Rhea Coler | Biotechnology | Research Hypothesis Excellence Award

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Prof. Rhea Coler | Biotechnology | Research Hypothesis Excellence Award

Principal Investigator at Seattle Children’s Research Institute / University of Washington, United States

Dr. Rhea Nadine Coler is a distinguished immunologist and global health researcher with over two decades of impactful contributions to infectious disease research, vaccine development, and translational immunology. Currently serving as a Professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine and Senior Investigator at Seattle Children’s Research Institute, she has held multiple leadership roles, including Vice President of Research and Development at IDRI and PAI Life Sciences. Her career is marked by significant involvement in international health organizations such as the World Health Organization, Gates Medical Research Institute, and GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health. A committed educator and mentor, Dr. Coler has guided numerous Ph.D. candidates and postdoctoral fellows while leading curriculum development in global health. She is also a strong advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, spearheading anti-racism initiatives within her institution. With editorial roles in journals like Frontiers in Immunology and a long-standing record of NIH grant reviews, Dr. Coler exemplifies research excellence, leadership, and dedication to advancing global health.

Professional Profile 

🎓 Educational Background of Dr. Rhea Coler

Dr. Rhea Coler’s academic journey reflects a deep commitment to biomedical sciences and global health. She began her education at St. Joseph’s Convent in Trinidad, completing both her GCE Ordinary and Advanced Levels. She earned her B.Sc. in Physiology from McGill University in Montreal, Canada, laying the foundation for her future in biomedical research. She went on to complete her M.Sc. in Medical Parasitology at the prestigious London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in the UK. Further strengthening her research credentials, she pursued graduate-level studies in Pathobiology and Epidemiology at Washington State University. Dr. Coler culminated her formal education with a Ph.D. in Pathobiology from the University of Washington, where her research was conducted at Corixa Corporation. This rich and international academic background has uniquely positioned her to lead groundbreaking work in infectious diseases and immunology.

💼 Professional Experience of Dr. Rhea Coler

Dr. Rhea Coler has built an exemplary career at the intersection of academic research, biotechnology, and global health. She began as a Post-doctoral Scientist at the Infectious Disease Research Institute (IDRI), eventually advancing through pivotal roles such as Scientist, Director of Preclinical Biology, and ultimately Senior Vice President of Translational Research. Concurrently, she held leadership roles at PAI Life Sciences Inc. as Vice President of Research and Development. In academia, Dr. Coler has served as an Affiliate Professor and now as a Professor of Pediatrics in Infectious Diseases at the University of Washington School of Medicine, as well as a Senior Investigator at the Seattle Children’s Research Institute. Her extensive experience also includes editorial responsibilities, NIH grant reviews, and international advisory work, reflecting her far-reaching influence in infectious disease research and vaccine development.

🔬 Research Interests of Dr. Rhea Coler

Dr. Rhea Coler’s research is centered on infectious diseases, immunology, and vaccine development, with a strong focus on host-pathogen interactions and immune responses to neglected tropical diseases and emerging pathogens. Her work emphasizes the design and preclinical development of novel vaccine candidates for diseases such as tuberculosis, leishmaniasis, and other parasitic and bacterial infections. She is particularly interested in understanding protective immune mechanisms, identifying biomarkers of vaccine efficacy, and advancing adjuvant technologies to enhance immune responses. Dr. Coler is also engaged in translational immunology, bridging laboratory discoveries with real-world applications through global health partnerships and clinical research collaborations. Her goal is to develop safe, effective, and accessible vaccines to improve health outcomes in vulnerable populations worldwide.

🏆 Awards and Honors of Dr. Rhea Coler

Dr. Rhea Coler has received numerous prestigious awards and honors that reflect her outstanding contributions to biomedical research and global health. Early in her career, she was recognized for her master’s research at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, earning a departmental award and a Halley Stewart Foundation Research Grant. She was later awarded a highly competitive NIH Pre-doctoral Biotechnology Fellowship and continued to earn NIH/NIAID fellowships during both her doctoral and postdoctoral training, highlighting her early promise in infectious disease research. Her work has consistently attracted national recognition, leading to her selection as a reviewer, panelist, and chair for major NIH and global grant review panels. In addition, she has been honored by organizations such as the ARCS Foundation, the New York Community Trust Heiser Program for Research, and international institutions for her leadership in science and commitment to mentoring the next generation of researchers.

✅ Conclusion

Dr. Rhea Coler is an outstanding candidate for the Research Hypothesis Excellence Award. Her career demonstrates sustained excellence in hypothesis-driven translational research, leadership in global health innovation, mentoring, and a deep commitment to scientific integrity and DEI values.

🧾 Publication List of Dr. Rhea Coler

  1. Title: Evaluation of host immune responses to Mycobacteriophage Fionnbharth by route of delivery
    Authors: [Authors not listed here, as per source]
    Journal: Virology Journal
    Year: 2025
    Citations: 0

  2. Title: Comparative study on the virulence of mycobacteriophages
    Authors: [Authors not listed here]
    Journal: Journal of Virology
    Year: 2025
    Citations: 0

  3. Title: Characterizing TLR4 agonist EmT4™ as an anti-Mycobacterium tuberculosis vaccine adjuvant
    Authors: [Authors not listed here]
    Journal: Immunohorizons
    Year: 2025
    Citations: 0

  4. Title: DEVELOPMENT AND CONCORDANCE OF BINDING AND NEUTRALIZING ASSAYS TO DETERMINE SARS-COV-2 ANTIBODY ACTIVITY IN HUMAN MILK
    Authors: [Authors not listed here]
    Journal: Pathogens and Immunity
    Year: 2025
    Citations: 0

  5. Title: The Sm14+GLA-SE Recombinant Vaccine Against Schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium in Adults and School Children: Phase II Clinical Trials in West Africa
    Authors: [Authors not listed here]
    Journal: Vaccines
    Year: 2025
    Citations: 0

  6. Title: Backtranslation of human RNA biosignatures of tuberculosis disease risk into the preclinical pipeline is condition dependent
    Authors: [Authors not listed here]
    Journal: mSphere
    Year: 2025
    Citations: 0

  7. Title: Enhanced D614G and Omicron Variants Antibody Persistence in Infants at 2 Months of Age Following Maternal mRNA Booster Vaccination During Pregnancy or Postpartum
    Authors: [Authors not listed here]
    Journal: Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
    Year: 2024
    Citations: 1

  8. Title: Maternal COVID-19 Vaccination and Prevention of Symptomatic Infection in Infants
    Authors: [Authors not listed here]
    Journal: Pediatrics
    Year: 2024
    Citations: 11

  9. Title: Recombinase-based amplification coupled with lateral flow chromatography for the specific and sensitive detection and identification of Leishmania major in cutaneous leishmaniasis patients
    Authors: [Authors not listed here]
    Journal: Frontiers in Microbiology
    Year: 2024
    Citations: 1

  10. Title: Understanding the development of tuberculous granulomas: insights into host protection and pathogenesis, a review in humans and animals
    Authors: [Authors not listed here]
    Type: Review
    Year: [Not mentioned explicitly, assumed 2024/2025]
    Citations: 1

Amir Lakizadeh | Bioinformatics | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Amir Lakizadeh | Bioinformatics | Best Researcher Award

Faculty Staff, University of Qom, Iran

Dr. Amir Lakizadeh is an accomplished researcher and Assistant Professor at the University of Qom, specializing in machine learning and deep learning. As the head of the AI-driven Pharma and Medicine (AIPM) lab, his work spans multimedia, medical diagnostics, and pharmaceutics. With over a decade of academic and industry experience, Dr. Lakizadeh is known for leading cutting-edge projects, mentoring future researchers, and advancing AI applications in drug discovery and healthcare. 🚀📊

Profile

Scopus

Google Scholar

Orcid

🎓 Education

Dr. Lakizadeh began his academic journey at the University of Tehran, where he earned his Bachelor’s (2001–2005) and Master’s (2005–2007) degrees in Computer Science, focusing on bioinformatics and machine learning. He later completed his Ph.D. in Computer Engineering at Tarbiat Modares University (2011–2016), with research centered on machine learning, computational systems biology, and bioinformatics. 🎓📚

💼 Experience

Since 2008, Dr. Lakizadeh has served as an Assistant Professor at the University of Qom, contributing significantly to research in AI, multimedia, and medical imaging. He has mentored over 70 postgraduate students and spearheaded 30+ research publications. As the current Head of the Computer Engineering and IT Department, he oversees 1000+ students, academic programs, and research initiatives. 🏛️🧑‍🏫

🔬 Research Interest

Dr. Lakizadeh’s research interests include deep learning, computer vision, digital pathology, drug repurposing, anticancer peptide prediction, and Alzheimer’s detection. He is passionate about creating AI-driven solutions for real-world medical and pharmaceutical challenges. His interdisciplinary work integrates data from biology, medicine, and computer science to deliver impactful innovation. 💡🧠💊

🏅 Awards

While specific honors aren’t listed, Dr. Lakizadeh’s leadership of high-impact AI projects, numerous peer-reviewed publications, and influential role in academia highlight his excellence and recognition in the fields of computer science and bioinformatics. He is a highly respected figure in interdisciplinary AI research. 🏆📘

📚 Publications

PU-GNN: A Positive-Unlabeled Learning Method for Polypharmacy Side-Effects Detection, International Journal of Intelligent Systems, 2024.
Cited by: Multiple future studies in drug safety prediction.

Drug Repurposing Using Hypergraph Embedding, Journal of Computational Biology, 2024.
Cited by: Studies in computational drug discovery.

GADNN: Graph Attention-based Drug Association Method, Informatics in Medicine Unlocked, 2024.
Cited by: Research in bioinformatics and AI.

Detection of Polypharmacy Side Effects via CNN, Molecular Diversity, 2022.
Cited by: Pharmacological safety frameworks.

Drug-Drug Interaction via GNN, Scientific Reports, 2022.
Cited by: Advanced machine learning in pharma.

ASDvit: Autism Classification using Vision Transformer, Intelligence-Based Medicine, 2025.
Cited by: Pediatric AI diagnostic tools.

Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease via ResNet50 and FSBi-LSTM, Informatica, 2025.
Cited by: Neuroscience AI literature.

Face Hallucination via GAN, Journal of Electrical Systems, 2024.
Cited by: Vision-based AI modeling.

Power-Efficient IoT Optimization, Journal of Electrical Systems, 2024.
Cited by: Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) research.

🏆 Conclusion

Dr. Amir Lakizadeh demonstrates all the hallmark qualities of a Best Researcher Award recipient—innovation, productivity, leadership, and real-world impact. His work seamlessly bridges foundational AI with urgent healthcare and societal applications. With a few strategic steps toward global engagement and open dissemination, his already impressive profile could set a benchmark for excellence.

Karen Kengne Kamga | Genetics and Genomics | Best Researcher Award

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Karen Kengne Kamga | Genetics and Genomics | Best Researcher Award

Dr Karen Kengne Kamga, Limbe Regional Hospital, south west, Cameroon, Cameroon

Dr. Karen Kengne Kamga is a dynamic physician-scientist from Cameroon, blending clinical expertise with advanced research in human and medical genetics. With an M.D. from the University of Yaoundé I and a Ph.D. in Genetic Counselling from the University of Cape Town, she has become a leading figure in genomic medicine across Africa. She currently serves as a postdoctoral researcher in Human Genetics, Head of Medical Genetics at Limbe Regional Hospital, and Associate Lecturer at the University of Yaoundé I. Passionate about bridging clinical gaps in genetic services in Africa, she’s contributed significantly to fragile X syndrome understanding and healthcare system integration of genetic counselling. Dr. Kamga is a strong advocate for capacity building, precision public health, and equitable genomic research.

Publication Profile

Orcid

Education

Dr. Kamga began her academic journey at GBHS Bafoussam, completing her GCE Ordinary and Advanced Levels. She earned her MD in General Medicine from the University of Yaoundé I in 2013. Driven by a passion for genetics, she pursued a Ph.D. in Genetic Counselling at the University of Cape Town, which she completed in December 2021. To expand her administrative and clinical leadership, she enrolled in an MBA in Health Management at UNICAF University, completed in 2023. She is also pursuing a Master’s in Clinical Genetics at Tech Global University, Andorra (2023–2024). In parallel, she is a postdoctoral fellow in Human Genetics at the University of Cape Town since 2021. Her multi-disciplinary training spans medicine, genetics, health management, epidemiology, and bioinformatics, equipping her to lead innovation in genomic healthcare delivery in low-resource settings.

Experience

Dr. Kamga’s career began as a physician at “Cabinet de soin St Dominique” (2013–2014), followed by multiple leadership roles at District Hospital Limbe from 2014 to 2023, including Head of Pediatrics, Gynecology/Obstetrics, Surgical Unit, ANC & EPI, and Laboratory Coordinator. In 2023, she became Head of Medical Genetics at the Limbe Regional Hospital. Simultaneously, since 2024, she is an Associate Lecturer at the University of Yaoundé I. Her experience reflects a strong commitment to integrating genetic services within mainstream healthcare and public health teaching. Her roles have combined clinical excellence, mentorship, and system-level leadership, all contributing to a national vision for personalized medicine and public health genetics.

Awards and Honors

Dr. Kamga’s research excellence has been widely recognized through prestigious international honors. She received the 2024 Resource-Limited Country Travel Award and the 2021 & 2020 Developing Country Virtual Meeting Awards from the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG). In 2019, she earned the ASHG Developing Country Travel Award. These honors reflect her impactful presence in the global genetics research community. She is also a respected member of several professional societies: ASHG (since 2020), African Society of Human Genetics (since 2017), and the Cameroon Society of Human Genetics (since 2015). Her accolades underscore a consistent dedication to research, equity, and capacity building in genetic medicine in Africa.

Research Focus

Dr. Kamga’s research focuses on bridging the gap between advanced genetic knowledge and its clinical implementation in Africa. Her Ph.D. investigated cultural perceptions and explanatory models of Fragile X Syndrome in rural Cameroon, highlighting the need for community-sensitive genetic counselling. As a postdoctoral fellow, she explores the integration of human genetics into public health, emphasizing equitable access to genomic services. She led a scoping review identifying strategic pathways to strengthen genetic healthcare in Africa. Her work spans genomic ethics, bioinformatics, genetic education, and precision public health, consistently aiming to enhance genetic literacy and healthcare systems in resource-limited settings. She is deeply involved in collaborative African genomics initiatives like H3Africa, and committed to mentoring emerging scientists.

Publication Top Notes

Advancing Genetic Services in African Healthcare: Challenges, Opportunities, and Strategic Insights from a Scoping Review

Navigating the Genetic Frontier for the Integration of Genetic Services into African Healthcare Systems: A scoping review

Perceptions and preferences for genetic testing for sickle cell disease or trait: a qualitative study in Cameroon, Ghana and Tanzania

Caught between pity, explicit bias, and discrimination: a qualitative study on the impact of stigma on the quality of life of persons living with sickle cell disease in three African countries

Explanatory models for the cause of Fragile X Syndrome in rural Cameroon

Knowledge and Challenges Associated With Hearing Impairment in Affected Individuals From Cameroon (Sub-Saharan Africa)

Negotiating political power and stigma around fragile X Syndrome in a rural village in Cameroon: A tale of a royal family and a community