificial intelligence.
Throughout his career, Dr. Kassem has served in several academic leadership roles, including Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at the American University of Ras Al Khaimah (UAE).
An internationally recognized researcher, Dr. Kassem has authored more than 75 peer-reviewed publications, several books, and book chapters with major academic publishers. He is also deeply committed to student mentorship and founded the Bioinformatics Research Group (BRG) at FSU, where students receive hands-on training in genomics, phylogenetics, and computational biology.
In Partnership With
INRA, Rabat & Agadir, Morocco
University Ibn Zohr, Agadir, Morocco
Prof. Lamiae Ghaouti, Director of INRA, Rabat
Dr. Badr Benjelloun, Director, CRRA, INRA, Rabat
Prof. Mohammed Amine Serghini, University Ibn Zohr, Agadir, Morocco
Prof. Abdelhamid El Mousadik, , VP, University Ibn Zohr, Agadir, Morocco
Scientific Committee
Khalid Meksem, Professor, Southern Illinois University; USA
My Abdelmajid Kassem, Professor, Fayetteville State University; USA
Alan Walters, Professor, Southern Illinois University; USA
John Groninger, Professor, Southern Illinois University; USA
Adnane Boualem, INRA/CNRS, Paris-Saclay, France
Badr Benjelloun, INRA, Rabat, Morocco
Abdelhamid El Mousadik, Professor, University Ibn Zohr, Agadir; Morocco
Mohammed Amine Serghini, University Ibn Zohr, Agadir, Morocco
Mohamed Bendahmane; UMR INRA CNRS ENSL; Ecole Normale Supérieure, Lyon, France
Abstracts Judging Committee
My Abdelmajid Kassem, Professor, Fayetteville State University; USA
Alan Walters, Professor, Southern Illinois University; USA
John Groninger, Professor, Southern Illinois University; USA
Karen Midden, Southern Illinois University; USA
[Name], [Title], University Ibn Zohr, Agadir, Morocco
[Name], [Title], University Ibn Zohr, Agadir, Morocco
