Elena Poverenov
Researcher A+ (Equivalent of Full Professor)
Head of Advanced Materials and Agro-nanotechnology Research Center
Volcani Institute, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO)
tel: +972-39683354 , +972-506220070, 
e-mail: elenap@volcani.agri.gov.il

​Research interests: materials science on plant, biomacromolecules, glycobiology, glycochemistry, glycoconjugates, nanotechnology, plant science, food science.   
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Elena Poverenov works at the intersection of Biology and Materials Science, with a particular focus on glycans (carbohydrates and glycoconjugates). She has introduced original fundamental concepts in glycan research that have had a significant worldwide scientific impact. Her research is grounded in the fundamentals of glycochemistry and glycobiology, enabling mechanistic insights and the rational design of new materials with far-reaching scientific and applied potential. Her key discoveries embrace:
(1) elucidation of structure–activity relationships of glycans and glycoconjugates in plants; (2) plant editing without host-genome integration via intracellular delivery of pDNA, proteins, and enzymes; (3) development of advanced delivery systems for foliar plant treatments; (4) elicitation of natural plant defense mechanisms; (5) enhancement of the security and safety of agricultural food products; and (6) applications in tissue engineering and drug delivery.
Her most recent research direction, termed “Materials Science on Plants,” focuses on the fundamental study of plant organelles as dynamic bulk composites and their use to form advanced biomaterials. Elena has published ~90 articles in leading international journals, including top-tier multidisciplinary and field-specific publications such as Nature, JACS, ACS Nano, Green Chemistry, Chemistry of Materials, Carbohydrate Polymers, and Food Hydrocolloids. Since 2011 she has mentored 16 MSc students (12 have already graduated), 10 PhD students (6 have graduated), and 17 postdoctoral fellows. She obtained 43 competitive grants (25 as a PI) with a total budget ~12M$ from EU, PRIMA, Horizon, BARD, BARD-NIFA, GFI, Israel-China, ICA, Ministries of Health, Science, Innovation and Agriculture. For outstanding research achievements, Elena has received 14 prizes and awards among them "Awardee for Research in Food and Agriculture" from International Agropolis and Olam Foundation (2017), Yigal Alon Prize for contribution to the Israeli Society in the Field of Food and Agricultural Research (2020) and Researcher of the Year Prize (2022). Elena was selected as national nominee for International Frontiers Planet Prize (2024).