Rajanikant Panda | Neurology | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Rajanikant Panda | Neurology | Best Researcher Award

Postdoctoral researcher at University of California, San Francisco, United States

Rajanikant Panda is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Neurology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). He specializes in computational neuroscience, focusing on consciousness. He earned his PhD from the University of Liège, Belgium, and has published over 60 SCI-indexed journal articles, accumulating 1700+ citations with an H-index of 22. Rajanikant has extensive experience in multimodal neuroimaging and computational modeling, using tools like EEG, ECoG, fMRI, and PET to explore brain dynamics across various states of consciousness. He is passionate about applying AI and neuroimaging techniques to improve clinical outcomes for patients with neurological disorders.

Profile

Scholar

🎓 Education

PhD in Medical Science (2017-2022): University of Liège, Belgium – Focused on computational and empirical modeling of altered states of consciousness. M.E. in Applied Electronics (2013-2015): Anna University, India – Conducted research on brain tumor functional network mapping. B.Tech in Biomedical Engineering (2006-2010): Biju Patnaik University of Technology, India – Thesis on EEG signal classification for epileptic seizure detection.

💼 Experience

Postdoctoral Fellow, UCSF, USA (2023–Present): Studying brain dynamics in acute comatose patients. Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Liège, Belgium (2022-2023): Researched virtual reality hypnosis and chronic disorders of consciousness. Junior Scientific Officer, NIMHANS, India (2013-2017): Focused on brain connectivity in neurological patients using EEG-fMRI. Junior Research Fellow, NIMHANS, India (2011-2013): Developed simultaneous EEG-fMRI data acquisition protocols. Biomedical Engineer, Human Kariger Pvt. Ltd, India (2010-2011): Provided technical support for neurofeedback systems.

🏆 Awards and Honors

F.R.S.-FNRS Aspirant Grant for PhD research at University of Liège. DST Travel Grant to present research at an international conference, USA (2012). Guest Editor for journals like Brain Connectivity and Frontiers Psychology – Consciousness Research. Best Paper Awards at international conferences on neuroscience and consciousness.

🔬 Research Focus

Characterizing brain dynamics across consciousness spectrums (meditation, hypnosis, coma). Leveraging computational tools like brain connectivity, network theory, and information theory. Developing multimodal neuroimaging techniques (EEG, ECoG, fMRI, PET). Enhancing neurocritical care through AI-based diagnostics and therapeutic predictions. Investigating mechanisms underlying consciousness in disorders of consciousness and dying patients.

Conclusion

Dr. Panda’s unparalleled expertise, impactful contributions, and commitment to advancing neuroscience make him a deserving recipient of the Best Researcher Award. His work not only pushes the boundaries of scientific knowledge but also offers transformative clinical insights, underlining his significant impact on the field.

Publications 📚

 

  • Classification of EEG signal using wavelet transform and support vector machine for epileptic seizure detection
    • Year: 2010
    • Authors: R Panda, PS Khobragade, PD Jambhule, SN Jengthe, PR Pal, TK Gandhi

 

  • Preservation of brain activity in unresponsive patients identifies MCS star
    • Year: 2021
    • Authors: A Thibaut, R Panda, J Annen, LRD Sanz, L Naccache, C Martial, …

 

  • Quantifying arousal and awareness in altered states of consciousness using interpretable deep learning
    • Year: 2022
    • Authors: M Lee, LRD Sanz, A Barra, A Wolff, JO Nieminen, M Boly, M Rosanova, …

 

  • Decreased integration of EEG source-space networks in disorders of consciousness
    • Year: 2019
    • Authors: J Rizkallah, J Annen, J Modolo, O Gosseries, P Benquet, S Mortaheb, …

 

  • Role of altered cerebello-thalamo-cortical network in the neurobiology of essential tremor
    • Year: 2017
    • Authors: A Lenka, KS Bhalsing, R Panda, K Jhunjhunwala, RM Naduthota, J Saini, …

 

  • Temporal dynamics of the default mode network characterize meditation-induced alterations in consciousness
    • Year: 2016
    • Authors: R Panda, RD Bharath, N Upadhyay, S Mangalore, S Chennu, SL Rao

 

  • Loss of consciousness reduces the stability of brain hubs and the heterogeneity of brain dynamics
    • Year: 2021
    • Authors: A López-González, R Panda, A Ponce-Alvarez, G Zamora-López, …

 

  • Recovery of resting brain connectivity ensuing mild traumatic brain injury
    • Year: 2015
    • Authors: RD Bharath, A Munivenkatappa, S Gohel, R Panda, J Saini, J Rajeswaran, …

 

  • Perturbations in dynamical models of whole-brain activity dissociate between the level and stability of consciousness
    • Year: 2021
    • Authors: Y Sanz Perl, C Pallavicini, I Pérez Ipiña, A Demertzi, V Bonhomme, …

 

  • Machine learning detects EEG microstate alterations in patients living with temporal lobe epilepsy
    • Year: 2018
    • Authors: SS Rajagopalan, S Bhardwaj, R Panda, VR Reddam, C Ganne, …

 

 

Chiadika Nwanze | Global Neurology | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Chiadika Nwanze | Global Neurology | Best Researcher Award

Dr at Boston Children’s Hospital,  United States

Chiadika Nwanze, MD, is a Clinical Fellow in Child Neurology at Harvard Medical School/Boston Children’s Hospital. A magna cum laude graduate in Neuroscience from Michigan State University, she earned her MD from the University of Wisconsin, excelling in research and global health. Her extensive experience spans pediatric neurology, global health, and cutting-edge research in cerebral malaria and pediatric oncology. Chiadika is a passionate educator and has received numerous accolades for her work in global health and clinical pediatrics.

Profile

Orcid

Education 🎓

Harvard Medical School: Clinical Fellow, Child Neurology (2024–Present). Children’s National Medical Center: Resident Physician, Pediatrics; Global Health Certificate (2021–2024). University of Wisconsin: Doctor of Medicine; Research Distinction (2016–2021). Michigan State University: B.Sc., Neuroscience (Magna Cum Laude, 2012–2016). L’Institut de Touraine, France: Concentration in French History (2014).

 Experience 💼

Harvard Neurology Program: Clinical Fellow (2024–Present). Blantyre Malaria Project, Malawi: Research Fellow, cerebral malaria pathogenesis (2022–2024). NIH Pediatric Oncology Branch: MRSP Fellow, tumor immunology research (2019–2021). Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center: Research Student, HIV/SIV immune response (2017).

Awards and Honors 🏆

Children’s National Exemplary Role Model Award (2024). Global Health Pilot Research Award ($10,000, 2023–2024). Resident Travel Award (2023). Elizabeth M. Smithwick Scholarship (2021). Herman H. and Gwendolyn P. Shapiro Medical Scholarship (2016–2021)., MSU Neuroscience Fellowship (2014–2015).

Research Focus 🔍

Cerebral Malaria: Clinical and laboratory correlates in pediatric pathogenesis.. Pediatric Oncology: CAR T cell function and tumor microenvironment enhancement. Immunology: HIV/SIV-infected primate NK cell receptor studies. Global Health: Advancing pediatric care in low-resource settings through innovative research.

Conclusion 💡

Chiadika Nwanze is an exceptional candidate for the Best Researcher Award due to his extensive training, significant research contributions, and leadership in medical education. His work has already made valuable strides in pediatrics and oncology, and his continued commitment to improving healthcare outcomes—especially in underserved areas—will undoubtedly leave a lasting impact on the field. With further development of his multidisciplinary collaborations and engagement with policy-making, Nwanze has the potential to become a leading figure in medical research and clinical care globally.

Publications 📚

    1. Severity of Vessel Color Changes and Macular and Peripheral Whitening in Malarial Retinopathy Are Associated with Higher Total Body and Sequestered Parasite Burdens
      • Journal: Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease
      • Year: 2024
      • DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed9110279

     

    1. Genetically engineered myeloid cells rebalance the core immune suppression program in metastasis
      • Journal: Cell
      • Year: 2021
      • DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2021.02.048

     

    1. Immunotherapy for solid tumors: Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells and the tumor microenvironment
      • Journal: The Journal of Immunology
      • Year: 2020
      • DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.204.supp.239.36

     

    1. Progressive lentivirus infection induces natural killer cell receptor-expressing B cells in the gastrointestinal tract
      • Journal: AIDS (London, England)
      • Year: 2018
      • DOI: 10.1097/qad.0000000000001855

 

Somayeh Hashemi Sheikhshabani | Human Genetics | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Somayeh Hashemi Sheikhshabani | Human Genetics | Best Researcher Award

👨‍🏫Profile Summary

I am a highly skilled researcher specializing in Medical Genetics with a focus on Cancer Biology, Cancer Drug Resistance, Noncoding RNAs, Computational Biology, and Genetics of Rare Diseases. With a Ph.D. from Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, and a strong background in Cellular and Molecular Biology, I’ve conducted extensive research on genetic analysis of male infertility, identification of genes involved in various cancers, and prediction of regulatory networks using bioinformatics tools. Proficient in a wide range of experimental techniques and software applications, I am dedicated to advancing knowledge in genetics and contributing to the development of innovative therapies.

 

🌐 Professional Profiles

Education 📚

PhD in Medical Genetics Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran September 23, 2019 – October 7, 2023 PhD Thesis: Genetic investigation of non-obstructive azoospermia families with cytogenetic and molecular genetic tests, and determining the relationship between genetic and clinical findings of patients.M.Sc. in Cellular and Molecular Biology National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Tehran, Iran September 23, 2010 – October 27, 2012 Master Thesis: Alkaloid extract of Peganum harmala L. seed on the expression of Bax and Bcl-2 genes involved in mitochondrial apoptosis pathway in cancer cells.B.Sc. in Molecular Genetics Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran September 23, 2005 – October 7, 2009

Research Interests 🔬

  • Cancer Biology
  • Cancer Drug Resistance
  • Noncoding RNAs
  • Computational Biology
  • Genetics of Rare Diseases

Research Projects 🧬

Genetic analysis of male infertility in a family using Whole Exome Sequencing. (Student Research Committee, Department of Medical Genetics, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 2024)In silico prediction of non-coding RNA-gene regulatory network in primary gonad failure defects. (Student Research Committee, Department of Medical Genetics, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 2024)In silico identification of functional single nucleotide polymorphisms of azoospermia genes. (Student Research Committee, Department of Medical Genetics, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 2024)In silico prediction of coagulation system functional polymorphisms. (Student Research Committee, Department of Medical Genetics, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 2024)Identification of genes involved in Imatinib resistance in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). (Student Research Committee, Department of Medical Genetics, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 2024)Genetic analysis of families with non-obstructive azoospermia by Whole Exome Sequencing. (Department of Medical Genetics, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 2024)Genetic investigation of infertility in an Iranian family with infertility in both sexes. (Department of Medical Genetics, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 2023)Prediction of tissue-specific inflammatory LncRNAs in COVID-19 patients. (Student Research Committee, Department of Medical Genetics, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 2021-2024)Identification of inflammatory miRNAs associated with COVID-19 and determination of their potential target genes using bioinformatics tools. (Student Research Committee, Department of Medical Genetics, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 2021-2023)Identification of genes involved in the development of chemotherapy resistance in lung cancer. (Student Research Committee, Department of Medical Genetics, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 2021-2024)Identification of common polymorphisms in the host antioxidant pathway against viruses and prediction of their effects. (Student Research Committee, Department of Medical Genetics, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 2021-2024)Identification of genes involved in the development of chemotherapy resistance in ovarian cancer. (Student Research Committee, Department of Medical Genetics, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 2021-2023)Investigation of the effect of oleuropein on miR-125b and miR-34a expression in ovarian cancer cell lines. (Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences; 2019-2020)Investigation of the effect of oleuropein on miR-181b and miR-21 expression in breast cancer cell line. (Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences; 2019-2020)Investigation of the effect of oleuropein on the expression of genes involved in apoptosis in cisplatin-resistant ovarian cell line. (Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences; 2019-2020)Study of the effect of nanoparticles containing altretiamine and arstin on ferroptosis in ovarian cancer cell line. (Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences; 2016-2020)Study of the effect of nanoparticles containing altretamine on ferroptosis-apoptosis in ovarian cancer cell line. (Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences; 2018-2019)Genetic etiology determination of non-syndromic hearing loss families using Whole Exome Sequencing. (Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences; 2018-2019)

Skills 🛠️

A. Experimental Techniques:Human cell cultureMTT assay (Drugs, Natural products, Nanoparticles)DNA and RNA extractionApoptosis assayROS assayElectrophoresisQuantitative PCRConventional PCRSonicationNanodropKaryotypingSanger sequencingWhole exome sequencingB. Software Ability:Various microRNA databases (TargetScan, miRBase, miRWalk, etc.)Various lncRNA databases (starBase, LncBase, etc.)Pathway databases (KEGG, WikiPathways, Reactome)Variant prediction tools (SIFT, Mutation Taster, Polyphen, CADD, etc.)Genome browsers (NCBI, Ensembl, UCSC)Primer design software and tools (AlleleID, Primer3, Oligo 7, etc.)Sequence analysis software (QIAGEN CLC Genomics Workbench, Mutation Surveyor, FinchTV, etc.)STRINGDBCytoscapeGene RunnerGenome expression databases (GEO, GTEx, etc.)

Workshops 📚

 

  • Various workshops covering topics such as predicting LncRNAs, the role of biological systems in cancer, electronic resource investigation, Next Generation sequencing, molecular techniques, article writing, PCR, and bioinformatics.

📚Top Noted Publication

  1. Title: The effect of oleuropein on apoptotic pathway regulators in breast cancer cells
    • Journal: European Journal of Pharmacology
    • Year: 2020
    • Volume: 886
    • Pages: 173509
    • Citations: 43

 

  1. Title: Peganum harmala L.’s anti-growth effect on a breast cancer cell line
    • Journal: Biotechnology reports
    • Year: 2015
    • Volume: 8
    • Pages: 138-143
    • Citations: 39

 

  1. Title: Oleuropein reduces cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer by targeting apoptotic pathway regulators
    • Journal: Life Sciences
    • Year: 2021
    • Volume: 278
    • Pages: 119525
    • Citations: 26

 

  1. Title: Growth inhibitory impact of Peganum harmala L. on two breast cancer cell lines
    • Journal: Iranian journal of biotechnology
    • Year: 2014
    • Volume: 12
    • Issue: 1
    • Pages: 8-14
    • Citations: 23

 

  1. Title: The impact of oleuropein on miRNAs regulating cell death signaling pathway in human cervical cancer cells
    • Journal: Biotechnology and Applied Biochemistry
    • Year: 2024
    • Volume: 71
    • Issue: 1
    • Pages: 61-71
    • Citations: 1

 

  1. Title: In Silico Prediction of Functional SNPs Interrupting Antioxidant Defense Genes in Relation to COVID-19 Progression
    • Journal: Biochemical Genetics
    • Year: 2024
    • Pages: 1-27

 

  1. Title: Meta-analysis of microarray data to determine gene indicators involved in the cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer
    • Journal: Cancer Reports
    • Year: 2023
    • Volume: 6
    • Issue: 12
    • Pages: e1884