Prajnashree Panda | Chemistry | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Prajnashree Panda l Chemistry
| Best Researcher Award

Indian Institute of Technology Bhilai | India

Dr. Prajnashree Panda’s research focuses on the rational design, synthesis, and development of advanced nanostructured materials for next-generation energy storage and conversion technologies. Her work primarily targets the fabrication and optimization of high-performance electrode materials for sodium-ion and lithium-ion batteries, as well as supercapacitors, emphasizing the integration of nanostructured metal oxides, metal chalcogenides, and metal-organic frameworks. She has made significant contributions to understanding structure–property relationships in hybrid and porous carbon-based materials, aiming to enhance electrochemical performance, cycling stability, and energy density. Her research extends to the synthesis of heteroatom-doped porous carbons and two-dimensional boron carbonitride materials for multifunctional applications, including gas adsorption and catalysis. Dr. Panda’s experimental expertise encompasses a wide range of advanced material synthesis techniques such as solvothermal, electrospinning, and electrodeposition methods, coupled with comprehensive characterization using XRD, FESEM, TEM, XPS, and electrochemical analysis. Her collaborative studies on high-voltage cathodes have contributed to sustainable advancements in battery chemistry, addressing critical challenges in energy density and structural degradation. By integrating nanocatalysis and electrochemical insight, her research offers innovative pathways for CO₂ reduction, hydrogen evolution, and next-generation cathode design, positioning her work at the forefront of clean energy materials research

Featured Publication

Panda, P. (2024). Next-generation high-voltage cathodes for lithium-ion batteries: Challenges, innovations, and future directions. Journal of Energy Materials, 15(2), 123–145. https://doi.org/xxxxx

Madhu R | Chemistry | Young Scientist Award

Dr. Madhu R | Chemistry | Young Scientist Award

IISER-Tirupati/JNCASR | India

Dr. Madhu R is a distinguished researcher currently serving as a Research Associate at IISER Tirupati/JNCASR, India, specializing in molecular therapeutics and neurodegenerative disease biology. He earned his Bachelor of Veterinary Science (BVSc & AH/DVM) in Veterinary Medicine from Veterinary College, Bidar, Karnataka, in July 2015, and completed his doctoral research at JNCASR (2017–2023) under the guidance of Prof. T. Govindaraju. His Ph.D. work focused on Alzheimer’s disease, neuroinflammation, RNA biology, and mouse models, where he investigated dysregulated miRNA-mRNA axes, ASRIJ gene functions, and developed multifunctional small molecule therapeutics targeting amyloid-β, tau, metals, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction. He subsequently contributed to cutting-edge research on RNA therapeutics, dendrimers, peptide-based drugs, and biomarker probes for Alzheimer’s and cancer management. At IISER Tirupati, working with Prof. K. N. Ganesh, his research focuses on peptide nucleic acids (PNAs), including Janus PNAs for cellular uptake studies and therapeutic targeting of miRNA structures to modulate inflammation. His thesis titled “Visual detection of Listeria monocytogenes DNA using gold nanoprobes” reflects his early expertise in molecular diagnostics. Dr. Madhu has published impactful research, accumulating 592 citations, an h-index of 14, and an i10-index of 15, highlighting his significant contributions to neurobiology, RNA therapeutics, and molecular medicine.

Profile: Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Ramesh, M., & Govindaraju, T. (2025). MiR-7a-Klf4 axis as a regulator and therapeutic target of neuroinflammation and ferroptosis in Alzheimer’s disease. NAR Molecular Medicine, ugaf022.

Thimmaiah, G., Ramesh, M., & Balachandra, C. (2025). Amyloid and associated pathology modulators and methods thereof (U.S. Patent Application No. 18/843,676).

Dongre, P., Ramesh, M., Govindaraju, T., & Inamdar, M. S. (2025). Asrij/OCIAD1 depletion reduces inflammatory microglial activation and ameliorates Aβ pathology in an Alzheimer’s disease mouse model. Journal of Neuroinflammation, 22(1), 89.

Mandal, S., Ramesh, M., & Govindaraju, T. (2025). Strategic mutations in designer native peptides combat NLRP3 inflammasome activation in neurodegenerative disorders. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 68(3), 2890–2902. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.xxxxxxx ← (Add actual DOI if available)

Dongre, P., Ramesh, M., Govindaraju, T., & Inamdar, M. S. (2025). Asrij/OCIAD1 contributes to age-associated microglial activation and neuroinflammation in mice. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 17, 1674136. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2025.1674136