Dr. Nagendra Verma | Life Sciences | Best Researcher Award

Research specialist| St. Cloud State University | United States

Dr. Nagendra Verma is a highly accomplished biomedical scientist specializing in cellular and molecular biology, molecular oncology, and regenerative medicine, with over a decade of international research experience. His work focuses on the therapeutic and regulatory roles of extracellular vesicles (EVs) and microRNAs in ocular and cancer biology, particularly exploring their applications in corneal wound healing, stem cell regulation, and STAT3-dependent cancer inhibition. Dr. Verma has authored 11 research publications, cited 104 times by 95 documents, achieving an h-index of 7. His research demonstrates a strong command of molecular diagnostics, genomics, and biophysical methodologies, contributing to significant advancements in understanding disease mechanisms and developing novel therapeutic interventions. He has collaborated extensively within interdisciplinary academic and industrial environments, reflecting his ability to integrate scientific innovation with translational potential. As an active member of global scientific societies such as ARVO, RAPS, and AAMI, Dr. Verma also serves as a reviewer and editorial board member for numerous international journals, including Scientific Reports, Cells, and Molecular Vision. His contributions extend beyond research through mentoring students, presenting at international conferences, and earning recognition for excellence in scientific investigation. Dr. Verma’s work continues to bridge molecular insights with therapeutic innovation, emphasizing precision, collaboration, and impactful discovery in biomedical science.

Profiles: Scopus | Orcid

Featured Publications

Verma, N., Franchitto, M., Zonfrilli, A., Cialfi, S., Palermo, R., & Talora, C. (2019). DNA damage stress: Cui prodest? International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 20(5), 1073.
Verma, N., Khare, D., Poe, A. J., Amador, C., Ghiam, S., Fealy, A., Ebrahimi, S., Shadrokh, O., Song, X.-Y., Santiskulvong, C., et al. (2023). MicroRNA and protein cargos of human limbal epithelial cell-derived exosomes and their regulatory roles in limbal stromal cells of diabetic and non-diabetic corneas. Cells, 12.
Verma, N., Arora, S., Singh, A. K., & Kumar, A. (2025). Extracellular vesicle-associated miRNAs in cornea health and disease: Diagnostic potential and therapeutic implications. Targets, 3(32).
Verma, N., Arora, S., Singh, A. K., & Ahmed, J. (2025). Unlocking the potential of exosomes (extracellular vesicles): Drug delivery advancements and therapeutics in ocular diseases. RSC Pharmaceutics, 1(97).
Verma, N., & Arora, S. (2025). Navigating the global regulatory landscape for exosome-based therapeutics: Challenges, strategies, and future directions. Pharmaceutics, 17(990).
Arora, S., & Verma, N. (2024). Advancing organic electronics through the lens of ionic liquids and polymerized ionic liquids: A review. RSC Applied Polymers.
Arora, S., & Verma, N. (2024). Exosomal microRNAs as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets in corneal diseases. Molecular Vision, 30, 92–106.
De Blasio, C., Verma, N., Moretti, M., Cialfi, S., Zonfrilli, A., Franchitto, M., Truglio, F., De Smaele, E., Ichijo, H., Naguro, I., Screpanti, I., & Talora, C. (2021). Functional cooperation between ASK1 and p21(Waf1/Cip1) in the balance of cell-cycle arrest, cell death, and tumorigenesis of stressed keratinocytes. Cell Death Discovery, 7(1), 75.
De Blasio, C., Zonfrilli, A., Franchitto, M., Mariano, G., Cialfi, S., Verma, N., Checquolo, S., Bellavia, D., Palermo, R., Benelli, D., Screpanti, I., & Talora, C. (2019). PLK1 targets NOTCH1 during DNA damage and mitotic progression. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 294(47), 17941–17950.
Yue, P., Zhu, Y., Brotherton-Pleiss, C., Fu, W., Verma, N., Chen, J., Nakamura, K., Chen, W., Chen, Y., Alonso-Valenteen, F., Mikhael, S., Medina-Kauwe, L., Kershaw, K. M., Celeridad, M., Pan, S., Limpert, A. S., Sheffler, D. J., Cosford, N. D. P., Shiao, S. L., & Turkson, J. (2022). Novel potent azetidine-based compounds irreversibly inhibit STAT3 activation and induce antitumor response against human breast tumor growth in vivo. Cancer Letters, 534, 215613.

Ms. Sharmin Sultana | Life Science | Best Researcher Award

PhD Student | Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun | Poland

Sharmin Sultana is a dynamic researcher specializing in molecular biology, bioinformatics, and translational biotechnology, with a focus on integrating wet-lab and computational approaches for genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic investigations. Her research primarily explores hepatoprotective molecular mechanisms of medicinal herb extracts against aflatoxin B1-induced liver toxicity using both in-vivo and in-vitro models. She has expertise in high-throughput sequencing, small RNA library preparation, miRNA and mRNA data analysis, and functional genomics, employing advanced R/Bioconductor pipelines for differential expression, target prediction, and enrichment analyses. Her recent contributions include studies on microRNA modules in liver transcriptomes, aflatoxin detection and mitigation strategies, and SARS-CoV-2 variant diagnostics using liquid array technology. Sharmin has presented her work at several international conferences in Poland, Germany, and Spain, earning recognition for excellence in research presentation. Her interdisciplinary collaborations span molecular biology, animal biotechnology, and computational genomics, contributing to projects funded under international research consortia. She is proficient in tools such as Cytoscape, MEGA, CLC Genomics Workbench, and BLAST, and skilled in CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing and primary hepatocyte culture. Sharmin’s growing publication record in high-impact journals and conference proceedings reflects her commitment to advancing molecular diagnostics, toxicogenomics, and bioinformatics-driven therapeutic development, bridging experimental and computational biology toward innovative biomedical solutions.

Profiles: Orcid | Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Kępka-Borkowska, K., Chałaśkiewicz, K., Ogłuszka, M., Borkowski, M., Lepczyński, A., Pareek, C. S., Starzyński, R. R., Lichwiarska, E., Sultana, S., Kalra, G., Purohit, N., Gralak, B., Poławska, E., & Pierzchała, M. (2025). Current approaches to aflatoxin B1 control in food and feed safety: Detection, inhibition, and mitigation. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 26(13), 6534.

Chałaśkiewicz, K., Kępka-Borkowska, K., Starzyński, R. R., Ogłuszka, M., Borkowski, M., Pierzchała, M., Lepczyński, A., Sultana, S., Kalra, G., Purohit, N., Pareek, C. S., & Poławska, E. (2025). Impact of aflatoxins on the digestive, immune, and nervous systems: The role of microbiota and probiotics in toxicity protection. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 26(17), 8258.

Sharma, P., Asediya, V., Kalra, G., Sultana, S., Purohit, N., Kibitlewska, K., Pareek, C. S., & Wimmers, K. (2025). Hepatoprotective effect of silymarin herb in prevention of liver dysfunction using pig as animal model. Nutrients, 17(20), 3278.

Pareek, C. S., Sachajko, M., Kalra, G., Sultana, S., Szostak, A., Chałaśkiewicz, K., Kępka-Borkowska, K., Poławska, E., Ogłuszka, M., Pierzchała, M., Starzyński, R. R., Taniguchi, H., Juszczuk-Kubiak, E., Lepczyński, A., Ślaska, B., Kozera, W., Czarnik, U., Kadarmideen, H. N., Te Pas, M. F. W., … Szyda, J. (2025). Identification of trait-associated microRNA modules in liver transcriptome of pig fed with PUFAs-enriched supplementary diet. Journal of Applied Genetics, 66(2), 389–407.

Sultana, S. (2024). Liquid array diagnostics technology for SARS-CoV-2 variant detection. Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences.