Dr. Safaa G.Kumari | Arab Journal of Plant Protection

International Center for Agricultural Research
in the Dry Areas (ICARDA)
Terbol Station Beqa’a-Zahle-LEBANON

CURRICULUM VITAE (2024)

 PERSONAL DATA

Name             :     Safaa M. Ghassan Kumari

Address        :     ICARDA, Terbol Station, Zahle, Beqa’a Valley, Lebanon

                              Mobile: +961-81695955; Email: [email protected]

Position        :     Head of Seed Health Lab/Plant Virologist International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA)

 EDUCATION

1982-1985    :   B.SC. Aleppo University, Faculty of Agriculture, Syria.

1990-1991    :   Diploma of higher studies, Damascus University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Plant Protection, Syria.

1992-1994    :   MSc, Tishreen University, Faculty of Agriculture, Departemnt of Plant Protection, Syria. Thesis title “A study on seed-borne viruses of lentil in Syria: distribution, economic losses, detection, seed transmission rate and thermal treatment of seed as a control measure”.

1996-2002    :   PhD, Aleppo University, Faculty of Agriculture, Departemnt of Plant Protection, Syria. Thesis title “An Study on Luteoviruses Affecting Cool-Season Food Legumes”.

WORK EXPERIENCE

1987-Present :   Working on legume and cereal viruses at ICARDA: survey for virus diseases in Ceteral & West Asia and North Africa region (CWANA), detection, host range, crop losses, screening, transmission, control, serology, production of antisera, preparation of diagnostic kits for the detection of specific cereal and legume viruses  and use a variety serological techniques.

2015-Present :   Head of Seed Health Lab/Plant Virologist, ICARDA, Lebanon, working on (i) Identification and management of Seed-borne insect pests and diseases in legumes and cereals; (ii) Phytosanitary Safety and Prevention of Transboudnary Spread of Seed-borne Pests.

AWARDS/special recognitions

• Selected in the BBC’s 100 Women 2020 list for the highly achievements of Plant Virology Research. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-55042935
• Selected on of the 11 women in MEDNIGHT’s Mediterranean Science Team 2023. https://mednight.eu/activities/11-women-in-mednights-mediterranean-science-team-2023/
• Selected one of the 25 exceptional female scientists from the Mediterranean basin featured at MednightEu in Spain. https://mednight.eu/mediterranean-faces-of-science/
• Nominated by EUPHRESCO III as Scientist of the Month for July 2024 in recognion of excellent contributions in the Europ-South & the Mediterranean region. https://x.com/Euphresco/status/1809141484840444021?t=X8bLoHqGTPyLwkzxRBdTuw&s=09
• Award of the the best junior scientist of the year (1999) at ICARDA.
• Award of the best research work for a graduate student in 4^th Arab Congress of Plant Protection, Cairo, Egypt, December 1-5, 1991.

FELLOWSHIPS

Received the following fellowships (i) from the British Council for 3 months at Scottish Crop Research Institute, undee, Scotland, 1997, working on “cloning and expression of recombinant antibody (scFv) genes”, (ii) from the GRDC and ACIAR attending 6^th Australasian Plant Virology Workshop, 2004 and visiting pulse virus research programs in New South Wales, Victoria and West Australia; (iii) from GRDC for 3 months at Knoxfield Center, Melbourne, 2005, working on “Development of rapid diagnostics for identification and differentiation of endemic and exotic yellowing viruses in faba bean”, (iv) from GRDC for 6 weeks at QDAFF, Brisbane, 2014, working on “improve diagnostic tools to accurately identify of the range of luteoviruses that affect pulses both in Australia and the region that ICARDA serves “

MEMBERSHIP IN PROFESSIONAL COMMITTEES

• President of the Arab Society for Plant Protection (2022-2025).
• Arab Journal of Plant Protection; Assistant Editor (1996-2003); Associate Editor (2003-present).
• Arab and Near East Plant Protection Newsletter, A Newsletter Published by the ASPP and FAO; Assistant Editor (1996 – 2003); Editorial Board (2003-present)
• Chairperson of the Publication Committee of the ASPP (2004-2009; and 2017-present).
• Chairperson of Translation Committee of the Arab Society for Plant Protection (2010-2017).
• Mediterranean Phytopathological Union (MPU), Editor of MPU Newsletter (2006-2009).
• West Asian Representative of the International Plant Virus Epidemiology Working Group (2007-2010).

Supervision of thesIS research

Guided 8 MSc & 7 PhD graduate students to conduct their thesis research in Virology; and trained more than 300 individual trainees from different counties of Central & West Asia & North Africa (CWANA)  in Virology & Seed Health testing.

PUBLICATIONS (1987-2024)

h-indext: 29

Research Interest Score: 1651

Citations: 2366

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Safaa-Kumari