Zhang Shuangqing | cognition | Best Researcher Award

Prof. Zhang Shuangqing | cognition | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Shuang-Qing Zhang is a distinguished professor at the Department of Nutrition and Metabolism, National Institute for Nutrition and Health, Chinese CDC, Beijing. With a robust academic background in pharmaceutics and over two decades of research experience, he has significantly contributed to the fields of pharmacokinetics, nutritional toxicology, and functional food safety. His global expertise is enriched through international collaborations, notably as a visiting senior fellow at the National University of Singapore and postdoctoral research in the USA. Dr. Zhang is a prolific author with numerous high-impact publications and is a respected editor across 20+ international journals. His research interests span selenium and cognitive function, nanoparticle drug delivery, and health food safety evaluation. He actively serves on multiple scientific committees and advisory boards in China. Through his innovative projects and policy-informing studies, Dr. Zhang continues to shape national nutrition, drug safety, and public health discourse.

Profile

🎓 Education

Dr. Shuang-Qing Zhang holds a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutics from Peking University (2002–2005), after earning both B.S. and M.S. degrees in Pharmaceutics from Shenyang Pharmaceutical University (1995–2002). His academic foundation was solidified through extensive training in drug formulation, pharmacokinetics, and pharmaceutical sciences. He further advanced his expertise as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Mississippi and Texas Tech University (2005–2008), focusing on drug metabolism and toxicokinetics. In 2013–2014, he served as a Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, where he explored translational nutrition research. This diverse and international academic training underpins his authoritative voice in pharmaceutics, toxicology, and nutrition science, and continues to inform his interdisciplinary research on health food safety, pharmacodynamics, and nanomedicine.

🧪 Experience

Dr. Zhang began his professional journey as a postdoctoral researcher in the United States before returning to China as an Associate Professor at the National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (2010–2012), specializing in drug metabolism and safety. Since 2012, he has been a Professor at the Chinese CDC’s Department of Nutrition and Metabolism, leading pioneering work in nutritional toxicology, pharmacokinetics, and health food evaluation. He serves as an expert evaluator for China’s major scientific funding and regulatory agencies, including the National Natural Science Foundation and Ministry of Science and Technology. Dr. Zhang also plays advisory roles in national health committees related to environmental mutagens and food safety. His dedication extends to editorial duties for over 20 journals and authorship of influential monographs in toxicology and nutriomics. He actively mentors scholars, oversees major research grants, and contributes to national policy development in food and drug safety.

🏅 Awards and Honors

Dr. Zhang has earned national recognition through prestigious funding awards such as the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Scientific Research Foundation for Returned Overseas Chinese Scholars, and multiple provincial and national-level research programs. His leadership in interdisciplinary projects addressing osteoporosis, cancer drug development, and nanoparticle therapeutics has positioned him as a trusted advisor to government science bodies. In 2015 and 2019, he was a recipient of the National Publication Foundation Support for his authored books on nutriomics and medical foods. As an editorial board member and guest editor for numerous international scientific journals, Dr. Zhang has been honored for his editorial leadership and influence in the scientific publishing community. He is a Distinguished Professor at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and a standing or core member of several scientific committees across nutrition, toxicology, pharmacology, and food science sectors.

🔬 Research Focus

Dr. Zhang’s research encompasses nutritional pharmacology, drug metabolism, toxicokinetics, and functional food safety. He is internationally recognized for his studies on selenium’s role in cognitive function, publishing extensively on selenium intake, pharmacokinetics, and its neuroprotective effects in aging populations. His lab investigates nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems, targeting conditions like postmenopausal osteoporosis and cancer, with a focus on osteoblast-specific biomimetic designs. Another focal point is the pharmacodynamics of poly(L-glutamic acid)-paclitaxel conjugates, offering solutions to multi-drug resistance. Dr. Zhang also leads efforts in evaluating the safety and bioavailability of functional foods, including selenium-, zinc-, and chromium-enriched yeasts, using advanced techniques like UPLC-MS/MS and ion chromatography. His interdisciplinary research integrates toxicology, nutrition, and pharmaceutical science to bridge clinical translation and public health applications, while also informing regulatory policy on dietary intake thresholds and novel drug safety assessments in China and beyond.

Conclusion

Dr. Shuang-Qing Zhang is a globally respected professor and scientist whose impactful research on nutritional pharmacology, selenium neurobiology, and nanomedicine has significantly advanced food and drug safety, earning him national recognition, global collaborations, and editorial leadership.

Publications

1. Bai YZ, Gao YX, Zhang SQ*. Identification of factors on blood selenium levels
in the US adults: a cross-sectional study. Nutrients, 2024, 16(11): e1734.
2. Bai YZ, Zhang SQ*. Selenium intake is an effective strategy for the
improvement of cognitive decline in low cognition older Americans. Int J Food
Sci Nutr. 2024, 75(7): 687-694. (* corresponding author)
3. Bai YZ, Li JM, Zhang SQ*. A nonlinear association between total selenium
intake and blood selenium concentration: an analysis based on the National
Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2018. J Food Sci. 2024,
89(12): 9955-9967. (* corresponding author)
4. Li JM, Bai YZ, Liu QY, Zhang SQ*. Mediation effect of oxidative stress on the
association between selenium intake and cognition in American adults.
Nutrients, 2024, 16(23): e4163. (* corresponding author)

 

 

 

 

Faheem Arshad | Cognitive Neurosciences | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Faheem Arshad | Cognitive Neurosciences | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Faheem Arshad is an Assistant Professor of Neurology at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru. A leading cognitive neurologist in India, he specializes in dementia and neurodegenerative disorders. He played a pivotal role in establishing India’s first cognitive disorders registry at NIMHANS, integrating clinical and research excellence. Dr. Arshad is a Senior Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and the first fellow from South Asia. His research integrates neurogenetics, biomarkers, imaging, and clinical trials, with a focus on inclusivity and low-literacy populations. He actively contributes to national and international collaborations and holds leadership roles within Indian and global neurology communities. Committed to early diagnosis, caregiver support, and prevention strategies, his work aims to improve brain health equity in diverse settings. His ongoing studies explore social interaction, bilingualism, and digital tools in dementia management.

Profile

Education 🎓

Dr. Arshad received his foundational training in Internal Medicine (MD, 2014) at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Kashmir. He served as Registrar in Internal Medicine at AIIMS, New Delhi until 2016. He pursued advanced neurological training at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, earning a DM in Neurology (2019) and completing a Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Cognitive Neurosciences (2020). He furthered his expertise with a prestigious international fellowship in Global Brain Health Equity at the Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI), University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), USA in 2021. Dr. Arshad also holds the MRCP(UK) Neurology credential (2020), reflecting global competence. His multidisciplinary training spans cognitive neurology, imaging, biomarkers, and dementia prevention, equipping him with a holistic approach to brain health research and patient care.

Experience 👨‍🏫

Dr. Faheem Arshad’s professional journey spans over a decade of clinical, academic, and research excellence. He is currently Assistant Professor of Neurology at NIMHANS, Bengaluru, where he has led initiatives in cognitive neurology since 2021. His early training included roles as Junior and Senior Resident in Internal Medicine at SKIMS and AIIMS, followed by Neurology Residency and Postdoctoral Fellowship at NIMHANS. He became a faculty leader and Convener of the Cognitive Neurology subsection of the Indian Academy of Neurology in 2023. Internationally, he served as an Atlantic Fellow at UCSF’s GBHI (2020–2021), developing leadership in brain health equity. Dr. Arshad is a member of the American Academy of Neurology and other prestigious forums. He has published widely, initiated clinical trials, and built registries that bridge clinical insights with translational research. His work integrates social science, neurobiology, and global health in addressing dementia across underserved populations.

Awards & Recognitions 🏅

Dr. Faheem Arshad has received numerous recognitions for his contributions to neurology and dementia research. He was awarded the Bursary Award at the TSS International Neuropsychiatry Conference (2018) for his work on social cognition in Frontotemporal Dementia. As the first South Asian to become a Senior Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health at UCSF’s GBHI, he has been globally recognized for championing equity in dementia care and research. His appointment as Convener of the Cognitive Neurology subsection by the Indian Academy of Neurology in 2023 highlights his leadership within the national academic community. He holds the MRCP(UK) in Neurology and is an active member of prestigious societies, including the American Academy of Neurology. These honors reflect his ongoing commitment to research innovation, community-based care models, and international collaboration in the field of neurodegenerative disorders.

Research Interests 🔬

Dr. Faheem Arshad’s research focuses on dementia, particularly Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD), Alzheimer’s Disease, and related neurodegenerative conditions. He investigates cognitive reserve, biomarkers, social cognition, neuroimaging, and bilingualism in dementia resilience. His landmark projects include exploring the role of social interaction in FTD (GBHI-AA), plasmapheresis in Alzheimer’s (ICMR), cognitive testing in low-literacy settings, and bilingualism’s impact on cognitive reserve (NIH-funded). He co-leads a SERB-funded project using speech features for early dementia detection and a DBT-funded imaging study for vascular dementia diagnosis. He established India’s first cognitive disorders registry at NIMHANS, integrating socio-demographics, imaging, and biomarker data. His work bridges clinical neurology and public health, emphasizing inclusive research for underrepresented populations. A strong advocate for clinical trials in LMICs, his studies integrate AI tools, cross-cultural data, and longitudinal analyses to improve early diagnosis and therapeutic strategies in dementia care.

Publications

Lucas Muñoz-Lopez | Neuroscience | Best Academic Researcher Award

Dr. Lucas Muñoz-Lopez | Neuroscience | Best Academic Researcher Award

El Dr. Lucas Muñoz-López 🎓 es logopeda neurológico especializado en rehabilitación logopédica en daño neurológico 🧠, con amplia experiencia clínica y académica 👨‍🏫. Tras graduarse en Logopedia por la Universidad de Granada en 2015, combinó práctica profesional y formación de posgrado, incluyendo dos másteres y un doctorado con mención Cum Laude 🏅. Ha ejercido como docente universitario en Melilla y Ceuta, y colabora en investigación con publicaciones en revistas como Frontiers in Psychology 📖. Además, ha tutorizado numerosos TFG y TFM 🎓. Su trabajo integra logopedia clínica, investigación sobre alteraciones de la comunicación y neurociencias, aportando al avance académico y a la rehabilitación de pacientes. Es autor de un libro publicado y miembro activo en proyectos de evaluación y tratamiento en contextos educativos y sanitarios 🏥. Su pasión por la docencia y la terapia lo posiciona como referente en logopedia clínica e investigación 📈.

Profile

Education 🎓

Dr. Muñoz-López 🧠 inició su carrera académica con el Grado en Logopedia (2015) en la Universidad de Granada 🎓, complementándolo ese mismo año con un Máster en Logopedia Clínica en Daño Cerebral (Isep Clinic, Madrid) 💡. En 2017 completó su segundo máster en Neurociencias Básicas y Aplicadas y Dolor en la Facultad de Medicina de Granada 🔬. Culminó su formación con un Doctorado en Psicología y Logopedia en la Universidad de Granada (2021) con mención Cum Laude 🏅, convirtiéndose en experto en alteraciones de la comunicación y rehabilitación neurológica 🧬. Su formación académica combina sólidos conocimientos clínicos, teóricos y metodológicos para abordar con éxito la intervención logopédica y la investigación científica 🏛️. Además, su trabajo refleja una constante actualización y compromiso con la excelencia educativa y terapéutica 💯.

Experience 👨‍🏫

Desde 2015, el Dr. Muñoz-López 🩺 ha desarrollado una sólida trayectoria profesional como logopeda clínico, combinando práctica asistencial con docencia universitaria 👨‍🏫. Ha ejercido en el Centro de Valoración y Orientación de Granada como Auxiliar Técnico en Logopedia 🏥, además de impartir clases en los campus de Ceuta y Melilla de la Universidad de Granada 📚. Ha sido tutor de TFG y TFM en varias universidades, incluyendo la Universidad de Granada y la Universidad Internacional de La Rioja ✍️. Su experiencia docente abarca asignaturas de logopedia, neuropsicología y psicopedagogía en grados y másteres universitarios 🎓. Además, colabora activamente en proyectos de intervención educativa, rehabilitación y formación de futuros profesionales. Su enfoque multidisciplinar y experiencia en contextos clínicos y penitenciarios 🏛️ le permiten aplicar soluciones eficaces e innovadoras en su área.

Awards & Recognitions 🏅

Dr. Muñoz-López ha recibido mención Cum Laude 🎖️ por su tesis doctoral en Psicología y Logopedia en la Universidad de Granada (2021) 🏅. Su tesis fue publicada como libro 📗, reafirmando su valor académico. Ha logrado publicar en la revista Frontiers in Psychology (Q2, JCR 2.99) 🧠, destacándose en el área de psicología y neurociencias. También ha publicado en la revista Journal for Educators, Teachers and Trainers, indexada en bases relevantes como Scopus y Dialnet 📖. Su libro fue editado por la Editorial Académica Española, con índice ICEE de 0.299 📘. Estos reconocimientos consolidan su reputación científica, reflejando la calidad y relevancia de su producción académica, así como su compromiso con la excelencia investigadora y docente 🧑‍🔬✨.

Research Interests 🔬

El Dr. Muñoz-López centra su investigación en la rehabilitación logopédica de alteraciones de la comunicación 🗣️, disfagia 🥄 y terapia miofuncional 💪, con especial atención a contextos neurológicos y penitenciarios 🏛️. Su trabajo profundiza en la intersección entre neurociencias, psicología y logopedia 🧠, explorando tanto enfoques clínicos como educativos. Ha contribuido al avance del conocimiento en alteraciones del lenguaje, evaluación cognitiva y técnicas de intervención para pacientes con daño cerebral adquirido 🧬. Además, participa en estudios sobre integración social, intervención educativa en contextos de riesgo y psicología forense ⚖️. Su enfoque combina metodología cuantitativa, intervención basada en evidencia y aplicación clínica, orientado siempre a mejorar la calidad de vida de las personas con trastornos de la comunicación 💬💡.

Publications
  • Validation and Spanish Adaptation of the Resilience Scale ER-23 in a University Population

    Healthcare
    2025-04-12 | Journal article
    CONTRIBUTORS: Isabel Ramírez-Uclés; Julia Otero; F. Pablo Holgado-Tello; Lucas Muñoz-López; María B. Sánchez-Barrer
  • Analysis of writing in personality disorders in prison population

    Frontiers in Psychiatry
    2024 | Journal article
    EID:
    Part ofISSN: 16640640
    CONTRIBUTORS: Muñoz-López, L.; Fernández-García-Valdecasas, B.; López-Rodríguez, S.; Sánchez-Barrera, M.B.
  • Transformation of Higher Education: Discussion of the Dimensions, Trends and Scenarios of Change in Ibero-America

    Education Sciences
    2024 | Journal article
    Part ofISSN: 22277102
    CONTRIBUTORS: Fernández Cruz, M.; Fernández García Valdecasas, B.; Muñoz López, L.; López Rodríguez, S
  • Associations of Reversal Learning Performance With Personality Disorder Profile and Drug Abuse History in a Sample of Prison Inmates

    2024-09-18 | Journal article
    CONTRIBUTORS: Raquel Martín-Ríos; José C. Perales; Francisca López-Torrecillas; Lucas Muñoz Lóp

Elsa Pittaras | Neuroscience | Women Researcher Award

Dr. Elsa Pittaras | Neuroscience | Women Researcher Award

Elsa Pittaras is a Basic Life Research Scientist at Stanford University, specializing in neuroscience, cognition, and sleep research. With expertise in molecular biology, neuroanatomy, pharmacology, and behavior, she has extensively studied decision-making processes in mice. Her research has contributed significantly to understanding sleep deprivation’s effects on cognition and memory in Down Syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease models. She has published multiple papers as both first and last author, showcasing her leadership in neuroscience. Elsa’s goal is to advance research on mood disorders, cognition, and neurochemistry, aspiring to become an independent researcher in the U.S. 🇺🇸🔬🧠

Profile

Education 🎓

Elsa Pittaras earned a B.S. in Physiology from the University of Caen (2010), an M.S. in Neuroscience from the University of Paris Sud and ENS Cachan (2012), and a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Neuro-PSI and the Biomedical Research Unit of the French Army (2016). Her multidisciplinary foundation in biology, physics, chemistry, and mathematics from Châtelet, Douai (2009) laid the groundwork for her neuroscience expertise. Throughout her education, she focused on decision-making, sleep deprivation, and neurochemical mechanisms in cognition. 🧠📚🎓

Experience 👨‍🏫

Elsa Pittaras has been a Basic Life Research Scientist at Stanford University since 2022, focusing on cognitive enhancement in Down Syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease models. She was a Postdoctoral Fellow at Stanford (2017-2022), investigating sleep and circadian rhythms’ effects on memory. Previously, she conducted research at the Biomedical Research Unit of the French Army (2016-2017) and completed her Ph.D. at Neuro-PSI. Her career includes internships in neuroscience at Neuro-PSI (2011-2012) and clinical observations at CHU Caen (2010). 🏛️🧬🧪

Research Interests 🔬

Elsa’s research explores decision-making, memory, and sleep in neurodevelopmental disorders. She pioneered the Mouse Gambling Task, revealing individual decision-making strategies. Her Ph.D. identified neurochemical markers of decision-making behaviors and the effects of sleep deprivation. At Stanford, she investigates sleep’s impact on cognition in Down Syndrome and Alzheimer’s models, aiming to improve memory and sleep quality through pharmacological interventions. Her work bridges behavioral neuroscience with neurochemistry to enhance cognitive function. 🧠💡🛌

Awards & Recognitions 🏅

Elsa has received prestigious grants, including the Jerome Lejeune Research Grants (2019, 2020), the Fyssen Foundation Research Grant (2017), and travel awards for conferences such as T21RS (2021) and Advances in Sleep and Circadian Science (2019). She was also recognized by the French Society for Research and Sleep Medicine (2014) and received a European Neuroscience Federation travel award (2016). 🏅

Publications 

  • Selectively Blocking Small Conductance Ca2+-Activated K+ Channels Improves Cognition in Aged Mice.

  • Short-term γ-aminobutyric acid antagonist treatment improves long-term sleep quality, memory, and decision-making in a Down syndrome mouse model

  • Behavioral and Neuronal Characterizations, across Ages, of the TgSwDI Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease.

  • Inter-individual differences in cognitive tasks: focusing on the shaping of decision-making strategies

  • Handling, task complexity, time-of-day, and sleep deprivation as dynamic modulators of recognition memory in mice

  • Enhancing sleep after training improves memory in down syndrome model mice

 

Marcelo Luis Berthier | Neuroscience| Best Researcher Award

Prof. Marcelo Luis Berthier | Neuroscience| Best Researcher Award

 

Unversidad de Málaga, Spain

Profile

Education

Marcelo Luis Berthier obtained his degree in Medicine (1972-1976) and completed residency training in Neurosurgery (1977-1980), later specializing in Neurology (1980). He served as a staff neurologist at the Institute of Neurological Research, FLENI, Buenos Aires, Argentina (1980-1989), before becoming a research fellow in the Department of Neurology at Clinic Hospital of Barcelona, Spain (1989-1990). From 1991 to 2000, he was a staff neurologist and physician in charge of the Behavioural Neurology Unit at the Clinic University Hospital of Malaga. He earned a PhD in Neuroscience (cum laude) from the University of Malaga and coordinated the Group of Behavioural Neurology and Dementia of the Spanish Neurological Society (2004-2006). In 2004, he founded and directed the Unit of Cognitive Neurology and Aphasia at the Centro de Investigaciones Médico-Sanitarias, University of Malaga, leading it until 2023. Additionally, he served as the director of the Consolidated Research Group on Cognitive Neuroscience: Aphasia and Related Disorders (UNCA, C-12) at the Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA – Plataforma BIONAND).

Work experience

Dr. Marcelo L. Berthier Torres has led and contributed to several groundbreaking research projects in cognitive neurology and aphasia. As a co-investigator, he participated in the Telerehabilitation in Aphasia project (2021-2023), which evaluated the effectiveness of telerehabilitation compared to face-to-face therapy and identified predictive biomarkers of response, funded by the Junta de Andalucía. He also served as the principal investigator for a study on the efficacy of combined treatment with donepezil, intensive rehabilitation, and transcranial direct current stimulation in chronic post-stroke aphasia (2016-2019), funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III. Additionally, he has contributed to the Proyectos de Generación de Conocimiento “Frontera”, an initiative under the FEDER Andalucía 2014-2020 program, which investigates brain biomarkers for individualized treatment approaches in chronic post-stroke aphasia

Areas of Research

Dr. Marcelo L. Berthier Torres has made significant contributions to the treatment of post-stroke aphasia and speech-language disorders. He conducted the first open-label and randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trials investigating the use of cognitive-enhancing drugs (donepezil and memantine) alone and in combination with standard aphasia therapy or intensive language-action therapy (ILAT) in chronic post-stroke aphasia. His pioneering studies stimulated international research on aphasia pharmacotherapy, leading to clinical translation. Today, donepezil and memantine, alone or combined with therapy, are widely used off-label for post-stroke aphasia and language disturbances associated with neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease and primary progressive aphasia.

Publication

  • Revisiting the boundaries of different altered accents profiles

    Cortex
    2025-03 | Journal article
    CONTRIBUTORS: Marcelo L. Berthier; Ignacio Moreno-Torres; Jo Verhoeven; Guadalupe Dávila
  • Turning the Spotlight to Cholinergic Pharmacotherapy of the Human Language System

    CNS Drugs
    2023-07 | Journal article
    CONTRIBUTORS: Guadalupe Dávila; María José Torres-Prioris; Diana López-Barroso; Marcelo L. Berthier
  • Pharmacotherapy for post-stroke aphasia: what are the options?

    Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy
    2023-07-24 | Journal article
    CONTRIBUTORS: Marcelo L. Berthier; Guadalupe Dávila
  • Brain structural and functional correlates of the heterogenous progression of mixed transcortical aphasia

    Brain Structure and Function
    2023-05-31 | Journal article
    CONTRIBUTORS: Diana López-Barroso; José Paredes-Pacheco; María José Torres-Prioris; Guadalupe Dávila; Marcelo L. Berthier
  • Controlling the past, owning the present, and future: cholinergic modulation decreases semantic perseverations in a person with post-stroke aphasia

    Aphasiology
    2022-11-02 | Journal article
    CONTRIBUTORS: Marcelo L. Berthier; Daniel Santana-Moreno; Álvaro Beltrán-Corbellini; Juan C. Criado-Álamo; Lisa Edelkraut; Diana López-Barroso; Guadalupe Dávila; María José Torres-Prioris