Biography

Dr. Hooman Salari is an Associate Professor in the Department of Plant Production an Genetics Engineering. After obtaining his high school diploma in Experimental Sciences with a grade point average of 19 in Kermanshah and achieving a national university entrance exam rank of 485, due to his interest in plants, he chose to pursue his undergraduate studies in Agricultural Engineering—Agronomy and Plant Breeding at Shiraz University. After earning his Bachelor's degree (1989), he completed his Master's degree in Agriculture—Plant Breeding (Biotechnology) with honors at the University of Tehran under the guidance of Dr. Sirous Abd-Mishani, Dr. Mohammadreza Bihamta, and Dr. Bahman Yazdi Samadi (1995).

Following his success in the nationwide scholarship exam for doctoral studies abroad, he pursued his Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology at the Australian National University in Canberra, under the supervision of Professor Graham Farquhar and Dr. Josette Mail (2008). Dr. Salari undertook a postdoctoral research fellowship again at the Australian National University under Professor Marilyn Ball (2009) and concurrently collaborated with Professor Philip Larkin at CSIRO.

Dr. Salari has been a faculty member at Razi University since 2009.

The research areas of interest to Dr. Hooman Salari include the study of parasitic plants, particularly **broomrape (Orobanche spp.)**, and their effects on crop plants. Currently, Dr. Salari and his research team utilize various biological control methods, genetic engineering, and different aspects of biotechnology to investigate the possibility of controlling broomrape in tomatoes. The study of various **Papaver (poppy)** species and their role in producing narcotic drugs is another ongoing research project of Dr. Salari's team. This project focuses on using genetic engineering methods.

Previously, he and his colleagues studied plant responses to abiotic stresses with an emphasis on engineering metabolic pathways, especially osmolyte biosynthesis, in *Arabidopsis*. Investigating the potential for expanding saffron cultivation in Kermanshah province has also been of interest to him. Dr. Salari serves on the editorial boards of several international and national journals and is a member of scientific societies.

In addition to educational and research activities, Dr. Hooman Salari's record includes two terms as Director of the University's Research Affairs, Director of the Office of Scientific and International Cooperation, membership and secretariat of the University's Presidential Board, and Head of the University President's Office at Razi University. He is honored to have been elected by his colleagues for four terms to the Board of Directors of the Faculty Members' Trade Union at the university, serving as Vice-Chairman of the Board for two terms and Chairman for another two terms. Establishing the **Kermanshah Provincial Legal Medicine Genetics Laboratory** and accepting the technical responsibility for this laboratory from 2013 to 2019 are among Dr. Salari's other executive responsibilities.