SEB Annual Conference Florence 2026

Salma Akter

Research Fellow, University of Oxford

Dr Salma Akter’s research interest in the delicate balance between reactive oxygen species (ROS)–mediated cellular survival and cell death under oxidative stress began during her PhD studies. She became fascinated by the dynamic role of ROS as both a protective and destructive force within cells. This curiosity has shaped her research career, leading her to specialize in oxidative stress signalling in both plant and mammalian systems. Building on this expertise, her current research focuses on dissecting oxidative stress signalling networks in plants and developing strategies to enhance plant stress tolerance. In the long term, she aims to translate this knowledge into practical approaches to improve crop yield and help address the challenges posed by climate change and global food security.

Professor Christine Foyer

University of Birmingham

Christine H. Foyer is Professor of Plant Sciences at the University of Birmingham. She is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Delhi, India and an Extraordinary Professor in Genetics, University of Stellenbosch, South Africa. She recently received the Sustained Excellence Award from the Biochemical Society (UK). She is a Member of the Annals of Botany Company, the Editor in Chief of Plant, Cell and Environment and the Publications Officer for the Association of Applied Biologists. She is a Highly Cited Researcher, ranking in the top 1% by citations for the field. In the Category of Plant Science and Agronomy she is ranked #8 in the world ranking and #1 in United Kingdom.  In the Best Female Scientist category, she is ranked 224^th in the world, 15^th in the UK:  https://research.com/u/christine-h-foyer. Christine is an expert in plant biochemistry and metabolism. With a strong focus on reduction/oxidation (redox) processes and signals that regulate plant growth and stress tolerance, her lab studies how primary processes such as photosynthesis regulate plant, growth development and defence, particularly through effects on the redox status of cells and cell signalling under optimal and stress conditions. Using model (Arabidopsis), crop plants and trees, her lab investigates the responses of photosynthesis and associated processes to abiotic stresses including elevated carbon dioxide.

 

Prof. Kate Carroll

Florida Atlantic University

Professor Kate Carroll is a leading chemical biologist whose research focuses on cysteine redox signalling and its role in health and disease. Her lab at Florida Atlantic University uses chemical biology, proteomics, and probe design to uncover disease mechanisms, identify therapeutic targets, and discover new biomarkers. Her work bridges chemistry, molecular biology, and disease-focused research to advance understanding of redox regulation in cellular processes.

Dr Jing Yang

Principal Investigator, Guangzhou National Laboratory

Jing Yang, originally from Changsha, China, earned his PhD from China Pharmaceutical University and completed postdoctoral research at Vanderbilt University. In 2015, he was appointed Principal Investigator at the National Center for Protein Sciences • Beijing, with joint appointments at the State Key Laboratory of Proteomics. In spring 2023, he joined the Guangzhou National Laboratory. Leading the Yang Lab, he focuses on chemical proteomic technologies to study the cysteine redox proteome and redox biology. He was named one ofJournal of Proteome Research’s 40 Under 40, serves on its Editorial Advisory Board, and chairs the 3rd ECR Council of CNHUPO.  

Dr. Shane Austin

Lecturer in Biochemistry, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus

Shane Austin is a lecturer in Biochemistry and Deputy Dean of Graduate Research and Outreach in the Faculty of Science and Technology at The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus. He completed his PhD studies at the Medical University of Vienna on a collaborative project with the Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences. Shane is a member of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, where he serves on the Maximizing Access Committee (MAC). The MAC seeks to improve opportunities for biochemistry and molecular biology scientists from marginalised backgrounds. Shane chairs the awards task force on that committee, which is responsible for awarding scholarships, travel awards and society prizes. Shane is also actively involved with the SEB Outreach Education and Diversity group, where he chairs the Awards nomination taskforce, an initiative to improve diversity in the SEB awards scheme. Shane supervises five research students on topics from snail metabolism to circular bioeconomies using anaerobic digestion. He also explores research topics of biochemical education and uterine fibroids in Afro-Caribbean women.