Speakers

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Charles Sturt University

Professor Neena Mitter is a globally recognised agricultural biotechnologist and a pioneer in RNA‑based crop protection, with over 30 years of research experience delivering sustainable solutions for food security and resilient agriculture. As Director of the ARC Research Hub for Sustainable Crop Protection, she has led pioneering research in sprayable, non-GM and precise RNA‑based biopesticides and is a co-inventor of the BioClay™ platform for RNA delivery.

Her research has helped advance RNA‑based crop protection from fundamental discovery towards translation, supporting field evaluation, regulatory understanding, and pathways to commercial adoption. She has secured more than $120 million in research funding, published over 200 research articles, and built collaborations across academia, industry, government and international organisations.

Neena is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) at Charles Sturt University, where she continues to champion innovation, sovereign capability and sustainable agricultural transformation.

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Delco Agrifood Pty Ltd

Ben founded Delco AgriFood in 2025 after senior leadership roles with Deloitte and KPMG, including leading agrifood transformation, technology and circular economy initiatives.

With 29 years of international experience, he advises public and private sector organisations on agribusiness, food systems, natural capital, climate adaptation, circularity, decarbonisation, strategy and technology-enabled growth.

Ben is a founder of the Bega Circular Valley program, a founding partner of We 3 AI and a founding convenor of the Australian AgriFood System Alliance. He is also a member of the Australian Food and Ag Industry Taskforce and a regular public speaker.

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Ghent University, Belgium

Kristof De Schutter began his scientific career in the Cell Cycle group at VIB–UGent, Belgium, led by Professors Inzé and De Veylder, where he investigated the molecular mechanisms that regulate the plant cell cycle in response to DNA damage. After completing his PhD, he shifted his focus to recombinant protein production and glycosylation pathway engineering in yeast. In the Glycobiology Unit of Professor Callewaert (VIB–UGent, Belgium), he worked closely with national and international academic partners and the pharmaceutical industry. Continuing in glycobiology, he later obtained a postdoctoral assistant position in the laboratory of Professor Van Damme (UGent, Belgium). There, alongside research on the role of plant lectins in responses to biotic and abiotic stress, he also contributed to teaching several courses.

He subsequently secured an Assistant Professor position in Molecular Entomology in the Department of Plants and Crops (UGent, Belgium), where he leads a team of PhD students investigating innovative molecular strategies for controlling pest insects. A central focus of the Molecular Entomology lab is the study of both fundamental and applied aspects of RNA interference (RNAi) in insects. In particular, his group aims to enhance RNAi efficacy by overcoming biological barriers using dsRNA carrier molecules and viral-based delivery systems. In addition, the group is actively developing and optimising tools for efficient CRISPR/Cas-based genome editing in insects, including the design of gene drive systems.

Beyond his technical research, Professor De Schutter is committed to contributing to public discourse on the risk assessment and regulatory landscape of RNAi-based biopesticides. Through rigorous scientific research, his group seeks to provide a solid foundation for evaluating potential risks and informing evidence-based policy decisions.

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Ghent University, Belgium

Professor Guy Smagghe is an internationally recognised academic and professor of entomology, known for innovative research on and for training people in insect sciences. His work spans physiology, molecular biology, applied ecology, and (eco)toxicology, with a clear focus on agriculturally important insects, pest insects and also beneficial insects. Today, he is a professor at Vrije Universiteit Brussel and holds a position in the High Talents program at Guizhou University. He is widely regarded as an expert in safer biopesticides, RNAi, and toxin-screening systems. Over the years, he has contributed to international projects, EU-COST Actions, and as editor of expert journals and adviser for different (inter)national scientific agencies, and he has authored more than 850 scientific publications; his work has been cited >57,000 times, and his H-index is 103.

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Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia

Dr Kumaran Nagalingam is dedicated to advancing understanding of plant-insect interactions to develop more effective pest management strategies. With a keen focus on ecological and genomic methodologies, Dr Kumaran investigates intricate pest dynamics to develop innovative management solutions. Managing a dynamic team, Dr Kumaran leads the development of biocontrol and genetic control techniques to tackle invasive pests. Through leading-edge research projects, Dr Kumaran translates novel technologies into practical tools for on-the-ground deployment, facilitating their adoption and implementation by end-users.

Dr Kumaran serves on the editorial boards of several international journals and reviews research proposals for leading funding bodies. As a trusted advisor, Dr Kumaran provides expert guidance to Commonwealth and State departments in Australia on topics including ‘Innovations for biodiversity outcomes’, ‘Understanding RNA potential’, ‘National prioritisation of invasive pests’, ‘Biocontrol prospects’, ‘Fire Ant Eradication’, ‘Future of Biological Management’ and ‘Invasive Species Management’.

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Ankara University, Türkiye

Umut Toprak is a Professor of Entomology at Ankara University, Türkiye, and Director of the Molecular Entomology (MOLEN) Laboratory. He earned his PhD from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, where his research focused on insect molecular physiology and RNA interference. His research integrates insect physiology, molecular biology, and biochemistry to develop next-generation pest management strategies, particularly RNAi-based biopesticides, neuropeptide-inspired bioinsecticides, and microbial agents. Professor Toprak’s work focuses on overcoming barriers to RNAi efficacy, identifying novel molecular targets, and advancing sustainable crop protection technologies. He has published extensively in insect molecular physiology and pest management and actively contributes to international scientific and regulatory discussions on emerging biopesticide technologies. He currently serves in editorial and scientific leadership roles with several international organisations and congresses related to molecular entomology and sustainable agriculture.

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Charles Sturt University, Australia

Stephen Fletcher is a computational biologist whose work bridges agricultural biotechnology and the design of RNA interference (RNAi)-based pesticides. Over a 25-year career in bioinformatics and molecular biology, he has built bioinformatics software that designs highly specific dsRNA constructs to target a broad spectrum of crop threats including insect pests, plant viruses, fungi and nematodes, while minimising unintended impacts on beneficial species. He is the developer of dsRNAmax, a class-leading dsRNA design platform.

His research (h-index 21, 3,900+ citations) includes publications in Nature Plants and Cell and a patent on RNAi-based whitefly control. Alongside the science, Stephen works on the regulatory and social-licence dimensions of RNAi, engaging with industry, regulators and the public. He served as Rapporteur and proceedings co-author for the 2019 OECD Conference on RNAi-based Pesticides, and more recently as a panellist for the eCOST workshop on the societal perception of RNA science.

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Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand

Phil Lester is a Professor of Biology at Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand, where he leads a research group focused on pest management, biosecurity, and the ecology of social insects. Their research has contributed to improving pest management and strengthening biosecurity responses to invasive species in New Zealand. A key theme of his research group is the development of safe and effective control options for pest species such as the parasitic mite Varroa destructor, which is a globally devastating pest of honey bee colonies. Phil and his team work on next-generation approaches, including double-stranded RNA and immunotherapy, to deliver highly targeted pest control for improved biosecurity and sustainable apiculture.

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Agroscope, Switzerland

Dr Jörg Romeis heads the Biosafety Research Group and is Deputy Head of the Agroecology and Environment Research Division at Agroscope in Zurich, Switzerland. He is also a lecturer at the University of Bern and former president of the International Society for Biosafety Research.

With over 25 years of experience, his work focuses on the non-target risk assessment of insect-resistant genetically modified crops, RNAi-based pest control, and gene drive-engineered insects, with particular expertise in the design and conduct of non-target laboratory studies.

Beyond his research, Jörg has contributed to defining operational environmental protection goals and to developing guidelines for the risk assessment and non-target testing of regulated stressors, including insecticidal proteins, RNAi-based plant protection products, microbials, and transgenic insects, with a focus on study design and surrogate species selection.

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Curtin University, Australia

Professor Peta Ashworth is the Director of Curtin University’s Institute for Energy Transition (CIET). She is a renowned expert in energy, communication, stakeholder engagement, and technology assessment. Professor Ashworth has researched public attitudes towards climate and energy technologies, including wind, carbon capture and storage (CCS), solar photovoltaic, storage, geothermal and hydrogen, for almost two decades.

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The University of Queensland, Australia

Dr Pedro Fidelman is an Associate Professor and Principal Research Fellow at the Centre for Policy Futures, The University of Queensland, Australia. His research examines the governance of emerging sustainability technologies and the challenges associated with their development and use.

Over the past decade, he has worked on a range of emerging technologies, including RNA-based biopesticides. His work focuses on the policy, regulatory, and institutional arrangements that shape how these technologies are assessed, authorised, and deployed in practice.

Dr Fidelman led the policy and governance work package of the Australian Research Council Hub for Sustainable Crop Protection. He has contributed to national and international initiatives on the governance of emerging technologies and environmental policy. His research seeks to support evidence-informed policymaking for innovation.

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Rio Institute, France

Sarah Zanon Agapito is a scientist specialising in plant molecular biology, genetic engineering, environmental risk assessment, and the governance of emerging biotechnologies, with over 15 years’ experience at the interface of science, regulation, and international policy. She is currently the Science Director at the Rio Institute and serves the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia on biodiversity and biosafety initiatives.

Her work focuses on the environmental assessment and governance of genetic technologies, including genome editing, synthetic biology, and genetic pesticides such as RNAi-based pesticides. She has contributed extensively to international processes under the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, including expert groups on synthetic biology and risk assessment. Dr Agapito also co-authored one of the early comparative analyses addressing regulatory considerations for dsRNA-based technologies and their implications for environmental risk assessment. Her current work emphasises scientifically robust and precautionary approaches to the oversight of emerging biotechnologies and their potential impacts on biodiversity and ecosystems.

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Indian Council of Agricultural Research, India

Dr Thiruvengadam Venkatesan, Director, ICAR–National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources (ICAR-NBAIR), Bengaluru, India, is an eminent scientist in the field of biological control of crop pests. With over three decades of research experience, he has authored more than 200 peer-reviewed research papers and commercialised several biocontrol technologies for crop pest management. During his distinguished career, he has obtained research funding from both national and international funding agencies. Dr Venkatesan's significant contributions to biological control of crop pests and molecular entomology have earned him numerous prestigious recognitions, including Fellow of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (FNAAS), New Delhi; Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society (FRES), London; and Fellow of the National Academy of Biological Sciences (FNABS), Chennai. He has been invited as a keynote speaker and resource person at several international conferences and workshops. Currently, his research focuses on RNA interference (RNAi) technology and genome editing for the management of economically important insect pests. He has been organising a series of brainstorming meetings and satellite symposia on Insect Genomics and Its Prospects in Pest Management to promote the development and commercialisation of dsRNA-based spray-induced gene silencing technologies in India. He also submitted a white paper titled "Regulatory and Implementation Strategies of RNAi Technology for Insect Pest Management in India" to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in New Delhi. Dr Venkatesan has mentored numerous PhD and M.Sc. students, as well as DST-INSPIRE scholars and postdoctoral fellows. He is currently serving as the President of the Society for Biocontrol Advancement (SBA), Bengaluru, and as a Member of the National Advisory Board on Management of Genetic Resources (NABMGR).

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Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA), Australia

Ms Emi Schutz is a regulatory scientist at the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) with seven years' experience working in agvet chemical regulation. With a background in biochemistry, she enjoys applying science to real-world challenges and helping ensure new technologies can be adopted safely and effectively. After joining the APVMA through its graduate program, Emi has worked across a range of functions and developed a broad understanding of Australia's chemical regulatory framework. She is particularly interested in how emerging technologies, including RNAi, can be assessed within existing systems while supporting innovation and maintaining protections for human health and the environment. At this symposium, she will provide an overview of how Australia's agricultural chemical framework applies to RNAi-based pesticides, including risk assessment considerations and pathways for permits and registration.

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University of California, Riverside, USA

Dr Hailing Jin is a Distinguished Professor and a Cy Mouradick Endowed Chair in the Department of Microbiology & Plant Pathology at the University of California, Riverside, USA. Her research focuses on the roles of RNAs, epigenetic regulation, and antimicrobial peptides in plant-microbe interactions, with the aim of developing innovative and eco-friendly strategies for crop protection against fungal and bacterial pathogens.

Her lab discovered cross-kingdom RNA communication between plants and pathogens and demonstrated the crucial role of extracellular vesicles in this process. Additionally, her lab found that many fungal pathogens can efficiently take up RNAs and vesicles from the environment, providing the essential basis for developing spray-induced gene silencing techniques for crop protection. The Jin lab has also identified a number of novel plant-derived antimicrobial peptides that can be harnessed as sustainable biocontrol agents for effective disease management. She has published 119 peer-reviewed papers and has an H-index of 71. She is a highly cited researcher by Clarivate Web of Science, with a total of 24K citations.

Dr Jin is an elected Member of the US National Academy of Sciences (NAS), a Member of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI), a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the American Academy of Microbiology (AAM), the American Phytopathological Society (APS), and the American Association of Extracellular Vesicles, and a CIFAR Fellow of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research

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University of Manitoba, Canada

Mark Belmonte is a Professor of Biological Sciences at the University of Manitoba. With an extensive academic journey, including a PhD in plant science from the University of Manitoba and postdoctoral training at UC Davis, Mark has become a leading expert in crop production and protection technologies. Mark has published his work over 70 times, received numerous awards, including CBC’s Top 40 under 40 and the Canadian Society of Plant Biologists Research Excellence Award, and has been recognised for his outstanding contributions to research, teaching and outreach by the Winnipeg Foundation and the University of Manitoba. He has worked directly with the Canadian government and the United Nations to provide guidance on technology related to synthetic biology. Mark is devoted to promoting science education and research at outreach events across Canada and takes pride in training the next generation of young scientists.

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University of Málaga, Spain

Dr Dolores Fernández-Ortuño is an Associate Professor of Microbiology at the Universidad de Málaga and co-leads the “Rational Design of Crop Protection Products” research group at the IHSM-UMA-CSIC La Mayora. Her research focuses on plant pathogenic fungi, fungicide resistance, and the development of sustainable crop protection strategies, with particular emphasis on RNA interference (RNAi)-based biopesticides, aptamers, and nanotechnology for horticultural crops. Over the past decade, she has led multiple competitive research projects and established an internationally recognised research line on spray-induced gene silencing (SIGS) to control fungal pathogens such as Botrytis cinerea and Podosphaera xanthii. Her recent work has demonstrated the potential of RNAi technologies to target not only fungicide resistance-associated genes but also novel fungal proteins involved in pathogenicity, virulence, cell wall organisation, and host-pathogen interactions. These studies highlight SIGS’s capacity to overcome multidrug and target-site fungicide resistance while expanding the repertoire of molecular targets for next-generation biopesticides. Her research integrates molecular plant pathology, RNAi technology, and translational approaches to develop environmentally sustainable solutions for crop protection and integrated disease management.

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University of Regensburg, Germany

Professor Aline Koch is a Professor of Plant RNA Transport at the University of Regensburg, Germany. Her research focuses on understanding and exploiting RNA-mediated processes in plants for sustainable agriculture. Her work spans RNA transport and uptake mechanisms, RNA interference (RNAi), spray-induced gene silencing (SIGS), mRNA technologies, and the development of innovative RNA delivery systems for crop protection. Over the past decade, she has led and contributed to numerous national and international projects aimed at translating advances in RNA biology into practical agricultural applications. Her research combines fundamental studies on plant–microbe interactions, RNA trafficking, and gene regulation with the development of RNA-based biopesticides and next-generation crop protection technologies. She has particular expertise in RNA formulation, target gene discovery, and efficacy testing against plant pathogens and pests. Through interdisciplinary collaborations with academia and industry, her work contributes to the development of safe, effective, and environmentally friendly RNA technologies as alternatives to conventional chemical pesticides.

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GreenLight Biosciences, USA

Emma De Neef is a Bioinformatics Scientist at GreenLight Biosciences, which registered the first foliar-applied RNAi biopesticide with the U.S. EPA in 2023. She holds a PhD in Genome Sciences from the University of Washington and has a background in RNA and computational biology. Her work developing bioinformatics approaches for the risk assessment of RNAi-based biopesticides focuses on building clear, science-driven regulatory frameworks to ensure that RNAi technologies can move responsibly from the lab to the field.

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Genolution Inc., South Korea

Minlee Kim is Co-CEO and CTO of Genolution Inc., a biotechnology company specialising in RNA technologies, molecular diagnostics, and precision medicine. Minlee received a PhD in Molecular Biology from Yale University, with research focused on microRNA biology and gene regulation. Prior to joining Genolution, Minlee conducted research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and worked in the biopharmaceutical industry at Samsung Bioepis.

At Genolution, Minlee leads the development and commercialisation of RNA-based innovations, including large-scale dsRNA manufacturing, RNAi-based biopesticides, and RNAi therapeutics for honeybee health. Minlee has played a key role in translating RNA technologies from early-stage research into scalable manufacturing processes and commercial products.

Current interests focus on advancing cost-effective and scalable RNA production technologies and accelerating the adoption of RNAi-based solutions for sustainable agriculture, animal health, and biotechnology applications.

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Varada Agriculture, USA

Dr Jyoti Taneja is the Founder and CEO of Varada Agriculture, an agricultural biotechnology company developing RNAi-based biological crop protection products for sustainable agriculture. She has more than 20 years' experience in plant pathology, plant-microbe interactions, functional genomics, and RNA interference technologies.

Before founding Varada Agriculture, Dr Taneja conducted research at the University of California, Berkeley, where she led the development of RNAi-based approaches to control fungal diseases in crops. Her work has focused on identifying essential pathogen targets, designing double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) molecules for gene silencing, and translating RNAi technologies from laboratory research into greenhouse and field applications.

At Varada Agriculture, she is leading the development of RNA-based products to control economically important crop diseases. Dr Taneja, an Activate Fellow alumna, has secured support from federal agencies, industry partners, and agricultural research organisations to advance next-generation RNA-based crop protection solutions.

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Innatrix, USA

Jiarui Li received his MBA and PhD in plant biology and is currently CEO of Innatrix, a North Carolina, US-based startup developing eco-friendly biopesticides for crop protection. Jiarui is an accomplished scientist and agtech industry leader.   Jiarui has over 20 years of experience developing bionematicides using RNAi technology.

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Green Light Biosciences, Brazil

Juliana Pelegrino is a Regulatory Affairs executive with more than 20 years of experience in the agrochemical, fertilizer, and biological products industries. Throughout her career, she has held leadership roles in multinational companies, overseeing regulatory affairs and product registration strategies across Brazil and Latin America.

Her expertise includes leading cross-functional teams in product development and registration projects, managing relationships with regulatory authorities, and providing strategic regulatory support to business functions. Juliana is committed to staying at the forefront of regulatory developments through active participation in national and international industry forums and events. She is also passionate about team development, fostering high-performing teams through coaching and feedback initiatives.

She holds a degree in Biomedical Sciences, a Master's degree in Pharmacology from the University of São Paulo (USP), a Law degree, and has completed the Advanced Principles of Toxicology program at the University of Guelph, Canada.

With international experience spanning the United States, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Latin America, Juliana brings a global perspective to regulatory strategy and compliance.

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Renaissance Bioscience Corporation, Canada

Dr John Husnik, PhD, is the Founder, Chief Scientific Officer, and Co-CEO of Renaissance BioScience, a leading bioengineering firm based in Vancouver, BC, Canada. A pioneer in yeast strain development and RNAi technology, Dr Husnik has led the discovery, patenting, and commercialisation of innovative yeast-based solutions for multiple industries. He also heads the development of new biocontrol projects designed to give farmers a sustainable, cost-effective alternative to chemical pesticides.
Founded in 2013, Renaissance BioScience is advancing a patented yeast-based RNAi delivery platform for agriculture and health. With a strong IP portfolio and a team of 30+, the company is addressing urgent global needs for environmentally friendly, rapid, and affordable biotech solutions.

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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Dr Nina Ortiz joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2021 as a biologist in the Emerging Technologies Branch. Her work focuses on human health and product characterization risk assessments of emerging pesticide technologies, including biochemical pesticides, genetically modified plants and insects, and microbial pesticides. Her work often requires identifying and applying relevant scientific approaches to evaluate novel technologies for which established, technology-specific data requirements are limited.

Nina served as the primary human health and product characterization reviewer for Calantha, the first EPA-registered pesticide containing an exogenously applied double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) active ingredient. She has also contributed to the development of international risk assessment guidance for sprayable dsRNA pesticides.

Nina holds a B.S. in Microbiology from The University of Texas at Austin and a PhD in Molecular Biology from The University of Texas at El Paso.

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