Short Bio

Prof. Damase Khasa is a full Professor in the Faculty of Forestry, Geography and Geomatics at Université Laval, Quebec, Canada. He holds a BSc in Chemistry from the University of Kinshasa, a BSc in Forest Engineering, an MSc in Ecology and Pedology specialising in forest soil and microbiology and a PhD in Forest Sciences with a focus on forest genetics from Universite Laval. He completed postdoctoral training in tree molecular genetics at the University of Alberta and worked there as a Research Professor of years until being a professor at Université Laval where his research interests include molecular ecology, environmental genomics, mycorrhizal and nitrogen-fixating symbiosis, biological invasions, agroforestry, land reclamation, ecological engineering and international development. In recognition of his significant contribution over the past 25 year, he has received several awards and recognition including the international Forestry Achievement Award (2011) and most recently the Fernand-Séguin-Vecteur Environmental Distinction (2026). He serves on several boards, advisory bodies including serving as President of the African Model Forest Network AMFN) and co-Chairs to major international initiatives and serve as an associated editor for leading peer-reviewed scientific journals and has authored and coauthored over 500 publications. He has played a leading role in international education programmes and training initiatives that have contributed to the training of more than 500 young forestry engineers in the DRC and has trained over 200 highly qualified personnel (HQP) from 25 countries across five continents. Affiliations: Centre for Forest Research (CEF) and Institute for Integrative and Systems Biology (IBIS), Department of Wood and Forest Sciences, Université Laval, Quebec, Canada. Proposed title: Plant Symbioses as Nature-Based Solutions in the Omics Era: Driving Africa's Agroecological Transition 

Prof. Mohamed Hijri 1. Short professional biography Prof. Mohamed Hijri is Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the Université de Montréal and Director of the African Genome Center (AGC) at the University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (UM6P), Morocco. He is a molecular and microbial ecologist whose research focuses on plant–microbiome interactions, mycorrhizal symbioses, microbial ecology, genomics, and the development of microbial solutions for sustainable agriculture and environmental applications. His research combines microbiology, genomics, metagenomics, and functional approaches to investigate the diversity and ecological functions of beneficial microorganisms and their potential for improving plant nutrition, soil health, and stress resilience. He has published extensively in the fields of microbial ecology, mycorrhizal biology, plant–microbe interactions, and environmental biotechnology and is involved in several international research and capacity-building initiatives in Africa. 2. Affiliation/Institution African Genome Center (AGC), College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (CAES), University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (UM6P), Benguerir, Morocco Plant Biology Research Institute, Department of Biological Sciences, Université de Montréal, Canada 3. Short summary of the keynote presentation Proposed title: Unravelling Nitrogen-Fixing Endophytes in Non-Leguminous Plants: Insights from Malva sylvestris Concise summary: This presentation explores Malva sylvestris as a reservoir of beneficial endophytic bacteria, with particular emphasis on diazotrophic bacteria and biological nitrogen fixation in non-leguminous plants. From approximately 320 bacterial isolates obtained from roots, stems, and leaves, genomic and functional analyses are identifying diverse and potentially novel taxa with nitrogen-fixation and other plant growth-promoting capacities. The integration of genomics, functional assays, metabolomics, and plant validation aims to uncover microbial candidates for bioinoculant development and contribute to reducing dependence on synthetic nitrogen fertilizers.