Biography

Dilfuza Egamberdieva is head of Joint Uzbek-China Key Lab of Ecobiomes of arid lands, National University of Uzbekistan.  She received her MSc in microbiology and chemistry from the National University of Uzbekistan and her PhD in Agricultural biotechnology from the Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany. She conducted her postdoctoral studies at the Helsinki University of Finland, University of Florence, Italy, at the Manchester Metropolitan University, UK, Leiden University of Netherlands, and as well as at Centre of Agricultural Landscape Research, Germany. In 2007 she has established the first research lab in Uzbekistan, which is a tremendous task, which includes huge financial and burocratic hurdles. She pioneered research on the plant and soil microbiome, demonstrating that microbes can be used as a biostimulators, and biological control agents as alternatives to agrochemical under hostile environment. The candidate is very smart, an exceptionally motivated scientist who dedicates her life to trying to find scientific solutions for problems with harsh conditions under which plants are grown due to problems with chemical pollution and salination. It delivers innovative and practical solutions to farmers and other relevant rural stakeholders that improve soil and plant health under extreme environmental conditions. For her best academic achievements, she has been awarded the SCOPUS-2019 (Central Asia) Award “Top Scientist of the Year”, TWAS (The World Academy of Science) Award in Agricultural Sciences (2013). TWAS-TWOWS-SCOPUS Young Women Research Award (2009), L’OREAL-UNESCO Fellowship for Women in Science (2006), American Society of Microbiology, (ASM) Morrison Rogosa Award (2006), UNESCO-Man and Biosphere (MAB) Award (2005), The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (IUBMB) Young scientist Award (2003). Moreover, she received prestigious Fellowships such as President’s International Fellowship for Visiting Professors (PIFI), The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Research Fellowships, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. She is also involved in promoting girls' and women's education in STEM in the country and recently established Central Asian Chapter of The Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) in Uzbekistan. Dilfuza is also involved in Science Policy and elected as an expert team member of the working group of German Council of Science and Humanities (WR), (2017-2018). In 2018, she has been appointed to serve on The High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE), UN Committee on World Food Security (CFS) (2018-2022). She was appointed as National Focal Point Representative to the UNESCO-STEPAN (Science and Technology Policy Asian Network) and Board Committee member (2021-2023), as well as an Ambassador of American Society of Microbiology (ASM) to Uzbekistan, (2021-2023). She is a member of several journals’ editorial board, authored six books, and co-authored over 200 publications. 

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