Women in Plant Biotechnology 2026

Plant Biotechnology is a critical field at the intersection of sustainable agriculture, environmental management, and industrial innovation. Despite the growing importance of this discipline, women continue to be underrepresented in STEM, with the 2021 UNESCO Science Report indicating that women comprise only 33% of researchers globally. This underrepresentation is particularly acute in senior positions and technical leadership, even as women’s contributions are instrumental in advancing both foundational and applied plant biotechnology. Addressing gender disparities is vital for leveraging the full range of talent, ideas, and diverse perspectives needed to tackle global challenges such as food security, climate resilience, and bio-based innovation.This Research Topic aims to showcase and amplify the contributions of women scientists in the most transformative domains of plant biotechnology. In addition to celebrating their leadership and achievements, we seek to highlight the pivotal role women play in engineering crops for agronomic improvement; developing genetic, molecular, and microbial approaches to stress tolerance and disease resistance; advancing metabolic engineering for biofuels and biomaterials; designing phytoremediation systems; exploring plant molecular farming as an alternative biomanufacturing platform; and addressing the commercialization and regulation of genetically modified plants. By focusing on these priority areas, the goal is to illuminate women’s impact, foster greater gender equity, and inspire the next generation of female leaders within plant biotechnology.In framing the scope, this Research Topic will emphasize research, reviews, insights, and discussions centered on women actively shaping the technical and applied dimensions of plant biotechnology. The topic is intentionally broad to include multidisciplinary exploration, but submissions should be directly tied to women’s participation in one or more of the following key themes:• Crop engineering and advanced breeding strategies, including genomics and genome editing for agronomic trait improvement, yield enhancement, and nutritional quality• Genetic, molecular, and microbial approaches to plant adaptation, stress tolerance, and disease resistance• Sustainable agriculture practices• Metabolic engineering for biofuel and biomaterial production from terrestrial, aquatic, or marine plant systems• Development of plant-based systems for phytoremediation and environmental monitoring• Field trials, scalability, and commercialization of genetically engineered plant systems• Plant molecular farming as an alternative biomanufacturing platform• Safety assessments, public acceptance, and regulatory frameworks for modified plantsWe invite original research articles, reviews, case studies, methods, perspectives, and policy analyses that highlight, advance, or critically examine the contributions of women in these essential areas of plant biotechnology. Topic editors: Renata Rivera-Madrid, Samuela Palombieri, Karen Ann McDonald, Linda Avesani, June Simpson, Gunjan Sharma Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/79623/women-in-plant-biotechnology-2026