Sajida Batool | Public Health | Excellence in Research Award

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sajida Batool | Public Health | Excellence in Research Award

Associate Professor | University of Sargodha | Pakistan

Dr. Sajida Batool is a distinguished scholar in zoology and reproductive physiology whose work spans molecular toxicology, environmental health, and endocrine disruption, with a strong focus on understanding how chemical exposures influence reproductive and systemic physiology in both animal models and human health–relevant contexts. Her academic training, international research exposure, and extensive laboratory expertise in advanced techniques such as immunohistochemistry, histology, genotoxicity assays, and molecular diagnostics have enabled her to contribute impactful evidence within the fields of toxicological pathology, reproductive biology, and environmental risk assessment. She has authored a substantial portfolio of peer-reviewed publications in reputable international journals, reflecting a sustained record of scientific productivity, interdisciplinary collaborations, and contributions to global knowledge on chemical toxicants including heavy metals, endocrine-disrupting compounds, industrial pollutants, and plant-based therapeutic agents. Her research collaborations extend across multidisciplinary teams working in molecular biology, environmental sciences, pharmacology, and wildlife genetics, underscoring her role in bridging classical zoology with emerging biomedical and ecological sciences. Through her work on oxidative stress, DNA integrity, immunomodulation, reproductive toxicology, and phytochemical interventions, she has advanced insights with direct implications for public health, environmental safety, and evidence-based therapeutic development. She has also played a meaningful role in academic capacity building by organizing specialized workshops on reference management, research ethics, and statistical computing, fostering professional development within the scientific community. Her contributions have shaped scientific understanding, supported translational research, and provided foundational evidence guiding safer environmental practices and potential biological remedies for toxin-induced damage, establishing her as a dedicated health-science–aligned researcher with significant societal and academic impact. She has 201 citations from 29 documents with an h-index of 8.

Profiles: Google Scholar | Scopus | ORCID

Publications

1. Akram, Z., Jalali, S., Shami, S. A., Ahmad, L., Batool, S., & Kalsoom, O. (2010). Adverse effects of arsenic exposure on uterine function and structure in female rat. Experimental and Toxicologic Pathology.

2. Ahmad, L., Jalali, S., Shami, S. A., Akram, Z., Batool, S., & Kalsoom, O. (2010). Effects of cryopreservation on sperm DNA integrity in normospermic and four categories of infertile males. Systems Biology in Reproductive Medicine.

3. Akram, Z., Jalali, S., Shami, S. A., Ahmad, L., Batool, S., & Kalsoom, O. (2009). Genotoxicity of sodium arsenite and DNA fragmentation in ovarian cells of rat. Toxicology Letters.

4. Batool, S., Batool, S., Shameem, S., Batool, T., & Batool, S. (2022). Effects of dibutyl phthalate and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate on hepatic structure and function of adult male mice. Toxicology and Industrial Health.

5. Akhtar, M. T., Almas, T., Safdar, S., Saadia, M., Qadir, R., Batool, S., Mustaqeem, M., … (2023). Antioxidant, hypoglycemic, antilipidemic, and protective effect of polyherbal emulsion (F6-Smonsecce) on alloxan-induced diabetic rats. ACS Omega.

Yan-Feng Zhou | Public Health | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Yan-Feng Zhou | Public Health | Best Researcher Award

Associate professor | Guangxi Medical University | China

Yan-Feng Zhou is an Associate Professor at Guangxi Medical University and a leading epidemiologist specializing in chronic disease prevention and healthy aging. Their research integrates large population-based cohorts with multi-omics approaches to elucidate the environmental, psychosocial, and biological determinants of cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline, and age-related chronic conditions. Zhou has played a pivotal role in establishing and directing major longitudinal cohorts in China, creating essential platforms for the study of ethnic and regional disparities in aging health and chronic disease risk. Their work is widely recognized for bridging population epidemiology with molecular mechanisms, particularly in the investigation of metal exposure, epigenetic regulation, and the gut–brain axis in cognitive aging. Zhou’s research has been disseminated through leading international journals including JAMA Network Open, Diabetologia, Hypertension, and Age and Aging, reflecting strong academic impact and global visibility, with consistent citation of their contributions in the scientific literature. They have secured sustained competitive research support from national and regional funding agencies and actively collaborate with multidisciplinary teams spanning public health, clinical medicine, environmental sciences, and molecular biology. Beyond research productivity, Zhou is deeply committed to academic mentorship, fostering the development of emerging scientists in epidemiology and preventive medicine. Their translational work has informed risk assessment strategies and evidence-based approaches for chronic disease prevention, contributing to improved population health and public health policy. Through an integrated program that connects exposure science, omics biology, and longitudinal population research, Zhou continues to shape contemporary understanding of aging, environmental health, and chronic disease prevention with meaningful societal and scientific impact.

Profile: ORCID 

Publications

1. Gao, J.-L., Deng, H., Wang, G.-D., Deng, H.-L., Feng, D.-Y., Wu, S.-L., Chen, S.-H., & Zhou, Y.-F. (2025). Time-dependent association between progression of arterial stiffness and risk of incident chronic kidney disease: A cohort study in China.

2. Yuan, R., Tong, Z., Chen, J.-X., Wang, Y., & Zhou, Y.-F. (2024). Global burden of ischemic heart disease in adolescents and young adults, 1990–2019.

3. Zhou, Y.-F., Chen, S., Chen, J.-X., Chen, S., Wang, G., Pan, X.-F., Wu, S., & Pan, A. (2024). Cost-effectiveness of a workplace-based hypertension management program in real-world practice in the Kailuan Study.

4. Zhou, Y.-F., Song, X.-Y., Pan, A., & Koh, W.-P. (2023). Nutrition and healthy ageing in Asia: A systematic review.

5. Pan, A., Zhou, Y.-F., & Liu, G. (2023). Associations of clinical risk factors and novel biomarkers with age at onset of type 2 diabetes.

Yanisa Pumsutas | Public Health | Research Excellence Award

Ms. Yanisa Pumsutas | Public Health | Research Excellence Award

Research assistant | International Health Policy Program | Thailand

Miss Yanisa Pumsutas is a Thai nutrition scientist and registered dietitian serving as a Research Assistant at the Health Promotion Policy Research Center under the International Health Policy Foundation in Thailand, with a strong academic foundation in nutrition and dietetics from Chulalongkorn University and advanced postgraduate training at Mahidol University. Her professional expertise spans public health nutrition, health promotion policy, noncommunicable diseases, metabolic disorders, eating behavior, and clinical nutrition counseling. She is a licensed dietitian recognized by the Thai Dietetics Council and has held key clinical roles at leading tertiary hospitals including Bumrungrad International Hospital and Phramongkutklao Hospital, where she contributed extensively to patient care, multidisciplinary nutrition management, and professional training. Her research portfolio includes multiple peer reviewed publications as both first author and co author in high impact international journals covering obesogenic environments, refugee health access, sleep and physical activity in older adults, metabolic liver disease, work related obesity, renal nutrition, and cancer cachexia. She has also been actively involved in randomized clinical trials, systematic and scoping reviews, and community based nutrition research. Her work is widely cited and demonstrates strong interdisciplinary collaboration with national and international public health, medical, and policy research teams. In addition to research, she has made significant contributions to academic service through professional nutrition societies, where she has supported scientific conferences, delivered specialized training workshops, and contributed to policy and practice dissemination. Her work has generated meaningful societal impact by supporting evidence based nutrition policy, strengthening clinical nutrition services, improving health literacy, and advancing equitable access to healthcare for vulnerable populations, reflecting her strong commitment to translating nutritional science into sustainable public health outcomes. She has 27 citations from 5 documents with an h-index of 2.

Profiles: Google Scholar | Scopus | ORCID

Publications

1. Thambamroong, T., Seetalarom, K., Saichaemchan, S., Pumsutas, Y., & colleagues. (2022). Efficacy of curcumin on treating cancer anorexia-cachexia syndrome in locally or advanced head and neck cancer: A double-blind, placebo-controlled randomised phase IIa trial.

2. Chirapongsathorn, S., Rintaravitoon, W., Tangjaturonrasme, B., & colleagues. (2025). Effect of a ketogenic diet on metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) progression: A randomized controlled trial.

3. Chirapongsathorn, S., Rintaravitoon, W., Tangjaturonrasme, B., & colleagues. (2023). Effect of a ketogenic diet on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) progression: A randomized controlled trial.

4. Thambamroong, T., Seetalarom, K., Saichaemchan, S., Pumsutas, Y., & colleagues. (2022). Efficacy of curcumin on treating cancer anorexia-cachexia syndrome in locally or advanced head and neck cancer: A double-blind, placebo-controlled randomised trial.

5. Satirapoj, B., Varothai, N., Boonyagarn, N., Pumsutas, Y., Chotsriluecha, S., & colleagues. (2020). Effect of renal specific oral nutrition (ONCE Renal) on dietary intake and serum electrolytes in chronic kidney disease.