**Meet the editor**

Professor Hany A. El-Shemy received his two Ph.D. degrees in Biochemistry and Genetic Engineering from the University of Cairo, Egypt, and the University of Hiroshima, Japan. He became an Assistant Professor in the Biochemistry Department of Cairo University, Egypt, in September 1996 and advanced to Associate Professor in September 2002 as well as Full Professor in

March 2007. His research interests are in the fields of plant biotechnology and medicinal plants (molecular biology). He received 2 patents, wrote 8 international books, published more than 70 SCI journal papers, delivered 35 conference presentations, and served as the technical committee member as well as chair in many international conferences. He received several awards, including State Prize awarded by the Academy of Science, Egypt (2004), Young Arab Researcher Prize awarded by the Shuman Foundation, Jordan (2005), State Excellence Prize awarded by the Academy of Science, Egypt (2011), and Cairo University Prizes 2007, 2010, 2014. He served as an expert for the African Regional Center of Technology, Dakar, Senegal, and as a Visiting Professor at the Pan African University, African Union, Nairobi, Kenya. He was appointed Acting Vice President of the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology, Cairo, Egypt, from November 2013 to November 2014. Currently, he is working as the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, and Coordinator of Egypt-Africa Scientific Relations, Ministry of Scientific Research, Egypt.
