Jelena Visković | Agricultural and Biological Sciences | Best Researcher Award

University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Agriculture | Serbia

Dr. Jelena Visković is an accomplished agricultural scientist specializing in crop science, with a strong academic and research background focused on field and vegetable crops. She earned her Ph.D. in Crop Science from Oregon State University, College of Agriculture, where her research contributed to advancing sustainable crop production and optimizing agricultural practices. Prior to that, she completed both her master’s degree in Field Crop Production and her bachelor’s degree in Organic Agriculture at the University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Agriculture, where she demonstrated outstanding academic excellence, earning multiple awards for being the best student in her class and the best student of the faculty. Since 2015, Dr. Visković has been serving as a Teaching Assistant at the University of Novi Sad, Department for Field and Vegetable Crops, where she has been actively engaged in teaching, mentoring students, and conducting applied research in crop science and sustainable agricultural systems. Her professional development includes international training and research collaborations across several countries, including Switzerland, the United States, Austria, Greece, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, and the Czech Republic, reflecting her commitment to integrating global agricultural knowledge and innovations into local contexts. Dr. Visković is a dedicated member of the Soil Science Society of Serbia and the Association for the Advancement of Industrial Crops (AAIC), contributing to interdisciplinary discussions on soil management, crop improvement, and industrial crop utilization. Her work emphasizes the enhancement of crop productivity and sustainability through evidence-based agricultural practices and the integration of environmental considerations in modern farming. Through her teaching, research, and collaborations, Dr. Visković continues to foster innovation and knowledge exchange in the field of agricultural sciences, aiming to promote sustainable food production and resource-efficient crop systems for future generations.

Profile: Scoups | Orcid

Featured Publications

Visković, J., Sikora, V., Latković, D., Zeremski, T., Dunđerski, D., Astatkie, T., Noller, J., & Zheljazkov, V. D. (2024). Optimization of hemp production technology for fiber and seed. Industrial Crops and Products, 219, 119127.

Visković, J., Dunđerski, D., Adamović, B., Jaćimović, G., Latković, D., & Vojnović, Đ. (2024). Toward an environmentally friendly future: An overview of biofuels from corn and potential alternatives in hemp and cucurbits. Agronomy, 14(6), 1195.

Visković, J., Zheljazkov, V. D., Sikora, V., Noller, J., Latković, D., Ocamb, C. M., & Koren, A. (2023). Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) agronomy and utilization: A review. Agronomy, 13(3), 931.

Visković, J., Sikora, V., Latković, D., Dunđerski, D., Astatkie, T., Noller, J., & Zheljazkov, V. D. (2023, August 27–30). Optimization of hemp production technology for fiber uses [Conference presentation]. In J. V. Anderson, D. Samarappuli, & M. Berti (Eds.), Building sustainable bioeconomies with industrial crops and products: 34th Annual Meeting of the Association for the Advancement of Industrial Crops (AAIC), Conference program and abstracts. Corvallis, OR, USA.

Visković, J., Sikora, V., Latković, D., Zeremski, T., Noller, J., & Zheljazkov, V. D. (2023, August 27–30). Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) essential oil content and composition depending on the cultivar, seeding date, spacing, and sampling time [Poster presentation]. In J. V. Anderson, D. Samarappuli, & M. Berti (Eds.), Building sustainable bioeconomies with industrial crops and products: 34th Annual Meeting of the Association for the Advancement of Industrial Crops (AAIC), Conference program and abstracts. Corvallis, OR, USA.

Dunđerski, D., Jaćimović, G., Crnobarac, J., Visković, J., & Latković, D. (2023). Using digital image analysis to estimate corn ear traits in agrotechnical field trials: The case with harvest residues and fertilization regimes. Agriculture, 13(4), 732

Kwame Kumi Asare | Genetics and Molecular Biology | Best Researcher Award

University of Cape Coast | Ghana

Dr. Kwame Kumi Asare is a Ghanaian biomedical scientist, with roots in Effiduase Banko in the Ashanti Region. He holds a PhD in Medical Science (Infection Research) from Nagasaki University, Japan, an MPhil in Parasitology, and a BSc in Medical Laboratory Technology from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. His research focuses on infectious and non-communicable diseases, with expertise in parasitic infections such as malaria and leishmaniasis. He currently serves as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, working on Plasmodium falciparum gametocytogenesis, and as a Hall Tutor at Valco and Alumni Halls, University of Cape Coast. He has held several academic and research positions at Nagasaki University, including Global Health Innovative Technology (GHIT) Postdoctoral Research Fellow, and continues as a Visiting Researcher. Dr. Kwame Kumi Asare teaches both undergraduate and postgraduate courses in parasitology, molecular parasitic diseases, and research methods. He is an Africa Research Excellence Fund (AREF) Fellow and a recipient of multiple international fellowships in global health and leadership. Professionally, he is a member of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH), and the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG). Beyond academia, he contributes to scientific leadership through curriculum development, journal editorial work, and public health initiatives, including the establishment of research and vocational facilities supporting community development in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.

Profile: Google Scholar | Orcid

Featured Publications

Boampong, J. N., Ameyaw, E. O., Aboagye, B., Asare, K., Kyei, S., Donfack, J. H., … & Nwaefuna, E. K. (2013). The curative and prophylactic effects of xylopic acid on Plasmodium berghei infection in mice. Journal of Parasitology Research, 2013(1), 356107.

Acquah, F. K., Obboh, E. K., Asare, K., Boampong, J. N., Nuvor, S. V., Singh, S. K., … & Theisen, M. (2017). Antibody responses to two new Lactococcus lactis-produced recombinant Pfs48/45 and Pfs230 proteins increase with age in malaria patients living in the Central Region of Ghana.Malaria Journal, 16(1), 306.

Amoah, L. E., Nuvor, S. V., Obboh, E. K., Acquah, F. K., Asare, K., Singh, S. K., … & Theisen, M. (2017). Natural antibody responses to Plasmodium falciparum MSP3 and GLURP(R0) antigens are associated with low parasite densities in malaria patients living in the Central Region of Ghana. Parasites & Vectors, 10(1), 395.

Afoakwah, R., Boampong, J. N., Egyir-Yawson, A., Nwaefuna, E. K., Verner, O. N., Asare, K., & Owusu, E. O. (2014). High prevalence of PfCRT K76T mutation in Plasmodium falciparum isolates in Ghana. Acta Tropica, 136, 32–36.

Anning, A. S., Dugbatey, A. A., Kwakye-Nuako, G., & Asare, K. K. (2019). Antibiotic susceptibility pattern of Enterobacteriaceae isolated from raw meat and Ghanaian coin currencies at Cape Coast metropolis, Ghana: The public health implication. The Open Microbiology Journal, 13(1), 138–145.

Opoku, Y. K., Asare, K. K., Ghartey-Quansah, G., Afrifa, J., Bentsi-Enchill, F., & Owusu-Dabo, E. (2022). Intestinal microbiome–rheumatoid arthritis crosstalk: The therapeutic role of probiotics. Frontiers in Microbiology, 13, 996031.

Asare, K. K., Boampong, J. N., Afoakwah, R., Ameyaw, E. O., Sehgal, R., & Brown, C. A. (2014). Use of proscribed chloroquine is associated with an increased risk of pfcrt T76 mutation in some parts of Ghana. Malaria Journal, 13(1), 246.