Baloji Biaya Désiré | Public Health | Best Researcher Award

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Mr. Baloji Biaya Désiré | Public Health | Best Researcher Award 

PhD student | Official University of Mbujimayi | Democratic Republic of the Congo

BALOJI BIAYA Désiré is a distinguished doctoral researcher in public health at the Official University of Mbujimayi, recognized for his strong commitment to advancing healthcare systems and addressing the multifaceted challenges of public health in resource-limited settings. His academic and professional pursuits integrate rigorous quantitative and qualitative research methodologies to explore critical areas such as HIV management, acute malnutrition, epidemic disease control, and malaria prevention. As principal investigator of an influential study on HIV care perceptions in Mbujimayi, he led the conception, design, data collection, analysis, and interpretation, culminating in a publication that has contributed significantly to understanding patient experiences and healthcare barriers within the Democratic Republic of Congo. His collaborative engagements with national and international NGOs reflect a deep commitment to humanitarian service and evidence-based health policy development. Through these partnerships, he has played a pivotal role in translating field research into actionable strategies for improving access, retention, and quality of care in underserved populations. His scholarly work, disseminated through reputable international journals, underscores his dedication to community-centered research and global health equity. Beyond academic contributions, he is actively involved in professional networks such as the National Council of the Order of Physicians, the Union of Physicians of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Competence Intelligence Development Expertise Solidarity Group, where he advocates for ethical standards and capacity building among healthcare professionals. With a growing portfolio of research, consultancy projects, and ongoing innovation, BALOJI BIAYA Désiré continues to bridge the gap between scientific inquiry and real-world health solutions, making a measurable impact on public health policy, disease prevention, and community empowerment across Africa and beyond.

Profile: ORCID 

Publications

1. Baloji, D., Ntambwe, G., Ntambua, A., Kidinda, W., Kazadi, M. B., Mpanya, A., Mukuna, B., Ngongo, L., Mjumbe, C., & Mutombo, A. K. (2025). Perceptions, challenges and barriers to HIV care in Mbujimayi in the East Kasai Province, DR Congo: A qualitative study. HIV/AIDS – Research and Palliative Care.

2. Baloji, D., Ntambwe, G., Mpanya, A., Mukuna, B. N., Tague, C., Mjumbe, C. K., Mutombo, A. K., & Lutumba, P. (2025). Correlates of viral load suppression among people living with HIV on antiretroviral treatment in Mbujimayi, Democratic Republic of Congo. Preprint.

3. Baloji Biaya, D., Freddy, K., Jean, L., & Lutumba, P. (2025). Diagnostic versus la prescription médicale des antipaludiques et antibiotiques: Attitude et pratiques des cliniciens à Kinshasa en République Démocratique du Congo. Revue Congolaise des Sciences & Technologies.

4. Baloji Biaya, D. (2021). Urgence sanitaire Covid-19: Perception du confinement en milieu urbain africain. International Journal of Educational Research (IJO).

5. Baloji Biaya, D., & Kouakou, E. (2020). Diseases associated to the treatment of malnutrition in children in developing countries: Case of the Wikong Therapeutic and Nutritional Intensive Care Unit in Democratic Republic of Congo. Acta Scientific Paediatrics,

Andrea Budnick | Public Health | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Andrea Budnick | Public Health | Best Researcher Award 

Senior Researcher | Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin | Germany

Dr. Andrea Budnick is a distinguished scholar in Medical Sociology and Rehabilitation Science at Charité – Medical University Berlin, recognized for her pioneering contributions to geriatric care research, social medicine, and caregiving innovations. Her academic journey spans advanced qualifications in medical sociology, medical didactics, and social sciences, culminating in her postdoctoral habilitation and current leadership as a private lecturer and head of a junior research group at Charité. Dr. Budnick’s expertise bridges the domains of aging, homecare, pain management, and social determinants of health, with a particular emphasis on informal caregiving, chronic pain, and the evolving dynamics of long-term care in both national and intercultural contexts. She has led and co-led several high-impact projects funded by national and international agencies, including initiatives on distance caregiving, long COVID care improvement, and transnational collaborations between Germany and Hong Kong addressing the future of homecare. Her extensive publication record in leading international journals reflects a consistent focus on applied, evidence-based interventions that improve the quality of life for older adults and enhance caregiver support systems. Beyond academia, Dr. Budnick has served as an expert consultant for the German Federal Government and the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, contributing to national policy frameworks on aging, family caregiving, and partnership models in care delivery. Her scholarly impact extends through influential interdisciplinary collaborations that integrate sociological perspectives with clinical and policy-oriented research, fostering a holistic approach to health and social care reform. Internationally respected for her methodological rigor and commitment to bridging science and practice, Dr. Budnick continues to shape contemporary discourse on caregiving innovation, equity in aging, and sustainable healthcare systems through her leadership, mentorship, and research excellence. She has 453 citations from 35 documents with an h-index of 12.

Profiles:  Scopus | ORCID

Publications

1. Koios, D., Kuhnert, R., Dräger, D., Wenzel, A., Kreutz, R., & Budnick, A. (2024). The use of nonpharmacological interventions for chronic pain treatment in community-dwelling older adults with a certified need for care. BMC Geriatrics.

2. Kuhlmey, A., & Budnick, A. (2023). [Informal caregivers in Germany: achieving work-life balance]. Bundesgesundheitsblatt, Gesundheitsforschung, Gesundheitsschutz.

3. Hering, C., Gangnus, A., Budnick, A., Kohl, R., Steinhagen-Thiessen, E., Kuhlmey, A., & Gellert, P. (2022). Psychosocial burden and associated factors among nurses in care homes during the COVID-19 pandemic: Findings from a retrospective survey in Germany. BMC Nursing.

4. Budnick, A., Bünning, F., & Kuhlmey, A. (2022, October). CaRegiving frOm A Distance (ROAD): Home care in the future—flexible and nearby – multimethod qualitative study protocol. BMJ Open.

5. Janson, P., Willeke, K., Zaibert, L., Budnick, A., Berghöfer, A., Kittel-Schneider, S., Heuschmann, P. U., Zapf, A., Wildner, M., Stupp, C., et al. (2022, May 11). Mortality, morbidity and health-related outcomes in informal caregivers compared to non-caregivers: A systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

Ayesha Zainab Beg | Infectious Diseases | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Ayesha Zainab Beg | Infectious Diseases | Best Researcher Award 

Post Doctoral Scientist | Columbia University | United States

Dr. Ayesha Zainab Beg is a Postdoctoral Research Scientist in the Department of Pediatrics at Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC), New York, where she investigates airway host–pathogen interactions with a focus on microbial pathogenesis and immunometabolism. She earned her Ph.D. in Biotechnology from Aligarh Muslim University, India, where her doctoral research elucidated the role of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm components, particularly the functional amyloid Fap, in chronic airway infections and pathoadaptation, leading to seven peer-reviewed publications. She also holds an M.Sc. in Biotechnology and a B.Sc. (Hons.) in Biochemistry from the same institution. Dr. Beg’s current work explores how the cystic fibrosis airway environment drives adaptive genetic alterations in clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa and how airway immunometabolites regulate bacterial proteomes via post-translational modifications. Her research highlights include studies on Fap phosphorylation, multi-epitope vaccine design against functional amyloids, and the impact of bacterial metabolites on pulmonary infections, with recent publications in Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics, Nature Communications, and Microbiology Spectrum. She has presented her work at major conferences including ATS, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, and ECCMID, and has been recognized with multiple fellowships and awards, including the Young Achiever Award  and Research Excellence Award. Her expertise spans molecular microbiology, proteomics, metabolomics, immunoinformatics, and murine models of infection, making her a leading early-career researcher at the interface of host–pathogen interactions and metabolic regulation. She has 153 citations from 10 documents with an h-index of 4.

Profiles: Google Scholar | Scopus | ORCID

Publications

1. Alam, P., Beg, A. Z., Siddiqi, M. K., Chaturvedi, S. K., Rajpoot, R. K., Ajmal, M. R., … (2017). Ascorbic acid inhibits human insulin aggregation and protects against amyloid-induced cytotoxicity. Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics.

2. Beg, A. Z., Farhat, N., & Khan, A. U. (2021). Designing multi-epitope vaccine candidates against functional amyloids in Pseudomonas aeruginosa through immunoinformatic and structural bioinformatics approach. Infection, Genetics and Evolution.

3. Beg, A. Z., Rashid, F., Talat, A., Haseen, M. A., Raza, N., Akhtar, K., Dueholm, M. K. D., … (2023). Functional amyloids in Pseudomonas aeruginosa are essential for the proteome modulation that leads to pathoadaptation in pulmonary niches. Microbiology Spectrum.

4. Beg, A. Z., & Khan, A. U. (2018). Genome analyses of blaNDM-4 carrying ST 315 Escherichia coli isolate from sewage water of one of the Indian hospitals. Gut Pathogens.

5. Beg, A. Z., & Khan, A. U. (2019). Exploring bacterial resistome and resistance dissemination: An approach of whole genome sequencing. Future Medicinal Chemistry.

Ehsan Arabzadeh | Public Health | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Ehsan Arabzadeh | Public Health | Best Researcher Award

University faculty member | Baqiyatallah University of medical science | Iran

Dr. Ehsan Arabzadeh is a health scientist and researcher currently serving as Director of Research at Histogenotech Company, Tehran, Iran, with an academic background deeply rooted in exercise physiology and sports sciences. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and Sport Sciences from Ferdowsi University of Mashhad (2011), followed by a Master’s in Exercise Physiology from the University of Mazandaran (2013), and later completed his Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology at Urmia University (2018), where he was recognized as an Exceptional Talent scholar by the Iranian National Elite Foundation. His research focuses on molecular and cellular exercise physiology, exercise biochemistry, clinical exercise physiology, and the therapeutic role of herbal and nano-supplement interventions, with significant contributions to understanding cardiokines, myokines, adipokines, oxidative stress, neurodegeneration, and metabolic disorders. Dr. Arabzadeh has authored and co-authored numerous publications in high-impact journals such as Nutrition, Pflügers Archiv-European Journal of Physiology, Biogerontology, Gene, and Journal of Food Biochemistry, where his studies explored exercise’s role in liver disease, cardiovascular function, skeletal muscle adaptation, and neuroprotection. His scientific excellence has been recognized through prestigious honors, including membership in the Iranian National Elite Foundation (awarded to less than 0.3% of Iranian students) and the Shahid Tehrani Moghaddam Award in 2019, alongside sporting achievements such as silver medals in national badminton competitions. In addition to his research, Dr. Arabzadeh has teaching experience at Urmia and Mazandaran Universities and serves on editorial and peer-review boards of several scientific journals, further contributing to advancing the fields of exercise physiology and health sciences. He has 267 citations from 43 documents with an h-index of 10.

Profiles: Google Scholar | Scopus | ORCID

Publications

1. Arabzadeh, E., Samadian, Z., Tofighi, A., & Tolouei Azar, J. (2020). Alteration of follistatin-like 1, neuron-derived neurotrophic factor, and vascular endothelial growth factor in diabetic cardiac muscle after moderate-intensity aerobic exercise with insulin. Sport Sciences for Health.

2. Shirvani, H., & Arabzadeh, E. (2020). Metabolic cross-talk between skeletal muscle and adipose tissue in high-intensity interval training vs. moderate-intensity continuous training by regulation of PGC-1α. Eating and Weight Disorders.

3. Shirvani, H., Arabzadeh, E., & Akbari, J. (2020). The short-term effect of caffeine supplementation on immune-endocrine responses to acute intensive exercise / Effet à court terme d’une supplémentation en caféine sur les réponses immunitaires et endocriniennes à un exercice intense et bref. Science and Sports.

4. Shirvani, H., Aslani, J., Fallah Mohammadi, Z., & Arabzadeh, E. (2019). Short-term effect of low-, moderate-, and high-intensity exercise training on cerebral dopamine neurotrophic factor (CDNF) and oxidative stress biomarkers in brain male Wistar rats. Comparative Clinical Pathology.

5. Mirdar, S., Kazemzadeh, Y., Arabzadeh, E., Shirvani, H., & Hamidian, G. (2019). The effects of tapering with and without ethanolic extract of Nigella sativa on hypoxia inducible factor-1α and exercise-induced bronchial changes. Journal of Military Medicine.

Yang Zhang | Clinical Medicine | Best Researcher Award

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Prof. Dr. Yang Zhang | Clinical Medicine | Best Researcher Award 

Director | Department of Laboratory Medicine Chongqing University | China

Dr. Yang Zhang, Ph.D., currently serves as Director of the Department of Laboratory Medicine at Chongqing University Affiliated Renji Hospital and is an Associate Chief Physician, Postdoctoral Fellow in Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, and doctoral and master’s supervisor at Chongqing University. She earned her Bachelor of Medicine in Laboratory Medicine (2008), Master of Medicine in Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics (2011), and Ph.D. in Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics (2015) from the Third Military Medical University, complemented by a Ministry of Education-sponsored visiting scholarship at Loma Linda University, USA (2012–2015). Her research centers on precision molecular diagnostics in oncology, with a special focus on POCT rapid diagnostic reagents and spectroscopy-based label-free diagnostic techniques. Dr. Zhang has led multiple high-level research projects, including three funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, one by the National Key R&D Program, and numerous provincial and military projects, securing over 6.88 million RMB in funding. She has published more than 40 academic papers as first or corresponding author, with 15 SCI-indexed articles, an H-index of 24, and a single paper cited over 280 times. Her scholarly contributions extend to 12 Chinese invention patents, 1 international PCT patent, and five co-edited scientific monographs, including works on molecular diagnostics and terahertz applications. Dr. Zhang’s achievements have been recognized with numerous honors, such as Chongqing High-Level Young Medical Talent (2022), the “Top Ten Young Scientists in Shapingba District” (2022), First Prize in the Chongqing Association for Science and Technology Innovation (2023), and the National Laboratory Medicine Science and Technology Innovation Award (2021). She also serves as a reviewer for the NSFC and contributes to several national professional committees in laboratory medicine. She has 1044 citations from 43 documents with an h-index of 16.

Profile: Scopus | ORCID 

Publications

1. Zhang, Y. (2020). ENT1 inhibition attenuates apoptosis by activation of cAMP/pCREB/Bcl2 pathway after MCAO in rats. Experimental Neurology, 331, 113362.

2. Zhang, Y. (2020). Identification of immune-related prognostic biomarkers based on the tumor microenvironment in 20 malignant tumor types with poor prognosis. Frontiers in Oncology, 10, 1008.

3. Tian, H., Yuan, C., Liu, Y., Xia, K., Li, M., Xie, F., Chen, Q., Chen, M., Fu, W., & Zhang, Y. (2020, July 28). A sample-to-answer quantification platform for point-of-care testing of circulating microRNAs based on allosteric spherical nanoprobe. Preprint.

4. Zhang, Y. (2020). Evaluation of the reliability of six commercial SERS substrates. Plasmonics, 15(5), 1323–1332.

5. Zhang, Y. (2020). Dataset concerning plasmonic thermal destruction of murine melanoma by gold nanoparticles obtained by green chemistry. Data in Brief, 30, 105370.

Jack Ogony | Infectious Diseases | Outstanding Scientist Award

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Dr. Jack Ogony | Infectious Diseases | Outstanding Scientist Award

Research Associate | Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University | Kenya

Dr. Jack Ogony is a distinguished Research Associate at the Institute for Health Research, Epidemiological Surveillance and Trainings (IRESSEF), with over 13 years of extensive experience in public health research across Sub-Saharan Africa. He is currently completing his PhD in Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, having previously earned a Master’s in Epidemiology from the same institution, a Postgraduate Certificate in Monitoring and Evaluation from the Kenya Institute of Management, and a BSc in Medical Laboratory Science from Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology. Dr. Ogony’s research primarily focuses on epidemiology, infectious diseases, climate change impacts on health systems, and vaccine and drug trial studies. He has contributed significantly to understanding the burden of Plasmodium falciparum and Dengue virus infections among under five in Western Kenya and the wider implications of climate change on African healthcare infrastructure. His work has been published in high-impact journals including Frontiers in Public Health, PLOS Global Public Health, and the East African Medical Journal, others, reflecting both the depth and breadth of his contributions. He has also served as Principal Investigator on multiple USAID-funded  under the Climate Adaptation Research Program (CARP). Recognized for his leadership and expertise, Dr. Ogony is a member of several professional organizations, including the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene and the African Society for Laboratory Medicine. He has earned awards for scientific excellence and serves as a peer reviewer for multiple journals, contributing to the advancement of global health research and capacity building in and infectious disease control across Africa. He has 28 citations from 5 documents with an h-index of 2.

Profile: Scopus | ORCID

Publications

1. Ogony, J., Menya, D., Mangeni, J. N., Ayodo, G., & Karanja, S. M. (2025). Public health facility vulnerabilities, preparedness and health outcomes for P. falciparum and Dengue virus infected children under 5 years with acute febrile illnesses in Western Kenya. Frontiers in Public Health, 13, 1526558.

2. Ogony, J., Mangeni, J., Ayodo, G., Amulen, E., Scopas, F., Juma, T., … & Hannah, C. (2025). The stifling burden of climate change on African public healthcare systems. Frontiers in Public Health, 13, 1559737.

3. Ogony, J., Karanja, S., Menya, D., Mangeni, J., & Ayodo, G. (2024). Prevalence and risk factors of Plasmodium falciparum and Dengue virus infections among children below 5 years with acute febrile illnesses in Kisumu and Busia Counties. East African Medical Journal, 101(12).

4. Owusu Agyare, B., Eder, P., Shenai, S., Chendi, B. H., Carlson, C., Iradukunda, A., Mukoka, M., Ogony, J., Manigart, O., O., O., Ogbaini-Emovon, E., & Seida, A. A. (2024). Potential implications of the climate crisis on diagnostics. PLOS Global Public Health, 4(3), e0002935.

5. Ogony, J., Obiero, B., Tukhuwa, B., Gondwe, C., Kampeta, E., Orner, C., & Tiruneh, T. (2021). Research knowledge translation activities in Africa: An outlook of the opportunities and obstacles. International Journal of Scientific Advances, 2(5), 8.