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

Rishabh Gupta | Pharmacology | Young Scientist Award

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Mr. Rishabh Gupta | Pharmacology
| Young Scientist Award

Jagannath University, Jaipur | India

Mr. Rishabh Gupta’s research focuses on advancing pharmaceutical sciences through innovative drug formulation and delivery approaches, emphasizing the use of advanced analytical and instrumental techniques such as UV-spectrophotometry, dissolution apparatus, and rotavapour for precision-based pharmaceutical analysis. His ongoing doctoral research in pharmaceutical sciences explores novel strategies for optimizing drug solubility, stability, and bioavailability to enhance therapeutic outcomes. With a strong foundation in pharmaceutics, he contributes to preclinical and formulation development studies involving animal handling, dosing, and pharmacokinetic analysis, ensuring translational relevance between laboratory findings and clinical applications. His academic engagement extends to guiding research projects on innovative dosage forms, controlled drug delivery systems, and evaluation methodologies that address current challenges in the pharmaceutical industry. Through a multidisciplinary approach combining formulation science, analytical validation, and data-driven interpretation using computational tools like MS Excel, Rishabh Gupta strives to integrate scientific rigor with practical application. His work also aligns with contemporary pharmaceutical research trends, such as the development of patient-centric formulations, biopharmaceutical characterization, and regulatory compliance in drug development. By bridging academic research and applied pharmaceutical innovation, his contributions aim to strengthen evidence-based practices and foster advancements in drug formulation science for improved patient care and therapeutic efficacy.

Featured Publications

Pal, R., Pandey, P., Jha, D., Dutta, P., Sahoo, S., Gupta, R., Rizwan, M., et al. (2023). The utilization of full factorial design (FFD) for optimization of lincomycin hydrochloride (LNH) loaded nanogel involving design of experiments (DoE) and evaluation parameters. Advances in Research on Teaching, 24(6), 272–281.

 Gupta, R., & Singhal, M. (2022). Transferosomes as an efficient carrier system for better therapeutic response of targeted drug delivery system. Research Journal of Pharmacy and Technology, 15(2), 913–920.

 Gupta, R., Dhiman, S., Agrawal, C., Sharma, S., & Singh, T. G. (2024). Formulation and evaluation of nateglinide-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers for sustained release. AIP Conference Proceedings, 3209(1), 060022. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0212345 (Add DOI if available)

Gupta, R., Pal, R., Ghosh, B., Sharma, S., Himanshi, J., & Sharma, S. (2025). Chapter 10: Regulatory, ethical and current status (clinical trials & patents) in nano-brain drug delivery. In Nano-Brain Revolution in Alzheimer’s Disease – A New Era of Brain Drug Delivery (pp. [insert pages if known]).

Carlota Jauregui Larranaga | Neurology | Best Researcher Award

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Carlota Jauregui Larranaga | Neurology | Best Researcher Award

Neurology Specialist, Donostia University Hospital, Spain

👩‍⚕️ Dr. Carlotta Jauregui Larrañaga is a neurologist and researcher with expertise in neurology, neuro-oncology, and clinical research. With a strong academic background and extensive experience in various medical institutions, she has made significant contributions to the field of neurology through her research and publications.

Profile

Orcid

Education

📚 Dr. Jauregui Larrañaga holds a degree in Medicine from the University of Navarra (2011-2017) and specialized in Neurology through the Formación Sanitaria Especializada en Neurología program at the Hospital Universitario de Navarra (2019-2023). She also completed a Master’s degree in Clinical Neurology from the Universidad Francisco de Vitoria (2020-2023).

Experience

💼 Dr. Jauregui Larrañaga has worked as a Medical Resident in Neurology at the Hospital Universitario de Navarra and later as a Specialist Neurologist at the Hospital Universitario Donostia. She has also been involved in various research projects and collaborations, including external rotations in epilepsy and neuro-oncology units.

Research Interest

🔬 Dr. Jauregui Larrañaga’s research focuses on neurology, neuro-oncology, and clinical neuroscience. Her work explores the complexities of neurological disorders, including the use of advanced diagnostic techniques and therapeutic approaches.

Awards

– 2nd prize at the Annual Meeting of the Navarre Society of Neurology (2021)
– 1st prize for the presentation “Progressive Weakness and Split Hand: Not Everything is ALS” (2021)
– IV PUBLIBeCAS Award from the Spanish Society of Neurology for her work on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (2022)
– 3rd prize at the Annual Meeting of the Navarre Society of Neurology (2023)

Publications

Jauregui Larrañaga C, Ostolaza Ibañez A, Martín Bujanda M. Acute Transverse Myelitis Associated with SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Neurología. 2021. (link unavailable)
Jauregui C, Blanco-Luquin I, Macías M, Roldan M, Caballero C, Pagola I, Mendioroz M, Jericó I. Exploring the Disease-Associated Microglia State in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Biomedicines. 2023. (link unavailable)
Jauregui C, García M, Cabello J, Barceló MI, Bargay E, Gil MC, Bataller L, Velasco R, Erro E. Complexity of Neuro-Oncological Hospital Consultations: A Multicenter Study. Neurologia (Engl Ed). 2025. (link unavailable)

Conclusion

Carlota Jauregui Larrañaga is a strong candidate for the Best Researcher Award. Her clinical expertise, research output, awards, and scientific communication skills mark her as an outstanding early-career neurologist with a promising future. With greater global exposure and continued scholarly activity, she is well-positioned to become a leader in neurological research.