Kinda Khalaf | Biomedical Engineering | Best Researcher Award

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Prof. Kinda Khalaf | Biomedical Engineering | Best Researcher Award

Associate Dean | Khalifa University | United Arab Emirates

Dr. Kinda Khalaf is a distinguished biomedical and mechanical engineering scholar whose career spans academic leadership, interdisciplinary research, and sustained contributions to health sciences and engineering education. As a senior academic leader, she has guided undergraduate medical and health sciences programs, chaired major curriculum and accreditation committees, and advanced quality assurance frameworks that have strengthened institutional excellence and global competitiveness. Her expertise lies at the intersection of biomechanics, musculoskeletal modeling, physiological systems engineering, biomedical device design, and innovative pedagogical practices. She has developed and delivered a wide spectrum of engineering and biomedical courses, built state-of-the-art teaching and research laboratories, and led accreditation efforts for multiple engineering and health-related programs. Dr. Khalaf has an extensive publication record and has achieved strong citation visibility in areas such as spinal and orthopedic biomechanics, human motion modeling, movement dysfunction associated with neurological and metabolic disorders, and the development of assistive and rehabilitative technologies. Her collaborative research portfolio includes partnerships with major hospitals, clinical centers, and interdisciplinary university teams, resulting in impactful studies that inform patient care, rehabilitation strategies, and translational biomedical innovations. She has also fostered significant international collaborations aimed at advancing engineering education, curriculum design, and experiential learning through modern instructional approaches. Beyond research and teaching, Dr. Khalaf has been instrumental in promoting undergraduate research, innovation ecosystems, and engineering outreach initiatives, while supporting student recruitment, internships, and career development. Her contributions extend to service on academic councils, integrity and ethics committees, research review boards, and strategic planning groups, reflecting a deep commitment to academic governance. Through her leadership, scholarly output, and dedication to bridging engineering with medicine, Dr. Khalaf has made enduring contributions to both the academic community and broader society, advancing knowledge, strengthening clinical partnerships, and shaping the next generation of biomedical engineers and health science professionals. She has 1922 citations from 161 documents with an h-index of 23.

Profiles: Google Scholar | Scopus | ORCID

Publications

1. Hulleck, A. A., Mohan, D. M., Abdallah, N., El Rich, M., & Khalaf, K. (2022). Present and future of gait assessment in clinical practice: Towards the application of novel trends and technologies.

2. Mohan, D. M., Khandoker, A. H., Wasti, S. A., Ismail Alali, S. I. I., & colleagues. (2021). Assessment methods of post-stroke gait: A scoping review of technology-driven approaches to gait characterization and analysis.

3. Jelinek, H. F., Osman, W. M., Khandoker, A. H., Khalaf, K., Lee, S., Almahmeed, W., & colleagues. (2017). Clinical profiles, comorbidities and complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus in patients from United Arab Emirates.

4. Maschirow, L., Khalaf, K., Al-Aubaidy, H. A., & Jelinek, H. F. (2015). Inflammation, coagulation, endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress in prediabetes—Biomarkers as a possible tool for early disease detection for rural screening.

5. Witzel, I. I., Jelinek, H. F., Khalaf, K., Lee, S., Khandoker, A. H., & Alsafar, H. (2015). Identifying common genetic risk factors of diabetic neuropathies.

Nupur Kohli | Biomedical Engineering | Best Researcher Award

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Assist. Prof. Dr. Nupur Kohli | Biomedical Engineering | Best Researcher Award 

Assistant professor | Khalifa University | United Arab Emirates

Dr. Nupur Kohli is a biomedical scientist and academic whose career spans regenerative medicine, stem cell biology, biomaterials, and translational musculoskeletal research, with a strong commitment to advancing innovative therapies and bridging laboratory discoveries with real-world clinical applications. She serves as an Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Khalifa University, where she leads a regenerative therapies laboratory focused on developing stem cell–based and bioengineered solutions for complex musculoskeletal conditions while contributing to curriculum development and departmental growth. Her earlier roles across leading institutions in the United Kingdom, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates include pioneering sterile tissue culture facilities, developing bioreactor systems for implant evaluation, establishing angiogenesis testing laboratories, and inventing a patented extracellular matrix biomaterial currently progressing through pre-clinical testing. Her scholarship encompasses high-impact publications in internationally reputed journals, book chapters, invited talks, and peer-review contributions, reflecting a sustained record of scientific leadership and innovation. She has cultivated collaborations with globally recognized institutions, including Imperial College London, Karolinska Institute, and multidisciplinary teams of clinicians and engineers, enabling cross-sectoral research with strong translational relevance. Her work has also contributed to identifying molecular biomarkers, optimizing scaffold-based regeneration strategies, and advancing multi-omics–driven approaches to autoimmune and inflammatory disorders. Beyond academia, she actively supports capacity building through mentoring, developing internship programs, strengthening student engagement initiatives, and fostering entrepreneurial activities, including founding a biotechnology start-up focused on regenerative technologies. Her contributions have been recognized through competitive awards, invited presentations, professional memberships, and affiliations with international societies dedicated to stem cell science and biomedical engineering. Dr. Kohli’s research and innovation efforts continue to influence regenerative medicine, personalized therapies, and biomaterial development, demonstrating a profound societal impact through advancing scientific knowledge, improving clinical pathways, and supporting the future workforce in health and biomedical sciences. She has 614 citations from 25 documents with an h-index of 13.

Profiles: Google Scholar | Scopus

Publications

1. Kohli, N., Ho, S., Brown, S. J., Sawadkar, P., Sharma, V., Snow, M., & colleagues. (2018). Bone remodelling in vitro: Where are we headed? A review on the current understanding of physiological bone remodelling and inflammation and the strategies for testing.

2. Kohli, N., Stoddart, J. C., & van Arkel, R. J. (2021). The limit of tolerable micromotion for implant osseointegration: A systematic review.

3. Kohli, N., Wright, K. T., Sammons, R. L., Jeys, L., Snow, M., & Johnson, W. E. B. (2015). An in vitro comparison of the incorporation, growth, and chondrogenic potential of human bone marrow versus adipose tissue mesenchymal stem cells in scaffolds.

4. Sawadkar, P., Mohanakrishnan, J., Rajasekar, P., Rahmani, B., Kohli, N., & colleagues. (2020). A synergistic relationship between polycaprolactone and natural polymers enhances the physical properties and biological activity of scaffolds.

5. Kohli, N., Sharma, V., Orera, A., Sawadkar, P., Owji, N., Frost, O. G., Bailey, R. J., & colleagues. (2021). Pro-angiogenic and osteogenic composite scaffolds of fibrin, alginate and calcium phosphate for bone tissue engineering.

Teimuraz Lezhava | Biomedical Engineering | Best Researcher Award

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Prof. Teimuraz Lezhava | Biomedical Engineering | Best Researcher Award

Head of the Department of Genetics | Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University | Georgia

Professor Teimuraz Lezhava, Head of the Department of Genetics at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University and Director of the TSU Institute of Genetics, is a distinguished health scientist and geneticist whose career has been dedicated to advancing the understanding of human genome dynamics, aging, and cancer biology. He defended his doctoral dissertation in Leningrad in 1984, earning his PhD in Biological Sciences, and in the same year was appointed Professor of Genetics. Professor Lezhava is internationally recognized for formulating the Genetic Theory of Aging, which links progressive chromosome heterochromatinization to the decline of genomic function and age-related pathologies, and his pioneering research on peptide bioregulators that can induce chromatin deheterochromatinization, opening therapeutic avenues for aging, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and tuberculosis. His scholarship includes more than 150 scientific publications and three influential monographs, notably Human Chromosomes and Aging (New York, 2006), with his most recent work appearing in leading journals such as Aging Nature, Cytology and Genetics, and International Journal of Peptide Research and Therapeutics. He has played a prominent role in the international scientific community, founding the symposium “Chromosomes and Aging” at the World Congress of Gerontologists and Geriatricians, and delivering invited lectures across Europe, Asia, and the United States. Professor Lezhava has been honored with the Order of Honor Cavalier and the prestigious Advanced Scholar Award of the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics (IAGG-ER) for his contributions to biogerontology. He also serves on the editorial boards of several scientific journals, including Georgian Medical News, Jacobs Journal of Gerontology, Inter Ging, and others, underscoring his role as a leader in shaping the global dialogue on genetics, aging, and human health. He has 312 citations from 68 documents with an h-index of 8.

Profiles: Scopus | ORCID

Publications

1. Lezhava, T., Monaselidze, J., Jokhadze, T., Gorgoshidze, M., Kiladze, M., & Gaiozishvili, M. (2011). Remodeling of heterochromatin induced by heavy metals in extreme old age.

2. Monaselidze, J., Gorgoshidze, M., Jokhadze, T., Gaiozishvili, M., & Lezhava, T. (2011). Influence of tetrapeptide on chromatin thermostability. Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine.

3. Lezhava, T., Monaselidze, J., Jokhadze, T., Kakauridze, N., Khodeli, N., Rogava, M., Bochorishvili, T., Gorgoshidze, M., Khachidze, D., Lomidze, E., et al. (2011). Gerontology research in Georgia.

4. Monaselidze, J. R., Khavinson, V. K., Gorgoshidze, M. Z., Khachidze, D. G., Lomidze, E. M., Jokhadze, T. A., & Lezhava, T. A. (2011). Effect of the peptide bronchogen (Ala-Asp-Glu-Leu) on DNA thermostability.

5. Kiladze, M., Gorgoshidze, M., Monaselidze, J., Jokhadze, T., & Lezhava, T. (2009). Microcalorimetric study of human blood lymphocytes culture at presence of copper, cadmium and prostamax.