Mohamed Elyes Kchouk, a 2003 Watson International Scholar of the Environment, is Head of the Aromatic and Medicinal Plant Unit (UPAM) at the Centre of Biotechnology at Borj Cedria Technopark (CBBC, Tunisia). He is a graduate in Biological Sciences (1973), and has a PhD in Biological Sciences (2000, University of Tunis). He has been a researcher since 1982 and has extensive experience in plant genetic resources conservation and evaluation, in plant cytogenetics, genetic transformation, and biosafety. He delivers university courses on plant breeding and population genetics and supervises several researchers on plant genetic variability in aromatic and medicinal plants. He is a member of several national committees on biosafety, sustainable development, and plant genetic conservation. He has been a member of the Task Force of the African Biosafety Network of Expertise (NEPAD/African Bioscience Initiative) during its launch phase (2008) and is now a member of its Technical Advisory Committee. As Regional Advisor on Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety for the UNEP-GEF BCH Project, he accomplished several country and global missions in West and North African countries. He is the Regional Coordinator of Bionet-NAFRINET LOOP, the North African Network for Taxonomy. He is author of several publications in the field of genetic resources and plant genetic transformation. He published an automated database on Tunisian Flora together with colleagues from IPGRI (International Plant Genetic Resources Institute) – WANA (West Asia and North Africa). He is also co-inventor of three patents related to biological activities disclosed in Tunisian Flora. In partnership with one international company based in Europe and the US, he started a private company dealing with bioactive molecules and essential oils. Prof. Kchouk is 57 years old, married, and the father of three children (25, 22, 17).
Contact info:
mohamedelyes@gmail.com
