Marco A. Saraiva – Biophysics – Best Researcher Award

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Marco A. Saraiva – Biophysics – Best Researcher Award

Dr. Marco A. Saraiva distinguished academic and researcher in the field Biophysics. 

🌐 Professional Profile

Educations📚📚📚

He holds a Degree in Chemistry from the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon, which he completed in 2000 with a mark of 16/20. In 2008, he earned a PhD in Analytical Chemistry from the same institution

Work Experience

He has a diverse and extensive professional experience in the field of chemistry. In 1999/2000, he undertook his final year research project in reaction kinetics and mechanistics at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon, under the supervision of Professor Lídia Miguel Pinho Chumbinho de Albuquerque and Professor Maria Luísa Calisto de Jesus Moita, earning a mark of 19/20. During this time, he gained experience in conductimetry and multiparametric analysis. In 2001/2002, he conducted a research project on the reactivity of DNA codified amino acids analogues at the School of Sciences, University of Minho, Portugal, supervised by Professor Hernâni Maia, and gained expertise in reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). From 2003 to 2008, he pursued a PhD in Analytical Chemistry, focusing on mass spectrometry applied to the study of the Maillard reaction at the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon, under the supervision of Professor Maria Helena Florêncio and co-supervision of Professor Carlos Borges. He developed skills in electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and hyphenated techniques such as LC-MS and GC-MS. In 2008/2009, he conducted post-doctoral studies in Molecular Biophysics at the Department of Chemistry, Cambridge University, UK, under the supervision of Dr. Sophie E. Jackson, where he worked with ESI-MS (Q-TOF), absorption spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, circular dichroism, isothermal titration calorimetry, capillary electrophoresis, cell culture, and protein purification systems. From 2011 to 2016, he engaged in post-doctoral studies in photochemistry at the Center for Structural Chemistry, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, focusing on the structural and dynamic characterization of early stages in alpha-synuclein fibrillation in the presence of mannosylglycerate, under the supervision of Professor António L. Maçanita

Awards and Honours

He has received numerous grants and honors throughout his career. In 2000, he was awarded the Curricular grant PRODEP III/Measure 3/Action 3.2 from the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon, Portugal, for a duration of three months. He then received a PhD grant from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), Portugal, under the reference SFRH/BD/3162/2000. Following his PhD, he was granted a post-doctoral fellowship by the FCT under the reference SFRH/BPD/37016/2007. Later, he received another post-doctoral grant from the Mass Spectrometry National Network (RNEM), Portugal, with the reference RNEM/DGH/022125 in 2018. His professional recognition includes an invitation to become a member of the Royal Society of Medicine (United Kingdom) in 2022. In 2023, he was selected for the “International Young Scientist Awards” under the category of “Best Researcher Award” and was also nominated for Full Membership in Sigma Xi (USA).

Research Interests

His research interests are focused on the study of reaction processes in solution, particularly through the identification, characterization, and monitoring of species formed in physiologically relevant reaction mixtures. He primarily investigates the reaction of specific amine targets with α-dicarbonyls, a key aspect of the Maillard reaction. Additionally, he is interested in probing the fundamentals of electrospray ionization (ESI) mechanisms, exploring the fundamental aspects of ESI mass spectrometric techniques. He is also gaining interests in molecular biophysics, particularly in the study of molecular chaperone systems and α-synuclein, utilizing advanced spectroscopic and spectrometric techniques.

📝🔬Publications📝🔬

Rozita Nasiri – Biological Networks – Women Researcher Award

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Dr. Rozita Nasiri distinguished academic and researcher in the field Biological Networks.  She possesses extensive expertise across a wide array of disciplines within biotechnology and biomedical research. Her skills encompass conducting in vitro studies, where she is adept at working with both normal and cancer cells in tissue culture laboratories, proficiently executing various in vitro tests. Additionally, she holds substantial experience in in vivo studies, including working with animal models such as mice and rats to establish conditions like cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and lead contamination, among others. Her proficiency extends to pharmacology and toxicology, as well as treatment studies.🧬🔗

Furthermore, she is highly skilled in molecular analysis techniques, including PCR, RT-PCR, SDS page, gel electrophoresis, gel extraction, plasmid extraction, dialysis, and genomic and proteomic extraction and isolation. She is also capable of gene and protein sequencing and determining DNA and protein concentrations. Her expertise extends to conducting hematology, immunology, and pathology tests, including biocompatibility studies.🧬

 

🌐 Professional Profiles

Educations📚📚📚

She completed her Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and Biology (Cell and Molecular Biology) from Islamic Azad University (I.R.IRAN) from 2002 to 2006. Following that, she pursued her Master of Science in Biotechnology at UTM (Universiti Technologi Malaysia) from 2009 to 2011, where her research focused on molecular identification of biodegradation related genes from dye-degrading microbes. Subsequently, she earned her PhD in Bioprocess Engineering from the Faculty of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Department of Bioprocess Engineering, spanning from 2012 to 2017. Her doctoral thesis, titled “Synthesis and Characterization of SPIONs-Bromelain-Folic acid on Folic Acid Receptor Positive Cancer Model,” demonstrated her expertise in the synthesis and characterization of nanomaterials for targeted cancer therapy. Throughout her academic journey, she has consistently excelled, maintaining a CGPA of 4 out of 4 for her PhD and 3.62 out of 4 for her Master’s degree.

She has received several notable awards and recognitions for her outstanding contributions to the field of biotechnology and bioprocess engineering. In 2013, she was honored with the Best Paper Award at IGCESH for her research on identifying novel bacterial species capable of degrading Dalapon using 16S rRNA genomic analysis. Additionally, she received the Best New Idea Award from Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, showcasing her innovative thinking and problem-solving skills. Furthermore, her academic excellence was acknowledged through the receipt of an International Doctoral Fellowship from the School of Graduate Studies at UTM, underscoring her dedication to advancing knowledge in her field through research and scholarly endeavors.

Books📚📚📚

1. 2019 “Genetic, Molecular Identification and Bioinformatics Analysis of Carcinogenic Azo Dyes’
Biodegradation related Genes from Citrobacter freundii A1, Enterococcus casseliflavus C1, Enterobacter
cloacae L17 and Candida tropicalis RETL-Cr1 Microorganisms,” Ariyadanesh Press, Iran.
2. 2019 “Synthesis, Characterization and Cancer Therapy Application of Novel Targeted SPIONsBromelainFolic acid Nano-Medicine on FAR+ Cancer Model”, Ariyadanesh Press, Iran.

WORK EXPERIENCE 🧬🔗

She has accumulated a diverse range of professional experiences and roles throughout her career. Initially, she worked as a Medical Laboratory Assistant at Tabatabaei Medical Diagnostic Laboratory and later at Dr. Ghaziasgar Medical Laboratory from 2006 to 2008, where she performed various laboratory tests. Transitioning into academia, she assumed the position of a University Lecturer and Laboratory Instructor at Islamic Azad University, Khorasgan Branch, starting in 2019. In this role, she teaches cell culture techniques, animal handling, and molecular laboratory skills. Simultaneously, she serves as a University Lecturer in English Literature, delivering English courses to undergraduate, master, and PhD students.

Expanding her academic endeavors, she also holds positions as a University Lecturer in Molecular Cell Biology and Biostatistics at the University of Isfahan since 2021, where she imparts knowledge on cell biology, molecular science, and biostatistics. Furthermore, she engages in research activities at the Royan Institute, focusing on the development of inactivated vaccines and antidiarrheal IgY polyclonal antibodies paste products.

Moreover, she plays a significant role as a Co-Supervisor for various Master and PhD projects, supervising research in areas such as nanotechnology, exercise physiology, cancer prevention, and drug development. Additionally, she has conducted research at the Royan Institute and the Dr. Mohammad Shafie Special Center of New Science and Technologies, leading projects focused on vaccine development and R&D in various scientific domains. Her contributions to both academia and research demonstrate her multidisciplinary expertise and commitment to advancing scientific knowledge and innovation.