Assist Prof Dr. Parastoo Majidian | Agricultural Sciences | Best Researcher Award
Crop and Horticultural Science Research Department at Agricultural Sciences, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Iran
Professional Profiles:
Education:
Dr. Parastoo Majidian completed her Ph.D. in Plant Breeding-Genetic Engineering and Molecular Genetics from the Department of Plant Breeding at Sari University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Iran, from 2012 to 2016. Her Ph.D. program comprised 2 years of a taught program, followed by a comprehensive examination and 2 years of research work. She achieved a GPA of 17.56 out of 20, ranking third among five students. Her thesis, titled “Evaluation of artificial regulation system in Bacillus subtilis in order to transcriptional control,” earned a score of 19.70 out of 20 under the supervision of Prof. Dr. H. Najafi Zarini and Prof. Dr. K.I. Yoshida. Earlier, she obtained her M.Sc. in Agricultural Engineering-Plant Biotechnology from the same university, following a similar program structure from 2009 to 2011. She secured a GPA of 17.46 out of 20 and her thesis on “Evaluation of genetic diversity of some apricot cultivars and genotypes using SSR and AFLP markers” received a score of 19.90 out of 20. Prof. Dr. H. Najafi Zarini and Prof. Dr. M. Zeinalabedini supervised her during this period. Dr. Majidian began her academic journey with a B.Sc. in Plant Pathology from the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran, from 2003 to 2007, achieving a GPA of 16.38 out of 20.
Skills:
Dr. Parastoo Majidian is proficient in a range of molecular biology techniques, including PCR and primer designing, qRT-PCR, cDNA synthesis, and agarose gel electrophoresis. She is also experienced in statistical genomics software such as Gcluto, NTSYS, Splitstree, xlstat, genalex, power marker, Oligo7, structure, tassel, and microsatellite toolkit. Her expertise extends to genetic engineering techniques, including the isolation and purification of nucleic acids, isolation of chromosomes, nucleic acid blotting techniques, DNA sequencing, alternative methods of DNA sequencing, chemical synthesis of DNA, bacterial culture, and genetic transformation. In the field of proteomics, Dr. Majidian is skilled in high-quality protein extraction and purification, Bradford assay, SDS-PAGE, and spectrophotometric enzyme assay. She is also well-versed in various plant breeding techniques such as backcrossing or introgression breeding, inbreeding, hybrid breeding, measurement of quantitative and qualitative traits, selection with molecular markers in plant breeding, quantitative trait loci localization, genetic engineering, and applying abiotic stress at field or greenhouse conditions. Additionally, she is knowledgeable in plant physiology techniques including enzyme assays such as antioxidants enzyme activity and metabolite content measurement assay.
Teaching Experience:
At the University of Payam Noor and Sana Institute of Higher Education, Dr. Parastoo Majidian has completed courses covering a wide range of subjects in biotechnology, genetic engineering, biochemistry, statistics, genetic biometric, plant physiology, plant breeding, bioinformatics, plant tissue culture, molecular genetics, and advanced molecular genetics. She has also studied plant breeding for resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, as well as plant diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Additionally, Dr. Majidian has participated in several workshops, including “The Agronomy and Principles of Camelina Cultivation” in winter 2021, “The Principles of Soybean Cultivation and Its Breeding” in spring 2021, “The Principles of Soybean Cultivation and Nutrition 1&2” in spring 2021, “Soybean Cultivation After Wheat Harvest 1&2” in summer 2021, and “The Importance of Soybean Cultivation” in spring 2023. These workshops have provided her with practical knowledge and hands-on experience in various aspects of agriculture and crop cultivation.
Honors and Achievements:
Dr. Parastoo Majidian has achieved several honors and accomplishments throughout her career. She successfully obtained a research grant from the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology for a sabbatical leave, which allowed her to work as a researcher at the Department of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan, from 2014 to 2015. Prior to this, she worked as a researcher at the Department of System Biology, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran (ABRII), Mahdasht Road, Karaj, Iran, from 2009 to 2011. Dr. Majidian is a member of several prestigious societies, including the Iranian Genetic Society, the Iranian Biotechnology Society, and the Iranian Agronomy and Plant Breeding Society. These memberships reflect her commitment to advancing knowledge and research in the field of genetics, biotechnology, agronomy, and plant breeding.