Dr. Vivek Kumar is an Associate Professor at the Himalayan School of Biosciences, Swami Rama Himalayan University, Jolly Grant, Dehradun, India. He leads the plant-microbe-interaction and microbial ecology research group at his institute. He serves as an editor and reviewer of several reputed international journals and research projects. He has more than hundred publications to his credit including research papers, book chapters and review articles. He has also authored one practical manual book and edited several books with Springer Nature. Dr. Kumar also served as Microbiologist for eight years in Department of Soil and Water Research, Public Authority of Agricultural Affairs & Fish Resources, Kuwait, where he was involved in policy research, advisory services and projects formulation related to sustainable agriculture and environment in Kuwait. He has been credited with first time reporting and identification of Pink Rot inflorescence disease of Date palm in Kuwait caused by Serratia marcescens. He has also organized number of conferences/workshops as convener/ organizing secretary. He has been awarded ‘Young Scientist Award’ for the year 2002 in ‘Agricultural Microbiology’ by the Association of Microbiologists of India (AMI).Dr. Ram Prasad is an Associate Professor at the Department of Botany, Mahatma Gandhi Central University, Motihari, Bihar, India. His research interest includes applied microbiology, plant-microbe interactions, sustainable agriculture, and nanobiotechnology. Dr. Prasad has more than 150 publications to his credit, including research papers, review articles & book chapters and five patents issued or pending. He has also edited and authored several books. Dr. Prasad has twelve years of teaching experience and has been awarded the Young Scientist Award & Prof. J.S. Datta Munshi Gold Medal by the International Society for Ecological Communications; FSAB fellowship by the Society for Applied Biotechnology; the American Cancer Society UICC International Fellowship for Beginning Investigators, USA; Outstanding Scientist Award in the field of Microbiology by Venus International Foundation; BRICPL Science Investigator Award and Research Excellence Award. He serves as an editorial board member in Frontiers in Microbiology, Frontiers in Nutrition, Academia Journal of Biotechnology, Phyton, International Journal of Experimental Botany including Series editor of Nanotechnology in the Life Sciences, Springer Nature, USA. Previously, Dr. Prasad served as Assistant Professor Amity University Uttar Pradesh, India; Visiting Assistant Professor, Whiting School of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, United States and Research Associate Professor at School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.Dr. Manoj Kumar is an Associate Professor and Head, Centre for Life Sciences, Central University of Jharkhand, Ranchi, Jharkhand. Dr. Kumar has 16 years of research and teaching experience in the field of plant developmental biology. He has been associated with Bhagalpur University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, University of Pretoria, University of Melbourne, University of Ton Duc Thang for doctoral, postdoctoral research as well as visiting scientist. He has published valuable research in reputed journals and edited books. He has guided several students at master, M. Phil., doctorate and post-doctorate levels. He has been principle investigator of several projects of national funding agencies – DBT, DRDO etc. He is associated as editor and reviewer with several research journals and offering consultancy to several biotechnology firms at international level.
