Patrick du Jardin (PdJ) is professor and head of the Plant Biology laboratory at Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech - University of Liège (Belgium). He was dean of faculty between 2007 and 2009. He is an active teacher in plant biology and his current research is focused on biological interactions between plants roots and their soil environment, mediated by volatile and non volatile allelochemical compounds, and on the modes of action of microbial and non microbial biostimulants in crop plants. As a consultant for the European Commission, PdJ has issued two reports on biostimulants in 2012 and 2014, in the framework of the future EU regulation on fertilizing products. PdJ has a long-standing expertise on the risk assessment of agricultural technologies as external expert for the European Food Safety Authority. He has been actively involved in ethical committees of the French Institutes INRA and Cirad over the last ten years, where expert advice is provided on the ethics of agricultural innovation.

A Professor in Agriculture and Climate Change, with research interests in carbon sequestration, agricultural greenhouse gas mitigation and adaptation. A soil and environmental scientist, with a long established history of research in nitrogen and carbon cycling and soil management in a range of crop and soil systems and over 100 peer reviewed publications. A significant involvement in EU funded research programmes, and recently co-ordinated Legume-Futures an EU Framework project on the role of legumes in farming systems. A participant in the recent Committee on Climate Change project on Marginal Abatement Cost Curves, and in an EU project on climate change adaptation (Climate Café). Currently expanding research activities on greenhouse gas mitigation and nitrogen management in China and sub-Saharan Africa. Supporting the development of the next Research Excellence Framework submission on behalf of SRUC and the University of Edinburgh.

Education
Ph.D., Soil Chemistry, Soil Science Faculty of Moscow State University, 1991. Dissertation title: “Influence of Hydrolysed Lignin and Lignin-based Composts on some properties of podzol soil of the south of Komi Republic”.
MSc (University Diploma), Soil Chemistry, Soil Science Faculty of Moscow State University, 1987. MSc Thesis title:” Influence of Hydrolysed Lignin on Some Soil Properties”.
Certificate of Interpreter in Soil Science, 1987.
Professional experience
2016 – present: Leading Researcher, Soil Science Faculty, Moscow State University (MSU), Division of Soil Chemistry;
2012 – pres.: Deputy Dean for International Affairs of Soil Science Faculty, Lomonosov Moscow State University; Associate Professor
2008 – 2012: Senior Researcher, Soil Science Faculty, Moscow State University (MSU), Division of Soil Chemistry; 1993- 2008: Scientific Researcher; 1990-1993: Junior Researcher; 1987-1990 PhD-student at the Soil Science Faculty of MSU
Research topics
Influence of commercial humic substances on soil properties and plant growth. Humic substances from different environments: peat, coal, different composts, organic wastes, commercial humates.
Soil organic matter; composition, properties and transformation of humic substances; their role in the environment and interactions with xenobiotics; soil fulvic acids.
Soils of archaeological sites: their chemical properties and specific of organic matter.
Ecological problems of organic waste materials application in agriculture: lignin, bark, sapropel, vermicomposts, sewage sludge. Their transformations in soil, influence on plant growth and soil properties.