CV
Ahsan Habib
5745 Bighorn Dr, Roanoke, VA
Phone: (540) 353-1791 ahsanhabibsadi@gmail.com
Profile:
A Plant Scientist with over 17 years of experience in agriculture research, innovation, product development and management, I have excellent competencies in interpersonal communication, time management, project management, internal and external research collaborations, decision making, problem-solving through internal communications and cross-functional co-ordinations, great attention to details, and scientific writing. I am innovative, self-motivated, energetic, excellent team player and above all, I enjoy challenges.
Expertise/skills:
· Managing research projects and people.
· On-hand experience and active involvement in various agricultural product development for increasing valuable crop yields using natural and/or chemical substances and microbes (eg. Ratchet, ReVV, Bolt, Optimize 400, Cue, B-360, Torque IF etc.)
· Assay development for various products and compounds including microbes and microbials (i.e. signal compounds, biopesticides, enzymes, bio-stimulants, allelochemicals, antioxidants etc.)
· In vitro and greenhouse Assay Development for herbicides (e.g. worked with Thaxtomin)
· Assay development of microbial products/inoculant for rate studies, on-seed survival, compatibility with seed chemistries and shelf-life studies
· Worked with a group of scientists to develop and elucidate possible MoAs for Microbiome
· Extensive lab, greenhouse and growth chamber experience including maintenance of environmental conditions to optimize or meet plant growing conditions
· Extensive on-hand experience with plant growth regulators and other bioactive compounds for plant growth and yield improvement and abiotic stress tolerance
· Extensive Plant tissue culture experience with phytohormones/plant growth regulators, in-vitro micropropagation and ex-vitro transfer and acclimatization. Worked with Banana, Orchids, Roses, Agava, Aloe vera, many succulents and potatoes etc.
· Adequate knowledge of Fungal, Bacterial, Viral Plant Pathogens, their symptoms or diagnosis, dissemination and life cycle studies for persistence
· Knowledge of effect of photosynthetic light spectrum on plant growth and development, use of LED lights for in-vitro and Hydroponically grown green vegetables.
· Have knowledge of soil/ soilless growing practices, nutrients, organic supplements to accelerate plant growth and quality, beneficial bacteria and plant disease Knowledge of product registration and regulatory issues
· Basic knowledge of sustainable agriculture
· Internal auditing
· Maintenance of Research inventory
· Organize and coordinate with Research Team members
· Knowledge and maintenance of intellectual properties, made numerous key patent applications and scientific publications (10 patents, 12 scientific publications and a book chapter)
· Has basic knowledge of LEAN process
Employment history
Biostimulant Product Deveolopment Consultant (Sept 2019-present): Help develop new Biostimulant product(s) for EPA registration; writing up of USAID grant application and submission for Sub-Saharan Kenya and Pakistan, collaborate and liaise with University of Georgia for greenhouse and filed experiments to support efficacy data. Provide consultancy
on Organic Yield-Enhancing Technologies.
Staff Scientist at Novozymes (2015-Sept, 2019): Main responsibilities included new product development in order to improve bioyield for corn, soybean, wheat and canola through lab, growth chamber and greenhouse research activities using Microbes and Bioactive (mostly organic) molecules and to develop assays for elucidating Mode of Action (MoA)
Achievements: Worked as a key scientist in successfully developing corn and soybean seed and foliar products. Made more than 8 patents. Also worked on wheat and canola for product prototype development.
Senior Scientist at Novozymes (2011 March -2015): Active involvement in product ideation, carrying out basic lab and greenhouse research activities, generating data, communicating with field agronomists, designing field experiments and supplying ingredients of seed treatments for field trials
Scientist at EMD Crop Bioscience (2008-2011 February): Actively participated in product ideation, carrying out basic lab and greenhouse research activities, generating data, communicating with field agronomists, designing field experiments, supplying ingredients of seed treatments for field trials, supporting Regulatory and Business Development with product ideas, application, compatibility, analytics, stability and shelf-life/life cycle management
Industrial Postdoc Research Fellow, Agribiotics Inc. (NSERC Canada, 2004 June-2008): Ideation, planning, designing and conducting corn, soybean, canola, peas and lentil research activities using microorganisms and signal molecules, manage lab, greenhouse and field data and, support Regulatory
Postgraduate Research Assistant (2002-2004) at McGill University, Canada: Worked with bacterial signal molecule LCO to investigate its efficacy on potatoes. Results were included in a patent which was licensed by a major Ag company since 2005.
Scientific Officer (SO) at Bangladesh CSIR (1994-1997 April): Responsibilities included research and development of an efficient micropropagation process for elite banana and rose varieties for commercialization.
Education
· Ph.D., Plant Science Dept., McGill University (2004);
· M.Sc., Plant Science Dept., McGill University (1999
· Diploma in Radiation Safety, McGill University Radiation Safety Office (1999)
· M.Sc., Botany Dept., Dhaka University, Bangladesh (1994)
· B.Sc. (Hons.), Botany Dept., Dhaka university, Bangladesh (1989)
Trainings:
· Project Management Training by MERCK Darmstadt, 21st-22nd May, 2008
· Internal Auditing Basics from American Society of Quality (ASQ), 3rd July, 2008
· Project Management Training at Novozymes Biologicals, 2013
Awards and Grants
· Industrial Research Fellowship (IRF) by Natural Science & Engineering Council of Canada (NSERC)-2004 (June)-2006 (June)
· Plant Science Postgraduate Award, McGill University, 2002
· Graduate Student Travel Grant, McGill University, 2002
· Bongobandhu Research Fellowship (Bangladesh), 1997-1999
Teaching Experience: Teaching Assistant and Laboratory Supervision (McGill University, Montreal)
– Tracer Techniques, Dept. of Natural Resource Sciences, 2000 (winter)
– Advanced Micropropagation, Plant Science Dept., 2000 (winter)
– Plant Propagation, Plant Science Dept., 2001 (winter)
– Plant Structure and Function, Plant Science Dept., 2002 (winter)
– From 200-2002, supervised many undergraduate (Plant Science, McGill Univ.), College (John Abbott College, Quebec) and high school students (Villa Maria High School, Montreal) for their biological science projects.
Computer literacy
· Word, Excel, Microsoft Power Point, Internet Explorer, SAS, JMP etc.
Voluntery works
– Actively involved since 2018 in STEM programs to encourage Roanoke County K2-12 grade students toward Science, Technology, Engineering and Math programs to pursue career in future
– Actively involved since 2018 in ‘Habitat for Humanity’ program
– Worked as a regular Community Sunday school teacher from 2012-2019 at Arabic and Islamic School of Roanoke (AISR)
Publications:
1. Nod factor enhances calcium uptake by soybean. 2006. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry 44: 866-872
2. Effects of calcium concentrations in medium on microtuberization of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). 2005. Iranian J. Biotechnology 3 (3):152-156
3. Increased Calcium Availability Improved Potato micropropagation and Microtuberization. 2005. Potato Research 47: 139-150
4. Micropropagation of Peony. 2001. The American Peony Society Bulletin. 319: 19-24
5. Stimulation of 45Ca2+ uptake into micropropagted potato plantlets by UV light and vitamin D3. 2005. American J of Potato Research May/June issue
6. Vitamin Ds improve Calcium Uptake into Micropropagated Potato Plantlets.
2003. Acta Horticulturae 619:263-269
7. Calcium translocation and accumulation into potato tubers. 2002. Potato Research 45:17-24
8. Transfer of Strontium-90 and Ca-45 from medium to plant and their translocation in micropropagated potato. 2001. Intl. Congress on the Radioecology and Ecotoxicology of Continental and Estuarine Environments (ECORAD, 3-7 Sept, 2001), Aix En Provence, France.
9. Long term preservation and maintenance of banana (Musa sapientum var. Sagar) germplasm through in vitro culture. 1997. Plant Tissue Culture. 7: 103-107
10. In vitro micropropagation from root segments of Averrhoa carambola L. 1996. Plant Tissue Culture. 6:51-55
11. In vitro regeneration and rapid clonal propagation in eight elite ‘Hybrid Tea’ roses. 1996. Plant Tissue Culture.6: 83-88
12. Application of LCO signal molecules for better crop production. (manuscript submitted) XIV International Congress on Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions. July 19-23, 2009, Quebec City, Canada
Book Chapter: LCO Applications Provide Improved Responses with Legumes and Non-Legumes. Biological Nitrogen Fixation, Vol 2. 2015 https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119053095.ch107
Conference Presentations
– American Soc. for Hort. Sci. 97th Ann. Intl. Conference and Exposition. July 23-26, 2000, Coronado Springs Resort, Florida, USA
– Proceedings of the XXVI International Horticultural Congress and Exhibition, August 11-17, 2002, Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Toronto, Canada
– 4th International Conference on Mycorrhizae (jointly with Agronomy Society of Canada (ASC) and Canadian Society of Soil Science (CSSS)), August 10-15, 2003, Montreal, Canada
– Canadian Society of Plant Physiologists, Conference Proceedings, Eastern Regional Meeting at Concordia University, December 12-13, 2005, Montreal, Canada
– Multiple LCO Application Methods with Improved Plant Responses (oral). The 21st North American Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation Conference; June 13 -18, 2010, Christopher S. Bond Life Sciences Center University of Missouri- Columbia, MO USA
-LCO (Lipo-chitooligosaccharide) with Improved Plant responses. 9th European Nitrogen Fixation Conference, September 6-10, 2010, Geneva, Switzerland.
Patents
1) US2013090236A – CHITOOLIGOSACCHARIDES AND METHODS FOR USE IN ENHANCING SOYBEAN GROWTH
2) US2013096002A – COMBINATIONS OF LIPO-CHITOOLIGOSACCHARIDES AND METHODS FOR USE IN ENHANCING PLANT GROWTH
3) US2014121100A – COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR ENHANCING PLANT GROWTH
4) US2017223956A – LIPO-CHITOOLIGOSACCHARIDE COMPOSITIONS FOR ENHANCING PLANT GROWTH
5) US6979664B – COMPOSITION FOR ACCELERATING SEED GERMINATION AND PLANT GROWTH
6) US2014087944A – COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR ENHANCING PLANT GROWTH
7) US2013061645A – SEED TREATMENT METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS
8) US2013079224A – CHITOOLIGOSACCHARIDES AND METHODS FOR USE IN ENHANCING PLANT GROWTH
9) US2013079225A – CHITOOLIGOSACCHARIDES AND METHODS FOR USE IN ENHANCING CORN GROWTH
10) US2019133124A BACILLUS AND LIPOCHITOOLIGOSACCHARIDE FOR IMPROVING PLANT GROWTH
Residency status: US and Canadian citizen
References:
1. Dr. Uri Levine, Manager, urlv@novozymes.com Ph# 540-314-8900
2. Dr. Jarrod Leland, Staff Scientist, jrrl@novozymes.com Ph# 540-302-1225
3. Dr. Michael Frodyma, Director of Product Development, NewLeaf Symbiotics Inc. mfrodyma@gmail.com Ph# 540-314-5492
4. Dr. Shawn Semones, EVP and Chief Technology Officer, Concentric Agriculture Inc. Shawn.semones@gmail.com Ph#540-314-9833
5. Dr. Stewart Smith, ex-VP of R &D, EMD Crop BioScience Ph# 414-507-0205
6. Kristi Woods, Manager of BioAg Application Research, Novozymes BioAg. KYW@novozymes.com Ph# 540-314-8900
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahsan-habib-75564219/