Wael El Kolaly | Biotechnology | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Molecular Biologist

Assist. Prof. Dr. Wael El Kolaly | Biotechnology | Best Researcher Award 

Agricultural Research Center, at Agricultural Engineering Research Institute in Egypt.

Wael Mohamed Fahmy Fath El-Kolaly is an Egyptian researcher specializing in agricultural engineering, solar energy applications, and smart agricultural systems. With a strong academic background, he has contributed significantly to renewable energy solutions in agriculture. Dr. El-Kolaly has held research and faculty positions at prestigious institutions, including Hubei University of Technology and Yunnan Normal University in China. His work focuses on smart greenhouses, irrigation systems, biomass energy, and mechanization technologies. He has published numerous research papers in high-impact journals and actively collaborates on international projects. His expertise spans agricultural biotechnology, environmental science, and renewable energy, making him a key contributor to sustainable agricultural innovations.

Professional Profile

Scopus

ORCID

Education 🎓

Dr. Wael El-Kolaly has an extensive educational background in agricultural engineering and renewable energy. He earned his Ph.D. in Agricultural Science from Tanta University, Egypt (2017), specializing in the development and performance evaluation of a plot seeder. Prior to that, he completed his M.Sc. in Agricultural Engineering at Mansoura University (2008), focusing on developing a power unit using human power. His academic journey also includes postdoctoral research at Kunming University of Science and Technology, China (2018-2022), where he worked on silicon solar cell applications for photovoltaic farms. Additionally, he holds diploma degrees in agricultural machinery and land reclamation from Mansoura and Zagazig Universities. His multidisciplinary education has laid a solid foundation for his research in energy-efficient agricultural systems and mechanization.

Experience 💼

Dr. El-Kolaly has accumulated extensive experience in academia, research, and industry. He is currently a professor at Hubei University of Technology, China (2024-2025) and an expert researcher at Yunnan Normal University (2023-2024). Previously, he worked as a researcher at Kunming University of Science and Technology (2018-2022), contributing to solar energy and silicon metallurgy research. In Egypt, he has served as a researcher at the Agricultural Engineering Research Institute (AENRI) since 2018. His experience also includes roles in agricultural equipment sales and consultancy at Egyptian Consulting & Trading Co. LTD. His professional journey showcases a commitment to advancing agricultural and renewable energy solutions through innovative research and technology development.

Research Interests 🌿

Dr. El-Kolaly’s research interests revolve around sustainable agricultural technologies and renewable energy applications. He is particularly focused on solar energy systems, smart greenhouses, and agricultural biotechnology. His work also extends to environmental science, irrigation management, waste management, and remote sensing. By integrating artificial intelligence (AI) in agriculture, he aims to optimize agricultural productivity and efficiency. Additionally, he explores the development of biomass and biogas energy systems, emphasizing sustainable energy use in farming. His interdisciplinary research contributes to global efforts in enhancing food security and reducing the environmental footprint of agricultural activities.

Awards & Recognitions 🏆

Dr. El-Kolaly has received several accolades for his outstanding contributions to agricultural research and renewable energy. He has been recognized for his innovative work in smart agricultural systems and solar energy applications. His achievements include grants and fellowships supporting his research in photovoltaic technology, sustainable mechanization, and energy-efficient farming techniques. Through his dedication to scientific advancements, he has gained international recognition and continues to drive impactful research projects that address pressing agricultural and environmental challenges.

Top Noted Publications 📖

Dr. El-Kolaly has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals, contributing valuable insights to agricultural and energy research. Some of his key publications include:

  • El-Kolaly, W., et al. (2024). “Production of biogas from various types of spent mushroom substrate under different growth conditions.” Bioresource Technology Reports.

    • This study aimed to generate biogas by utilizing different types of spent mushroom substrate (SMS) obtained from three mushroom varieties. ​ScienceDirect+1ResearchGate+1

  • Li, Q., et al. (2024). “Progress in the treatment of copper(II)-containing wastewater and wastewater treatment systems based on combined technologies: A review.” Journal of Water Process Engineering.

    • This paper reviews conventional treatment methods for copper(II)-containing wastewater, including chemical methods such as chemical precipitation, replacement, flotation, and electrolysis. ​ScienceDirect

  • Li, K., et al. (2021). “Effects of drying variables on the characteristic of the hot air drying for Gastrodia elata: Experiments and multi-variable model.” Energy.

    • In this work, Gastrodia elata was subjected to hot air drying to reveal the drying characteristics with the medicinal indicator of gastrodin ingredient. ​Semantic Scholar+3IDEAS/RePEc+3ResearchGate+3

  • El-Kolaly, W., et al. (2020). “Investigation of energy production and mushroom yield in greenhouse production based on mono photovoltaic cells effect.” Renewable Energy.

    • The purpose of this study is to present the potential of an innovative cooling system and mono passivated emitter rear contact photovoltaic cells (Mono PERC PV) with shading to optimize energy production, microclimatic conditions, and Pleurotus ostreatus mushroom production. ​Wiley Online Library+2IDEAS/RePEc+2ResearchGate+2

  • Issa, I. I. M., et al. (2020). “Design, ANSYS analysis and performance evaluation of potato digger harvester.” International Agricultural Engineering Journal.

    • This study aimed to design and test a digger harvester for harvesting potatoes efficiently. The harvester was fabricated to facilitate effective harvesting and reduce manual efforts by farmers in the field. ​Sciendo+5ResearchGate+5CABI Digital Library+5

  • Omer, A. A., et al. (2020). “Ultra-Thin Silicon Wafers Fabrication and Inverted Pyramid Texturing Based on Cu-Catalyzed Chemical Etching.” Silicon.

    • This paper discusses the fabrication of ultra-thin silicon wafers and the creation of inverted pyramid texturing using copper-catalyzed chemical etching.

Conclusion

Dr. Wael El-Kolaly is a strong candidate for a Best Researcher Award in Agricultural Engineering, Renewable Energy, and Smart Agriculture Systems. His international experience, publications, and research focus on sustainability make him highly competitive. However, securing major research funding, increasing leadership roles, and demonstrating broader industry and policy impact could further strengthen his candidacy.

Xinying Zhang | synthetic biology | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Molecular Biologist

Ms. Xinying Zhang | synthetic biology | Best Researcher Award 

research assistant, at Engineering,South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China.

Xinying Zhang is a dedicated researcher specializing in synthetic biology and microbial metabolic engineering. She focuses on optimizing gene expression in Pichia pastoris to enhance biosynthesis capabilities, particularly for high-value compounds like squalene and lycopene. As a researcher at the South China University of Technology, she has actively contributed to major research projects, including a national key research initiative and a provincial Natural Science Foundation project. With six SCI-indexed publications in esteemed journals like ACS Synthetic Biology and Microbial Cell Factories, she is at the forefront of advancing microbial biotechnology. Additionally, she has applied for a patent related to P. pastoris engineering.

Professional Profile

Scopus

Education 🎓

Xinying Zhang pursued her academic journey in the field of biological engineering, specializing in synthetic biology. She acquired her expertise through rigorous research at the School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology. Her education laid the foundation for her innovative work on Pichia pastoris as a microbial cell factory. Through her studies, she developed expertise in gene editing, metabolic pathway reconstruction, and protein expression. Her research focused on utilizing methanol as a carbon source for high-value biochemical production, a novel approach in metabolic engineering.

Experience ⚙️

Xinying Zhang has accumulated extensive research experience in microbial metabolic engineering and synthetic biology. She has worked on developing gene editing tools and optimizing regulatory elements for Pichia pastoris to enhance biosynthesis efficiency. She played a crucial role in two major research projects—one funded by the National Key Research and Development Program and another by the Guangdong Provincial Natural Science Foundation. Her experience includes successfully engineering P. pastoris for high-level squalene production, leading to groundbreaking findings in microbial biotechnology. Her research contributions are published in Q1-ranked SCI journals, reflecting her impactful work in the field.

Research Interests 🎡

Xinying Zhang’s research interests revolve around synthetic biology, gene editing system development, and microbial metabolic optimization. She focuses on engineering Pichia pastoris to produce valuable biochemicals using renewable feedstocks like methanol. Her work explores heterologous protein expression, surface display, and metabolic reconstruction to enhance biofuel and biochemical production. Through transcriptomic analysis, she identifies bottlenecks in biosynthesis pathways, paving the way for high-yield microbial production systems. Her innovative approach has positioned P. pastoris as a promising platform for sustainable biochemical synthesis.

Awards & Recognitions 🏆

Xinying Zhang has been recognized for her contributions to synthetic biology and metabolic engineering. She has received accolades for her research publications and has been involved in prestigious research grants. Her groundbreaking work on metabolic engineering of P. pastoris for lycopene and squalene production has garnered significant attention in the scientific community. She has also applied for a patent related to microbial engineering for lycopene synthesis. Her work continues to receive citations, reflecting its impact on advancing biotechnological applications.

Top Noted Publications 📚

  • Metabolic Engineering of Pichia pastoris for High-Level Production of Lycopene

    • Authors: Xinying Zhang, Shuting Chen, Ying Lin, Wenjie Li, Denggang Wang, Shupeng Ruan, Yuxin Yang, and Shuli Liang
    • Journal: ACS Synthetic Biology
    • Publication Date: October 2, 2023
    • Volume: 12
    • Issue: 10
    • Pages: 2961–2972
    • DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00294
    • Summary: This study focuses on enhancing lycopene production in Pichia pastoris through metabolic engineering. The researchers developed a CRISPR/Cpf1-based gene repression system and optimized gene editing techniques. They also utilized the sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP) to regulate lipid metabolic pathways, leading to a final engineered strain that produced lycopene at 7.24 g/L and 75.48 mg/g cell dry weight in fed-batch fermentation, marking the highest lycopene yield in P. pastoris to date.
      American Chemical Society Publications

  • A Novel and Efficient Genome Editing Tool Assisted by CRISPR-Cas12a/Cpf1 for Pichia pastoris

    • Authors: Xinying Zhang, Songjie Gu, Xueyun Zheng, Siqi Peng, Yanru Li, Ying Lin, and Shuli Liang
    • Journal: ACS Synthetic Biology
    • Publication Date: November 19, 2021
    • Volume: 10
    • Issue: 11
    • Pages: 2927–2937
    • DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.1c00172
    • Summary: This research introduces a novel genome editing method for Pichia pastoris using the CRISPR-Cpf1 system. The method enables efficient deletion of large DNA fragments and integration of multiple gene fragments. The system demonstrated high editing efficiency for single-gene disruptions (99 ± 0.8%), dual-gene edits (65 ± 2.5% to 80 ± 3%), and triple-gene edits (30 ± 2.5%). Notably, it achieved the deletion of 20 kb DNA fragments and one-step integration of multiple genes, providing a robust tool for genetic engineering in P. pastoris.
      American Chemical Society Publications

  • Production of Lycopene by Metabolically Engineered Pichia pastoris

    • Authors: Xinying Zhang, Denggang Wang, Yuxin Duan, Xueyun Zheng, Ying Lin, and Shuli Liang
    • Journal: Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry
    • Publication Date: March 2020
    • Volume: 84
    • Issue: 3
    • Pages: 463–470
    • DOI: 10.1080/09168451.2019.1693250
    • Summary: This study aimed to enhance lycopene production in Pichia pastoris by integrating lycopene biosynthesis genes from Corynebacterium glutamicum into the GS115 strain. Initial modifications resulted in a lycopene production of 0.115 mg/g cell dry weight. Through optimizations such as promoter selection and increasing precursor supply, the final engineered strain achieved 6.146 mg/g in shake flask fermentation and 9.319 mg/g (0.714 g/L) in a 3 L fermenter, showcasing the potential of P. pastoris as a host for terpenoid production.
      PubMed

Conclusion

Xinying Zhang is a strong contender for the Best Researcher Award due to high-impact research, strong publication record, and innovative work in metabolic engineering. To further strengthen the application, expanding industry collaborations, engaging in professional societies, and showcasing citation impact would enhance competitiveness.