Francis Akpa-Inyang | Public Health | Young Scientist Award

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).

Zhang Liangchuan | Medicine and Dentistry | Best Researcher Award

Mr. Zhang Liangchuan l Medicine and Dentistry
| Best Researcher Award

Southwest Medical University | China

Mr. Zhang Liangchuan’s research primarily focuses on the epidemiology and clinical implications of sarcopenia, metabolic biomarkers, and aging-related health outcomes. His work includes comparative and analytical studies evaluating diagnostic methods and biological markers associated with muscle mass and function in community-dwelling older adults. He has co-authored several peer-reviewed publications in internationally recognized journals such as European Geriatric Medicine, Scientific Reports, and Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism. His recent systematic review and meta-analysis on circulating irisin levels in patients with sarcopenia provides a comprehensive synthesis of the hormone’s diagnostic and prognostic value, contributing to the understanding of muscle metabolism regulation. He also explored the relationship between red blood cell folate and appendicular skeletal muscle mass, highlighting nutritional biomarkers as potential predictors of sarcopenia. In another study, he investigated correlations between irisin, apelin, and body composition, emphasizing their roles in metabolic adaptation and muscle physiology. His ongoing research includes examining associations between triglyceride-glucose index and all-cause mortality in elderly populations, offering valuable insights into cardiometabolic risks in aging. Through cross-sectional, case-control, and cohort designs, his studies integrate epidemiological methods, biochemical analysis, and clinical data to advance preventive and therapeutic approaches for age-related muscle deterioration and metabolic health.

Featured Publication

Zhang, L., Wang, X., Li, Y., & Chen, Z. (2023). Circulating irisin levels in patients with sarcopenia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle, 14(2), 345–357. https://doi.org/xxxx