Leke Victor Aiyesa | Biological Networks | Research Excellence Award

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Dr. Leke Victor Aiyesa | Biological Networks | Research Excellence Award

University Of Göttingen | Germany

Dr. Leke Victor Aiyesa is a researcher specializing in the use of data and data-driven methodologies to uncover the molecular basis of agronomic and adaptation traits. His work bridges computational insight with real-world experimentation, and he collaborates closely with field and laboratory technicians to design and supervise experiments, generate high-quality datasets, and deliver impactful scientific outcomes. By integrating analytical research with hands-on experimental processes, Dr. Aiyesa ensures that his findings are not only comprehensive but also grounded in practical applications that advance agricultural science and trait improvement.

Profiles: Orcid | Google Scholar

Featured Publications

"Individual plant genetics reveal the control of local adaptation in European maize landraces", LV Aiyesa, D Kaufmann, B Zumbach, W Link, S Scholten, T Beissinger, BMC biology 23 (1), 2025.

"Dissection of genomic regions associated with plant height and flowering time in a diverse panel of common snap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) using GWAS", LV Aiyesa, L Malysheva-Otto, T Meyer-Luepken, U Lohwasser, Euphytica 221 (10), 2025

"Identification of core, conditional and crosstalk components of tomato heat stress response using integrative transcriptomics and orthology", Dennis Psaroudakis, Abul Khayer, Leke V Aiyesa, Nick Bergau, Alain Tissier, Yunlong Lu, Philip A Wigge, Alon Israeli, Naama Teboul, Andrea Bräutigam, Jędrzej J Szymański,

"Unravelling the genetics of pod stringiness and agronomic traits of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) using genome-wide association studies and genotyping-by-sequencing", LV Aiyesa, L Malysheva-Otto, JC Reif, N Stein, LG Otto, Göttingen, 2022.

Marvella Elizabeth Ford | Graph Partitioning | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Marvella Elizabeth Ford | Graph Partitioning | Best Researcher Award

Medical University of South Carolina Hollings Cancer Center | United State

Marvella Elizabeth Ford, Ph.D., serves as the Associate Director of Community Outreach and Engagement at the Hollings Cancer Center (HCC) and is an integral member of the HCC Cancer Prevention and Control Program, where she leads initiatives that strengthen trust and collaboration between the center and South Carolina communities through research and service-based activities. A behavioral scientist deeply committed to cancer health equity, her work focuses on improving the recruitment and retention of diverse populations in cancer research and advancing intervention design and implementation. She contributes nationally as a co-investigator of the NIH-funded Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial and has spearheaded multiple ancillary studies supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute. As a multiple principal investigator (MPI) of the MUSC Hollings Cancer Center NCORP MU community site, she collaborates with clinical oncology partners across South Carolina to enhance the participation of rural populations in clinical trials and expand cancer population health research. Dr. Ford has co-led a National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)-funded randomized trial that significantly increased lung cancer surgery rates among Black patients through protocol-driven patient navigation, and she currently serves as MPI of a multi-state, multi-institutional Stand Up To Cancer grant evaluating a multilevel intervention to promote lung cancer screening and build a shared population-based cohort and biorepository to address biologic determinants and risk factors among Black communities across Virginia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. Additionally, she previously led an NIH/NCI-funded U54 Center to examine biologic pathways and lifestyle behaviors associated with diverse cancer sub-types while building a statewide network of trained cancer researchers to drive improved cancer outcomes in South Carolina and across the nation.

Profiles: Scopus | Orcid | Google Scholar

Featured Publications

"Design and Interim Recruitment Outcomes of a Multi-Modal, Multi-Level Patient Navigation Intervention for Lung Cancer Screening in the Southeast US", ME Ford, L Henderson, A Brenner, VB Sheppard, SB Wheeler, T Collins, Cancers 17 (22), 2025.

"Fucosylated N-Glycan Landscape of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer", DA Scott, S Seal, L Spruill, J Dunne, G Colditz, AS Mehta, RR Drake, Molecular Cancer Research, 2025.

"Abstract B083: The SC AMEN program: Testing a centralized patient navigation intervention for prostate cancer screening in Black men", AS McCoy, ME Ford, AM Malek, M Slan, CE Lawton, LH Moultrie, Cancer Epidemiology, 2025.

"Abstract C128: Cross-catchment area collaboration: design and interim recruitment outcomes of a multi-modal, multi-level patient navigation intervention for lung cancer", ME Ford, LM Henderson, AT Brenner, VB Sheppard, T Collins, M Williams, Cancer Epidemiology, 2025.

"Predictors of Adenotonsillectomy for Publicly Insured Children With Sleep‐Disordered Breathing", PP Pecha, PL Ferguson, ME Ford, PJ Nietert, The Laryngoscope, 2025.

Zhu Jiaxun | Graph Data Structures | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Zhu Jiaxun | Graph Data Structures | Best Researcher Award

Changsha university of Science & Technology | China

Dr. Zhu Jiaxun, a Member of the Communist Party of China, is a dedicated young scholar specializing in built environment and traffic safety. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Transportation Engineering (2019–2023) and is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering (Urban and Rural Planning and Design) at Changsha University of Science and Technology. His scientific research focuses on the application of machine learning and interpretable artificial intelligence in traffic accident analysis, with influential publications as first author (excluding supervisor) in journals such as the China Journal of Highway and Transport and Accident Analysis and Prevention, and additional contributions to PloS One and the Journal of Central South University. Dr. Zhu has participated extensively in high-level scientific research projects, serving as Principal Investigator of the university’s Practical Innovation Project “Intersection Traffic Safety Considering the Spillover Effects of Built Environment – 6D Evaluation and Optimization Research” (Project No. 0003007), and contributing significantly to multiple major programs supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) and the Hunan Provincial Natural Science Foundation, as well as postgraduate education reform research. His expertise spans XGBoost, SHAP, GAT-GNNExplainer, graph convolutional neural networks, recurrent neural networks, and other machine learning algorithms, along with strong proficiency in Python-based data processing and web scraping. With his academic foundation in transportation engineering and advanced research in urban–rural planning, Dr. Zhu continues to promote data-driven innovation in traffic safety and built-environment optimization.

Profiles: Scopus

Featured Publications

"Application of the dual-model interpretability framework of XGBoost-SHAP and GAT-GNNExplainer to investigate the impact of the built environment on traffic accidents at intersections", Zhu Jiaxun, Accident Analysis and Prevention, 2026.

Tomasz Lechowicz | Network Research | Excellence in Innovation 

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Dr. Tomasz Lechowicz | Network Research | Excellence in Innovation 

University of Business (WSB-NLU) - Study, Nowy Sacz | Poland

Dr. Tomasz Lechowicz is an accomplished academic and economist who began his educational journey with a Licencjat degree in Management and Marketing from Małopolska Wyższa Szkoła Ekonomiczna in Tarnów in 2000, followed by a Magister degree in Economics from Akademia Ekonomiczna in Kraków in 2003, and later earned the title of Doctor of Economic Sciences in Economics and Finance from the University of Rzeszów in 2023. Over the years, he has built a diverse professional career in Poland and the United Kingdom, holding key positions in organizations including Dextra Group PLC, Johnsons Stalbridge Linen Services, Addo Food Group as Deputy Shift Manager, TDP Sp. z o.o. as Shift Manager, BRUK-BET as Production Champion, DALIANT TALENT as Shift Manager, and later as Owner of PKO BP Agent. Since 2020 he has remained active in higher education, serving as an Assistant Professor at the National Louis University Business School in Nowy Sącz and as a Lecturer at Tarnów University since 2024, teaching a wide spectrum of subjects such as Team Management, HR Strategies and Processes, Management Concepts, Basics of Economics and Management, Managerial Economics, Logistics, Human Resource Management, Corporate Finance, Basics of Finance, and Banking. With fluent English skills confirmed by the University of Cambridge ESOL Skills for Life certificate obtained in 2006, Dr. Lechowicz has also established himself as an influential researcher in the fields of finance and the real estate market, authoring two scientific books and more than twenty articles published in renowned academic journals and publishing houses, with his research focusing particularly on real estate financing, the banking sector, financial crises, and the impact of monetary policy on housing markets in Poland and the United Kingdom.

Profiles: Scopus | Orcid

Featured Publications

"Assessment of the Association Between Industrial Production Indicators and Business Expectations: Implications for Sustainable Economic Development", Serhii Kozlovskyi; Oleksandr Dluhopolskyi; Volodymyr Kozlovskyi; Anna Sabat; Tomasz Lechowicz; Ivan Zayukov; Larysa Oliinyk, Sustainability, 2025.

"Synergy of Energy-Efficient and Low-Carbon Management of the Logistics Chains Within Developing Distributed Generation of Electric Power: The EU Evidence for Ukraine", Olena Borysiak; Vasyl Brych; Volodymyr Manzhula; Tomasz Lechowicz; Tetiana Dluhopolska; Petro Putsenteilo, Energies, 2025.

"Unveiling Tipping Points in European Sustainability: A Nonlinear MARS Approach to People, Planet, and Prosperity", Oksana Liashenko; Olena Pavlova; Kostiantyn Pavlov; Tomasz Lechowicz; Robert Szarota; Maryna Nagara; Nataliia Hrytsiyk, Sustainability, 2025.

"Characteristics of the housing loan market in Poland and Great Britain in 2003–2017", Tomasz Lechowicz, Problems of Economics and Law, 2024.

"Economic situation on the residential real estate market and the housing loan market in Poland and Great Britain", Tomasz Lechowicz, Problems of Economics and Law, 2023.

Boyuan Bai | Computer Vision | Research Excellence Award

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Dr. Boyuan Bai | Computer Vision | Research Excellence Award

Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications |China

Dr. Boyuan Bai is a dedicated researcher currently pursuing his Ph.D. at the State Key Laboratory of Networking and Switching Technology, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, China, specializing in multi-view scene reconstruction, deep reinforcement learning, and computer graphics. His innovative work includes the development of UncertainGS, an uncertainty-aware indoor reconstruction pipeline leveraging Gaussian Splatting to produce high-fidelity indoor surface models, as published in Neurocomputing (2025). Through this research, he introduced an uncertainty-aware learner utilizing cross-modal random network prediction to estimate prior cue uncertainties and integrated the Manhattan-world assumption to improve reconstruction in textureless environments, ensuring consistent geometric alignment of Gaussian kernels. His contributions reflect strong expertise in intelligent visual computing and advancing next-generation 3D reconstruction methodologies.

Profiles: Scopus

Featured Publications

"Two grids are better than one: Hybrid indoor scene reconstruction framework with adaptive priors", Boyuan Bai, Neurocomputing, 2025.

Mitra Salimi | Graph Data | Research Excellence Award

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Ms. Mitra Salimi | Graph Data | Research Excellence Award

University of Jyväskylä | Finland

Mitra Salimi is a marketing researcher specializing in consumer behavior, brand management, and business sustainability, with a strong focus on bridging academic insights and real-world impact. Her research explores artificial intelligence in sustainable marketing, brand crisis communication, social media dynamics, and biodiversity-respectful consumption. She also serves as a data analyst in the interdisciplinary BIODIFUL project, funded by the Academy of Finland, which examines the role of leadership in advancing sustainability and planetary well-being. Through her work, she aims to generate actionable insights that help organizations understand evolving customer expectations, respond to emerging market trends, and adopt more sustainable and responsible business practices.

Profiles: Google Scholar

Featured Publications

"Towards consumer behavior that prevents nature loss - How do risk perception and perception of the effectiveness of actions promote consumer action?", H Rouhiainen, MM Salimi, O Uusitalo, Kulutustutkimus. Nyt 18 (1-2), 2024.

"Artificial intelligence-assisted sustainable marketing: Contribution and agenda for research", J Do, O Uusitalo, M Skippari, M Salimi, Proceedings of the European Marketing Academy, 2023.

"Consumption and planetary well-being", J Do, M Salimi, S Baumeister, M Sarja, O Uusitalo, TA Wilska, Interdisciplinary perspectives on planetary well-being, 2023.

"To Forgive or Not? Consumers’ Responses to Brand Transgression", M Salimi, O Uusitalo, O Niininen, J Munnukka, American Marketing Association, 2023.

"Greenwashing and Social Media: An Examination of Consumer Responses on Twitter", M Salimi, F Tuscolano, O Niininen, O Uusitalo, Academy of Marketing Science.

Jianjun Deng | Biological Networks | Research Excellence Award

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Prof. Jianjun Deng | Biological Networks | Research Excellence Award

Northwest University | China

Professor Jianjun Deng, Ph.D., is a distinguished scholar and Ph.D. supervisor at Northwest University, specializing in natural products, chronic disease prevention, food chemistry, nutrition, and bioactive lipids in cancer. He earned his Ph.D. in Food Biotechnology from China Agricultural University (2010), following an M.S. in Postharvest Biotechnology (2007) and a B.S. in Horticulture (2004) from Gansu Agricultural University. Since joining Northwest University in 2010, he has progressed from Lecturer to Associate Professor and is currently a Professor in the Department of Bioengineering, complemented by prestigious postdoctoral research experiences at The University of Hong Kong and Harvard Medical School. Dr. Deng has served as a fund reviewer for major national and provincial research programs and as a manuscript reviewer for leading journals in food science, nutrition, pharmacology, and molecular biology. He is an active member of several professional societies, including the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, the American Chemical Society, the American Society for Virology, the Hong Kong Association of Scholars, and national nutrition societies. Widely recognized for his scientific contributions, he has received numerous honors such as the Hong Kong Scholar Award (2014), Young Science and Technology Star of Shaanxi Province (2013), Outstanding Young Academic Backbone and Outstanding Teacher of Northwest University, multiple science and technology awards, and medals in innovation and entrepreneurship competitions. Dr. Deng has an extensive portfolio of granted and pending patents in functional hydrogels, drug delivery systems, biomedical materials, fermentation devices, and food science innovations, alongside numerous conference presentations worldwide in areas including phytochemicals, virology, metabolic regulation, and chronic disease mechanisms. He is also an accomplished educator, teaching both undergraduate and postgraduate courses in food science and biotechnology, and has independently supervised fourteen M.S. students, contributing significantly to talent cultivation and scientific advancement.

Profiles: Scopus | Orcid | Google Scholar

Featured Publications

"Novel Eco-Friendly Extraction of Oat Bran Protein: A Multifaceted Analysis of Structure, Physicochemical, and Functional Properties", H Peng, Q Wang, Y Zhang, Y Zhao, W Zhang, Y Li, J Deng, H Yang, Food Hydrocolloids, 2025.

"Comparison of different ginsenosides with C-3 or C-6 sugar moieties on activities in alcohol-induced liver injury mice", W Wang, K Zhou, Z Fu, Y Huang, J Deng, D Fan, H Yang, Journal of Ginseng Research, 2025.

"Structural–Functional Characterization and Bioactive Potential of Alternative Grain Proteins: An In-Depth Comparison of Quinoa and Oat Proteins Isolates", Y Zhang, W Zhang, Y Zhao, Y Li, Z Zhang, H Yang, J Deng, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 73 (33), 2025.

"Valorization of broccoli waste: Unlocking its potential as a functional food ingredient for sustainable nutrition", Habtamu Ayalew Engida, Q Wang, Y Zhao, W Zhang, J Deng, H Yang, Journal of Advanced Research, 2025.

"Analysis on the difference of nutrient components of black wolfberry seed grown in different regions", Y Liu, W Zhang, Y Li, R Shen, S Wang, X Wang, J Deng, Z Xu, H Yang, Food Research International, 2025.

Habtamu Ayalew Engida | Mathematical Modelling | Editorial Board Member

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Dr. Habtamu Ayalew Engida | Mathematical Modelling | Editorial Board Member

Debre Markos University | Ethiopia

Dr. Habtamu Ayalew Engida is an accomplished mathematician specializing in Computational and Applied Mathematics, holding a Ph.D. in Mathematics from the Pan African University, Institute for Basic Sciences, Technology and Innovation (PAUSTI), Nairobi, Kenya, where he successfully defended his thesis on “Evolution and Co-Dynamics of Melioidosis and Leptospirosis Diseases with Optimal Control and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis” in March 2023. He earned his MSc in Mathematics (Applied Stream) with Very Great Distinction from Mekelle University in 2013 and his BSc in Applied Mathematics, also with Very Great Distinction, from the University of Gondar in 2011. Since July 2013, Dr. Habtamu has served as a Lecturer, Seminar Project Advisor, and Community Service Provider in the Department of Applied Mathematics at Debre Markos University, Ethiopia, contributing over a decade of expertise in teaching, academic advising, and professional consultation to both regular and extension students across public and private institutions. His instructional portfolio includes courses such as Numerical Analysis, Number Theory, Discrete Mathematics and Graph Theory, Introduction to Topology, and Functions of Complex Variables, reflecting his broad academic proficiency and commitment to advancing mathematical education and research.

Profiles: Scopus

Featured Publications

"Malaria and leptospirosis co-infection: A mathematical model analysis with optimal control and cost-effectiveness analysis", Habtamu Ayalew Engida, Scientific African, 2025.

Dejen Getaneh Feleke | Biological Networks | Editorial Board Member

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Dr. Dejen Getaneh Feleke | Biological Networks | Editorial Board Member

Debre Tabor University | Ethiopia

Dr. Dejen Getaneh Feleke is an enthusiastic Ethiopian lecturer, clinician, and researcher dedicated to optimizing child health, with a strong academic portfolio that includes 38 publications-35 primary articles and 3 systematic reviews and meta-analyses-of which six are principal-authored and 21 are published in first-quartile (Q1) journals. He serves on the Editorial Board of PLOS ONE and contributes as a reviewer for several international journals, including PLOS ONE, AIDS and Behavior, Journal of Pediatrics and Infants, Academy of Educational Leadership Journal, International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences, and Journal of Nutritional Science, having reviewed more than 18 manuscripts. Beyond academia, he has led impactful community service initiatives supporting Ethiopian child and neonatal health. Since 2016, he has provided dedicated clinical care to sick neonates and children in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and pediatric wards at Debre Tabor Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, contributing significantly to improving pediatric health outcomes in Ethiopia.

Profiles: Orcid

Featured Publications

"Magnitude and predictors of mild cognitive impairment among older populations in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis", Sintayehu Asnakew; Jessica Nealon; Ayele Semachew Kasa; Gashaw Walle Ayehu; Dejen Getaneh Feleke; Tigabu Munye Aytenew; Victoria Traynor, Translational Psychiatry, 2025.

"Prevalence and determinants of mental distress among patients admitted in medical and surgical wards of public hospitals in South Gondar zone, Ethiopia", Abraham Tsedalu Amare; Tekalign Amera Birlie; Dejen Getaneh Feleke; Tigabu Munye Aytenew; Yeshiambaw Eshetie; Berihun Bantie; Molla Azmeraw; Gashaw Walle Ayehu; Tamiru Alene; Yosef Gebremikael Dubale et al., Scientific Reports, 2025.

"Knowledge levels of health professional working in Ethiopia toward disaster preparedness, systematic review and meta-analysis", Sheganew Fetene Tassew; Temesgen Ayenew; Tadila Dires Nega; Berihun Bantie; Dejen Getaneh Feleke, International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences, 2024.

"Practice of non-pharmacological post-operative pain management and associated factors among nurses working in public referral hospitals of Amhara regional state, Ethiopia, 2019", Dejen Getaneh Feleke; Ermias Sisay Chanie; Sheganew Fetene Tassaw; Tadila Dires, International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences, 2024.

"Viral load undetectable state and predictors among children and adolescents living with HIV in South Gondar, Ethiopia, 2023: an 8-year retrospective cohort study, Ermias Sisay Chanie; Dejen Getaneh Feleke; Tigabu Desie Emiru; Abere Gebru Abuhay; Habtamu Shimels Hailemeskel; Astewle Andargie Baye; Berihun Bantie; Abraham Tsedalu Amare; Tadila Dires Nega; Denekew Tenaw Anley et al., BMJ Open, 2024.

Sarah Miller | Biological Network | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Sarah Miller | Biological Network | Best Researcher Award

Medical University of South Carolina | United States

Dr. Sarah Miller is an accomplished respiratory neurophysiologist and nurse educator whose career spans advanced research, academic leadership, and clinical excellence. She earned her PhD in Respiratory Neurophysiology from the University of Florida in 2007, where she studied perceptual responses to respiratory load under the mentorship of Distinguished Professor Paul Davenport, and previously completed a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences Education at the same institution. She later expanded her clinical and pedagogical expertise by earning an Associate of Science in Nursing, followed by a Master of Science in Nursing Education from Western Governors University. A licensed Registered Nurse in South Carolina and formerly in Florida, she has complemented her clinical training with specialized certifications in end-of-life care and COPD education. Dr. Miller currently serves as Assistant Dean of the PhD Program in the College of Nursing at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), where she also holds a tenured Associate Professorship, following earlier faculty appointments at the University of Memphis, Western Governors University, Colorado Technical University, and the College of the Florida Keys. Her research and professional impact are reflected in numerous honors, including the Palmetto Gold Excellence in Nursing Award, recognition among South Carolina’s Best Nurses, MUSC teaching awards, and national distinctions such as the DAISY Award for Excellence in Nursing Education. A highly engaged member of the research community, Dr. Miller serves repeatedly as Co-Chair and reviewer for multiple NIH Study Sections in cardiovascular and pulmonary sciences, contributes as an external scientific expert to major industry-sponsored respiratory health studies, and maintains longstanding service on the Editorial Board of Frontiers in Physiology while acting as an ad hoc reviewer for leading journals in respiratory and pulmonary science.

Profiles: Scopus | Orcid | Google Scholar

Featured Publications

"Reporting of asthma mobile health data for clinical practice: a qualitative study of pediatric provider perspectives", MD McDonald, D Dantzler, M Nichols, S Miller, E Dawley, M Walgrave, Journal of Asthma, 2024.

"RESP-FIT: a technology-enhanced combined inspiratory and expiratory muscle strength training intervention for adults with COPD", SN Miller, M Mueller, M Nichols, Chronic Obstr Pulm Dis, 2024.

"Exploring the Unmet Care Needs of Women With Advanced Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (COPD)", J Madiraca, KO Lindell, S Phillips, P Coyne, S Miller, B26. IT'S TIME TO ADVANCE THE CARE OF PATIENTS WITH COPD, 2023.

"Social Isolation Among Adults Living With Cystic Fibrosis in the United States: A Single-Center Experience", A Gulledge, S Miller, SD Newman, M Mueller, L Christon, PA Flume, The Journal for Nurse Practitioners 19 (5), 2023.

"Identifying Comorbid Subtypes of Patients With Acute Respiratory Failure", KM Potter, H Dunn, A Krupp, M Mueller, S Newman, TD Girard, S Miller, American Journal of Critical Care 32 (4), 2023.