Francis Akpa-Inyang | Public Health | Young Scientist Award

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Dr. Francis Akpa-Inyang | Public Health | Young Scientist Award

Research Associate | Durban University of Technology | South Africa

Dr. Francis Akpa-Inyang is a multidisciplinary public health scholar whose research integrates bioethics, indigenous knowledge systems, research integrity, and applied health sciences. His work advances understanding of informed consent within African traditional medicine, exploring how cultural values, communal decision-making, and indigenous ethical frameworks shape patient autonomy and healthcare interactions. He has developed a pluralistic model for healthcare decision-making that offers a culturally grounded alternative to Western biomedical ethics, contributing significantly to debates on ethics in global health. His scholarship further extends to orthopaedic research, 3D-printing innovation, public health behaviour, infectious disease knowledge, and higher-education teaching and learning. He has published widely in peer-reviewed journals, addressing themes such as ethical regulation, cross-cultural consent processes, infection control, ergonomics in remote work, pedagogy, and health-seeking behaviours. In addition to his academic contributions, he plays an active role in strengthening research integrity systems in Africa, drafting institutional policies, investigating ethical breaches, and providing training in responsible research conduct. He collaborates with multidisciplinary teams, contributes to international conferences, and supports emerging scholars through supervision and mentorship across public health, clinical sciences, and social science research. His work on ethical, legal, social, and cultural issues in emerging technologies, including synthetic biology and artificial intelligence, reinforces his commitment to ethical governance in rapidly evolving scientific landscapes. With expertise spanning bioethics, public health research, academic development, and research integrity leadership, he is recognized for advancing culturally responsive ethical practices and promoting high standards of scientific conduct within African and global research environments.

Featured Publication

Akpa-Inyang, F. (2025). The San Code of Ethics versus international ethical guidelines: A cross-cultural analysis. African Journal of Inter/Multidisciplinary Studies, 7(1).

Imane Maiouet | Applied microbiology and biotechnology | Young Scientist Award

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Ms. Imane Maiouet | Applied microbiology and biotechnology | Young Scientist Award

University Hassan 2 of Casablanca, Faculty of Sciences and Techniques Mohammedia | Morocco

Ms. Imane Maiouet research focuses on microbial biotechnology with a specialization in the isolation, technological characterization, antimicrobial profiling, and probiotic assessment of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) derived from dairy sources. Core investigations include phenotypic, biochemical, physiological, and molecular identification of LAB strains, followed by detailed evaluation of their fermentation behavior, acidification capacity, growth kinetics, and enzymatic activities. The work further explores antimicrobial mechanisms through agar diffusion assays, OD-based inhibition tests, and co-culture studies aimed at suppressing foodborne and clinical pathogens. A significant component involves identifying, purifying, and optimizing LAB-derived bioactive compounds, particularly bacteriocin-like substances, with potential applications in food safety and functional probiotics. Probiotic characterization includes assessing acid and bile tolerance, hydrophobicity, aggregation behavior, gastrointestinal resilience, enzymatic traits, and safety indicators such as hemolysis and antibiotic susceptibility. Additional studies address the technological performance of LAB in dairy environments, the impact of different processing conditions, and the development of strains with enhanced antagonistic and functional properties. Parallel research has examined biotechnological applications related to spoilage inhibition, environmental microbiology, and the integration of data analysis workflows using Python and statistical tools. Collectively, this work advances the development of beneficial LAB strains with promising industrial, probiotic, and biopreservative potential.

Featured Publication

Amirul Hafiz Ahmad Abdullah | Neuroscience | Best Scholar Award

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Mr. Amirul Hafiz Ahmad Abdullah | Neuroscience
| Best Scholar Award

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) | Malaysia

Mr. Amirul Hafiz Ahmad Abdullah research focuses on the early mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration, with a particular emphasis on Alzheimer’s disease and the interplay between neurotrophic imbalance and programmed cell death pathways. Central to this work is the investigation of how dysregulation of BDNF and its precursor proBDNF contributes to synaptic vulnerability, cognitive decline, and the initiation of gasdermin-D–mediated pyroptosis during disease progression. Using aluminium-induced preclinical models that capture acute-to-chronic transitions, the research integrates behavioural assessments, molecular profiling, and transcriptomic analyses to map temporal changes in memory function, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and neurotrophic signalling. Multi-omics approaches, including RNA sequencing, Western blotting, ELISA, and immunohistochemistry, are employed to link biochemical and cellular alterations with neurobehavioural outcomes, identifying potential early biomarkers that precede hallmark Alzheimer’s pathology. Additional work includes systematic reviews on pyroptosis, ferroptosis, and BDNF-related mechanisms across neurodegenerative disorders, as well as protocol development for synthesising evidence from animal studies. Complementary investigations explore oxidative stress responses, neuroprotective effects of exercise paradigms, and inflammatory pathways in toxin-induced neurological models. Collectively, these studies aim to clarify early molecular drivers of cognitive impairment and advance the discovery of diagnostic and therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative diseases.

Featured Publications

Abdullah, A. H. A., Jufri, N. F., Masre, S. F., Rajab, N. F., Damanhuri, H. A., Roos, N. A. C., & Ibrahim, F. W. (2024). BDNF-altering cell death mechanisms of brain disorders: Pyroptosis and/or ferroptosis? A systematic review. Turkish Journal of Biochemistry, 49(4), 471–483. https://doi.org/10.1515/tjb-2024-0041

Sayuti, N., Ibrahim, F. W., Jufri, N. F., Masre, S. F., Abdullah, A. H. A., Raub, S. H. A., Azman, A. H. D., & Muhammed, M. H. (2024). Retrospective data analysis on the prevalence and demographic risk factors for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) cases from a private laboratory in Malaysia. Tropical Biomedicine, 41(3), 257–263. https://doi.org/10.47665/tb.41.3.004

Abdullah, A. H. A., Anuar, H., Rosli, N. A., Faizal, H. H., Moothy, K., Fairof, M. H. Z., Jufri, N. F., Masre, S. F., Rajab, N. F., & Ibrahim, F. W. (2025). Aluminum exposure induces time-dependent cognitive decline, anxiety, and brain aluminum accumulation in rats. The Indonesian Biomedical Journal, 17(5), 416–425. https://doi.org/10.18585/inabj.v17i5.3746

Azhar Mehmood | Cancer Genetics | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Azhar Mehmood | Cancer Genetics
| Best Researcher Award

Rawalpindi Medical University | Pakistan

Dr. Azhar Mehmood is a biochemistry and molecular biology researcher whose work spans cancer genetics, DNA damage response pathways, exosomal biomarker discovery, and infectious disease molecular diagnostics. His research contributions include extensive investigation of breast, gastric, thyroid, and head and neck cancers, with a strong emphasis on genetic polymorphisms, pathway deregulation, epigenetic mechanisms, and survival-associated molecular markers. He has explored the prognostic significance of DDR pathway genes, including ATM, ATR, Chk1, and SIRT3/FOXO3a/SOD2 regulatory axes, and conducted SNP-based risk analyses for various malignancies. His work on exosomal microRNAs—such as miR-19a/b, miR-144-3p, miR-4262, and the miR-17-92a cluster—has advanced understanding of their diagnostic and therapeutic potential in breast and brain tumors. His research background also includes contributions to molecular profiling of HCV persistence, viral immunology, and transfusion-transmitted infections. He has applied molecular techniques such as qPCR, LORD-qPCR, IHC, ELISA, genotyping, exosome characterization, and multiple biochemical assays to uncover disease mechanisms and improve diagnostic precision. His publications collectively highlight a strong focus on cancer risk assessment, biomarker identification, and translational molecular research aimed at supporting early detection, targeted therapy development, and improved patient outcomes across multiple cancer types.

Featured Publications

Haris, M. S., Hussain, M. Z., Mehmood, A., Kayani, M. A., & Mahjabeen, I. (2025). hsa-miR-144-3p and hsa-miR-4262 are exosomal biomarkers and function as tumor suppressors in HCMV positive brain tumor. Future Oncology. https://doi.org/10.1080/14796694.2025.2569097

Mehmood, A., Mahjabeen, I., Reed, S., Errington, R. J., Umar, M., Pervaiz, F., & Kayani, M. A. (2025). Association of DDR pathway proteins and breast cancer risk in a Pakistani population. Future Oncology. https://doi.org/10.1080/14796694.2025.2581508

Keabetsoe Manosa | Chemical Engineering | Young Researcher Award

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Mr. Keabetsoe Manosa | Chemical Engineering
| Young Researcher Award

Mersin University | Turkey

Mr. Keabetsoe Manosa  study investigates the hydrogen-storage potential of AB₂-type cluster systems based on Magnesium–Titanium (Mg–Ti) and Magnesium–Nickel (Mg–Ni), focusing on their economic feasibility, effectiveness, safety profile, and proximity to optimal thermodynamic and physicochemical conditions for maximum hydrogen retention. The research evaluates key material parameters including enthalpy of formation, activation energy, hydride stability, charge distribution, atomic radii compatibility, and lattice behavior under varying temperature–pressure conditions. Comparative computational analyses reveal how alloying magnesium with transition metals enhances hydrogen diffusion pathways, reduces desorption barriers, and influences reversible storage capacity. The Mg–Ti system is examined for its lightweight composition, favorable thermodynamic window, and potential cost efficiency, while the Mg–Ni system is assessed for catalytic enhancement, structural robustness, and effective hydrogen absorption–desorption kinetics. The study integrates principles of materials thermodynamics, solid-state chemistry, and cluster theory to determine which system aligns more closely with optimal storage metrics required for scalable applications in clean-energy technologies. Overall, the analysis provides insight into the tunability of Mg-based alloys, highlighting their comparative strengths and limitations in meeting industrial hydrogen-storage demands and contributing to the broader pursuit of high-performance, safe, and economically viable energy-storage materials.

Featured Publications

Manosa, K. (2025, July 30). The comparison in the degree of economic feasibility, effectiveness, safety and the proximity to the optimum conditions needed for the maximum storage of hydrogen gas in AB₂-type cluster systems of Magnesium–Titanium and Magnesium–Nickel based on the relevant physical and chemical properties: The Mpoetsi Manosa study (Version 2) [Preprint]. ChemRxiv. https://doi.org/10.26434/chemrxiv-2025-wkpn4-v2

Manosa, K. (2025, June 23). The comparison in the degree of economic feasibility, effectiveness, safety and the proximity to the optimum conditions needed for the maximum storage of hydrogen gas in AB₂-type cluster systems of Magnesium–Titanium and Magnesium–Nickel based on the relevant physical and chemical properties: The Mpoetsi Manosa study [Preprint]. ChemRxiv. https://doi.org/10.26434/chemrxiv-2025-wkpn4

Malik Abu Afifa | Business | Research Excellence Award

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Assoc. Prof. Dr. Malik Abu Afifa | Business
| Research Excellence Award

Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan | Jordan

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Malik Abu Afifa is a statistician whose work spans industrial statistics, reliability engineering, biostatistics, and applied statistical modelling. Their research focuses on statistical quality control, acceptance sampling, time-to-event modelling, epidemiology, time series analysis, and the development of new probability distributions. They have produced an extensive body of peer-reviewed work, contributing more than 70 publications indexed in major scholarly databases. Their studies have advanced methods for product reliability assessment, epidemic monitoring, and industrial process optimization, as well as introduced innovative sampling schemes widely applied in quality management and risk evaluation. Their collaborative research extends across multiple African regions, supporting data-driven solutions in public health, environmental safety, and national development. A current project involves the creation of a statistical risk index for analyzing and predicting road-traffic crash patterns using spatial and multiscale modelling techniques. Their academic roles have included teaching, mentorship, and curriculum development, alongside participation in competitive research fellowships and professional development programs in analytics and quantitative science.

Featured Publications

Saleh, I., & Abu Afifa, M. (2020). The effect of credit risk, liquidity risk and bank capital on bank profitability: Evidence from an emerging market. Cogent Economics & Finance, 8(1), 1814509.

Abu Afifa, M. M., Van, H. V., & Van, T. L. H. (2022). Blockchain adoption in accounting by an extended UTAUT model: Empirical evidence from an emerging economy. Journal of Financial Reporting and Accounting, 21(1), 5–44.

Saleh, I., Marei, Y., Ayoush, M., & Abu Afifa, M. M. (2022). Big data analytics and financial reporting quality: Qualitative evidence from Canada. Journal of Financial Reporting and Accounting, 21(1), 83–104.

Joseph Odunayo Braimah | Mathematics | Young Scientist Award

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Dr. Joseph Odunayo Braimah | Mathematics
| Young Scientist Award

Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Nigeria | Nigeria

Dr. Joseph Odunayo Braimah is a Nigerian statistician and academic whose expertise spans industrial statistics, reliability engineering, acceptance sampling, biostatistics, and applied statistical modelling. He holds a Ph.D. in Statistics from the University of Ilorin, Nigeria, where his doctoral research focused on evaluating the performance of truncated sampling plans. He also earned an M.Sc. and B.Sc. in Statistics from the same institution, along with a Postgraduate Diploma in Education from the National Teachers’ Institute, Kaduna. He currently serves as a Lecturer I in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Nigeria. In 2024, he completed a competitive Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at the University of the Free State, South Africa, within the Department of Mathematical Statistics and Actuarial Sciences. His earlier academic roles at Al-Hikmah University and AROIF College of Advanced Studies reflect his strong contributions to teaching, curriculum development, and student mentorship. Dr. Braimah’s research covers statistical quality control, time-to-event modelling, medical statistics, epidemiology, time series analysis, and probability distributions. He has authored over 70 Scopus-indexed publications in reputable international journals and has collaborated extensively with scholars across Africa, including South Africa and Zimbabwe. His work advances understanding in public health analytics, product reliability, epidemic monitoring, and industrial process optimization. He has also developed multiple new probability distributions and innovative acceptance sampling schemes that support decision-making in quality management and risk assessment. His current project, the National Road Traffic Crash Risk Index (NRTCRi), employs spatial and multiscale statistical modelling to assess and predict road-traffic crash risks across Nigeria, contributing to improved national safety policies. He also holds the Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate and is a registered member of the Teachers’ Registration Council of Nigeria.

Featured Publications

Braimah, J. O., Sule, I., Bello, O. A., & Correa, F. M. (2025). A new modified extended generalized inverted exponential (NMEGIEx) distribution: A distribution for flexible and accurate data analysis. Contemporary Mathematics, 6. https://doi.org/10.37256/cm.6620257771

Braimah, J. O., & Correa, F. M. (2025). Reliability assessment of products with Weibull lifetimes: A two-sided linked lots deferred sampling plan (T-SLLDSP). Scientific African. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sciaf.2025.e03039

Omaku, P. E., Braimah, J. O., & Correa, F. M. (2025). Bayesian accelerated failure time model for zero-inflated survival data with application to liver cirrhosis. Journal of Probability and Statistics, (Wiley), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1155/jpas/5562074

Soumi Chowdhury | Metagenomics | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Soumi Chowdhury | Metagenomics
| Best Researcher Award

Institute of Bioinformatics Bangalore | India

Dr. Soumi Chowdhury research centers on medical and environmental microbiology with a primary focus on melioidosis, host–pathogen interactions, and vector biology, integrating molecular, genomic, proteogenomic, immunological, and microbiome-based approaches. Major contributions include comprehensive analyses of the gut microbiome in melioidosis patients, elucidating composition, resistome shifts, and immune–microbial interactions from diagnosis to recovery, as well as identifying clinical predictors of mortality and evaluating diagnostic tools such as serum bilirubin-derived scores, machine-learning–assisted CXR scoring, and ALBI-based differentiation of infectious diseases. Genomic and phylogenomic investigations of Burkholderia pseudomallei strains from clinical and environmental samples have expanded understanding of virulence, epidemiology, and environmental reservoirs in India. Additional work includes retrospective cohort studies addressing antimicrobial resistance patterns, clinical outcomes, and biomarker-based stratification of high-risk cases. Research on sand fly microbiota, proteomes, and paratransgenic potential contributes to advancing knowledge of Leishmania transmission and vector–microbe interactions, while proteogenomic studies uncover novel protein-coding regions in Leishmania species, refining genome annotation and enhancing understanding of parasite biology. Methodological expertise spans microbiome sequencing, metagenomics, cytokine profiling, molecular diagnostics, mass-spectrometry-based proteomics, and immunological assays, supporting multidisciplinary investigations that bridge clinical microbiology, infectious disease epidemiology, and translational pathogen research.

Featured Publications

Sindhu Sree, B., Bhattacharya, R., Varshith, M. R., Shrilaxmi, M. S., Choudhary, S., Lal, P. B., Dastidar, R. G., Mukhopadhyay, C., & Ghosh Dastidar, S. (2025). Draft genome sequence data of Burkholderia pseudomallei CM000152: A strain isolated from pus sample of an Indian patient. Data in Brief, Article 111991. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2025.111991

Varshith, M. R., Ghosh Dastidar, R., Shrilaxmi, M. S., Bhattacharya, R., Jha, S., Choudhary, S., Varny, E., Carvalho, R. A., John, L., Sundaramoorthy, V., & others. (2024). Virulome and phylogenomic profiling of a novel Burkholderia pseudomallei strain from an Indian clinical isolate. Molecular Genetics and Genomics. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00438-024-02188-5

Chowdhury, S., Kullberg, R. F. J., Haak, B. W., Duran, C., Earny, V. A., Eshwara, V. K., Lawley, T. D., Wiersinga, W. J., & Mukhopadhyay, C. (2024). Gut microbiome in human melioidosis: Composition and resistome dynamics from diagnosis to recovery. Open Forum Infectious Diseases, ofae654. https://doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofae654

Romit Seth | Agricultural and Biological Sciences | Editorial Board Member

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Dr. Romit Seth | Agricultural and Biological Sciences | Editorial Board Member

North Carolina State University | United States

Dr. Romit Seth contributions span advanced plant physiology, stress biology, functional genomics, and transcriptome-driven discovery aimed at understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying plant defense, metabolic biosynthesis, and trait evolution. Investigations into Camellia sinensis have revealed candidate genes associated with blister blight resistance, providing insights into pathogen perception, defense signaling, and transcriptional reprogramming using high-resolution RNA-seq approaches. Spatial transcriptomic analysis in Trillium govanianum identified key regulatory genes involved in the biosynthesis of steroidal saponins, offering a systems-level view of tissue-specific metabolic pathway organization and potential targets for metabolic engineering of high-value phytocompounds. Population genomics studies in carrot uncovered genetic signatures of domestication and improvement, clarifying the evolutionary origin of high-carotenoid orange carrot varieties through genome-wide analyses of selection sweeps, allele diversification, and structural variations linked to pigmentation. Additional transcriptional profiling in purple tea has illuminated the seasonal dynamics of anthocyanin degradation and leaf color transitions, demonstrating how environmental cues modulate pigment biosynthesis, transport, and stabilization pathways. Collectively, this body of research advances the understanding of plant metabolic networks, defense responses, and developmental regulation, while integrating genomics and bioinformatics to support crop improvement, stress resilience, and functional characterization of agriculturally and medicinally important species.

Featured Publications

Jayaswall, K., Mahajan, P., Singh, G., Parmar, R., Seth, R., Raina, A., et al. (2016). Transcriptome analysis reveals candidate genes involved in blister blight defense in tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze). Scientific Reports, 6, 30412. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep30412

Singh, P., Singh, G., Bhandawat, A., Singh, G., Parmar, R., Seth, R., & Sharma, R. K. (2017). Spatial transcriptome analysis provides insights of key gene(s) involved in steroidal saponin biosynthesis in medicinally important herb Trillium govanianum. Scientific Reports, 7, 45295. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep45295

Coe, K., Bostan, H., Rolling, W., Turner-Hissong, S., Macko-Podgórni, A., et al. (2023). Population genomics identifies genetic signatures of carrot domestication and improvement and uncovers the origin of high-carotenoid orange carrots. Nature Plants. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-023-01489-y

Heba Afify | Engineering | Editorial Board Member

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Dr. Heba Afify | Engineering | Editorial Board Member

Cairo | Egypt

Dr. Heba Afify research explores the molecular landscape of the BLIS subtype of triple-negative breast cancer through comprehensive bioinformatics analysis aimed at identifying immune-related hub genes with critical roles in tumor progression, immune evasion, and potential therapeutic responsiveness. Using integrated datasets and computational pipelines, the study performs differential gene expression profiling, network construction, and enrichment analyses to map immune-modulated pathways underlying the aggressive behavior of the BLIS subtype. Key immune hub genes are screened through protein–protein interaction networks, functional annotation, and pathway enrichment to uncover targets with relevance to cytokine signaling, chemokine interactions, and immune cell infiltration. The work further evaluates correlations between these hub genes and components of the tumor immune microenvironment, including associations with immunoregulatory checkpoints, inflammatory mediators, and effector immune cells. By combining multi-level computational evidence, the study highlights genes that may serve as biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, or targeted immunotherapy in patients with this difficult-to-treat cancer subtype. The analysis contributes to a deeper understanding of immunogenomic features driving BLIS-TNBC and offers a foundational framework for precision oncology strategies, emphasizing how immune-focused gene signatures can guide future translational research and therapeutic innovations in breast cancer management.

Featured Publications

Adel, H., Abdel Wahed, M., & Afify, H. M. (2025). Bioinformatics analysis for immune hub genes in BLIS subtype of triple-negative breast cancer. Egyptian Journal of Medical Human Genetics. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43042-025-00745-0

Afify, H. M., Mohammed, K. K., & Hassanien, A. E. (2025). Stress detection based EEG under varying cognitive tasks using convolution neural network. Neural Computing and Applications, Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00521-024-10737-7

Afify, H. M., Mohammed, K. K., & Hassanien, A. E. (2024). Insight into automatic image diagnosis of ear conditions based on optimized deep learning approach. Annals of Biomedical Engineering. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-023-03422-8