Jonathan Ejie | Personalized Medicine | Best Research Article Award

Jonathan Ejie | Personalized Medicine | Best Research Article Award

Mr. Jonathan Ejie, UCSF, United States

Mr. Jonathan Ejie is an aspiring physician-scientist currently pursuing his M.D. at UCSF 🩺 (Class of 2026), following a B.S. in Electrical Engineering & Computer Science from UC Berkeley 💻. His research spans oncology, radiology, and AI in healthcare, with published work in Cancers (2025) and upcoming studies in Nature Communications 📊. Jonathan integrates data science 🧠 with clinical insights, contributing to health equity, quality improvement, and surgical education. A mentor, tutor, and award-winning leader 🏅, he co-founded the UCSF Futbol Club and serves underserved communities through advocacy and outreach.

Publication Profile 

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Education

Mr. Jonathan Ejie is an exceptional scholar whose educational journey bridges medicine and technology. He is currently pursuing his Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree at the prestigious University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) 🏥, with an expected graduation in 2026. Prior to this, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) 💻 from the University of California, Berkeley, graduating in 2022. His strong foundation in both engineering and clinical science equips him with a unique interdisciplinary perspective 🤖🩺, positioning him at the forefront of innovation in digital health and precision medicine.

Experience

Mr. Jonathan Ejie brings a blend of academic support and compassionate service to his professional journey. As an MCAT Physics Tutor at UCSF (2023), he guided 15+ students through complex physics concepts 📘⚛️. Earlier, at Contra Costa College (2019–2021), he tutored mathematics from Algebra to Calculus ➕📐. His volunteer work includes providing first aid at athletic events 🏃‍♂️🩹, teaching surgical skills to high school students at UCSF 🧵🧑‍⚕️, and serving as a Health Advocate at West County Health Center 💬🩺, helping underserved patients access vital community resources. His dedication reflects a strong commitment to both education and public health.

Awards

Mr. Jonathan Ejie has been recognized for his academic excellence and impactful contributions to medicine and research. In 2024, he was honored with the prestigious Sinkler Miller Medical Association Scholarship 🎖️, sponsored by Gilead, celebrating his commitment to health equity and academic distinction. He also received the UCSF School of Medicine Summer Explore Fellowship Grant 🌟, supporting his innovative pursuits in medical research. In May 2023, Jonathan earned the Inquiry Conference Travel and Dissemination Award ✈️📊, which enabled him to share his scholarly findings on a larger stage. These accolades reflect his rising potential and leadership in healthcare.

Research Focus 

Mr. Jonathan Ejie’s research focus lies at the intersection of oncology, health disparities, and medical data science. His standout work on the “Ongoing Failure to Deliver Guideline-Concordant Care for Patients with Pancreatic Cancer” 📉🩺 highlights critical inequities in healthcare delivery across race, geography, and insurance status. Combining his background in medicine 🧑‍⚕️ and computer science 💻, Jonathan leverages data analysis and machine learning 🤖📊 to drive systemic improvements in cancer care. His work reflects a commitment to equity, evidence-based medicine, and the pursuit of personalized, accessible treatment strategies for vulnerable cancer populations.

Publication Top Notes

  • Ongoing Failure to Deliver Guideline-Concordant Care for Patients with Pancreatic Cancer

Mario Romeo | Precision Medicine | Best Researcher Award

Mario Romeo | Precision Medicine | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Mario Romeo, Dipartimento di Medicina di Precisione, Università degli Studi della Campania, LuigiVanvitelli, Italy

Dr. Mario Romeo is an accomplished medical doctor and researcher specializing in Digestive System Diseases. Graduating with top honors in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli” 🎓, he also earned a specialization in Gastroenterology and is pursuing a Ph.D. in Clinical and Experimental Medical Sciences. His research spans gut microbiota 🧫, liver disease 🏥, and metabolic dysfunction. A recipient of over 20 international awards 🏆, Dr. Romeo is widely recognized for his groundbreaking work in hepatology and gastroenterology. He actively contributes to scientific societies and fosters innovation in digestive health care.

Publication Profile 

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Education

Dr. Mario Romeo 🎓 began his academic journey with honors, earning his Diploma di Maturità Classica from Liceo Classico Gneo Nevio in June 2014 with a perfect score of 100/100 con lode 📜. He continued his excellence at the University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli,” completing his Laurea in Medicina e Chirurgia in July 2020 with 110/110 con lode 🩺, presenting a thesis on sarcopenia in compensated liver cirrhosis. He further specialized in Digestive System Diseases, earning his diploma in January 2025 with 50/50 con lode 🌟. His thesis explored RPR as a non-invasive tool in liver disease prediction.

Awards

Dr. Mario Romeo 🏅 has received numerous prestigious scholarships and awards in recognition of his excellence in hepatology and gastroenterology. Highlights include competitive fellowships like the AISF MasterClass 2022 🎓 and UEG Clinical Visiting Fellowship 2025 🌍. He has earned multiple travel grants ✈️ and best presentation prizes 🏆 at top events such as UEG Week, FISMAD, EASL, and ESCI for groundbreaking research on liver diseases, MAFLD, gut microbiota, and non-invasive biomarkers. His multidisciplinary “CoCoNut” protocol 🍏 also gained international acclaim. These accolades affirm his dynamic role in advancing liver research and patient care through innovation and collaboration.

Research Focus 

Dr. Mario Romeo’s research focus lies predominantly in Hepatology and Gastroenterology, with a strong emphasis on Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD), liver cirrhosis, and gut-liver axis dynamics 🧬🍽️. His work explores non-invasive biomarkers, body composition, oxidative stress, and gut microbiota 🧫, highlighting their roles in disease progression and clinical outcomes. He also investigates multidisciplinary management strategies combining nutritional, psychological, and pharmacological interventions 🥗🧠💊. Dr. Romeo contributes significantly to understanding liver-related complications like sarcopenia, dysgeusia, and hepatocellular carcinoma 🎯. His innovative, patient-centered research enhances predictive diagnostics and therapeutic approaches in chronic liver diseases.

Publication Top Notes

  • Spleen Area Affects the Performance of the Platelet Count–Based Non-invasive Tools in Predicting First Hepatic Decompensation in Metabolic Dysfunction–Associated Steatotic Liver Disease Cirrhosis
  • Nutritional and Psychological Support as a Multidisciplinary Coordinated Approach in the Management of Chronic Liver Disease: A Scoping Review
  • Letter: Different Risk of Acute Variceal Bleeding According to the Liver Disease Aetiology in Decompensated Cirrhosis Patients Receiving Carvedilol‐Based Primary Prophylaxis—May Insulin Resistance Unloose This Gordian Knot?
  • Exploring the Classic and Novel Pathogenetic Insights of Plastic Exposure in the Genesis and Progression of Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD)
  • The Role of the Gut–Biliary–Liver Axis in Primary Hepatobiliary Liver Cancers: From Molecular Insights to Clinical Applications
  • Primary biliary cholangitis, Celiac Disease, and MASLD: the triumvirate of steatosis. How should we manage this triple overlap?
  • Clinical Applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Human Cancer: Is It Time to Update the Diagnostic and Predictive Models in Managing Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC)?
  • FLAME: Training and Validating a Newly Conceived Model Incorporating Alpha-Glutathione-S-Transferase Serum Levels for Predicting Advanced Hepatic Fibrosis and Acute Cardiovascular Events in Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD)
  • Dysgeusia in MASLD-related advanced chronic liver disease (ACLD): a silent driver towards the “Bermuda” triangle of malnutrition-sarcopenia-frailty severely affecting prognosis
  • Vanek’s Tumour as a Rare Cause of Dyspeptic Syndrome in a Patient with Primary Biliary Cholangitis: A Case Report
  • Systemic Oxidative Stress Correlates with Sarcopenia and Pruritus Severity in Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC): Two Independent Relationships Simultaneously Impacting the Quality of Life—Is the Low Absorption of Cholestasis-Promoted Vitamin D a Puzzle Piece?
  • Prediction of Clinical Trajectory in HCV-Related ACLD after SVR: Role of Liver Stiffness in a 5-Years Prospective Study

Salma Khan | Precision Medicine | Best Researcher Award

Salma Khan | Precision Medicine | Best Researcher Award

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Salma Khan, Loma Linda University, United States

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Salma Khan is a distinguished physician-scientist specializing in gynecologic oncology and thyroid cancer research. With a Ph.D. from Kumamoto University 🇯🇵 and faculty appointments at Loma Linda University 🏥, she excels in translational cancer biology. Her groundbreaking work on health disparities, molecular oncology, and thyroid cancer genomics has earned her multiple honors, including the 2024 AACR Women Cancer Research Award 🌟. She actively contributes to the American Thyroid Association, NIH peer review panels, and serves on several journal editorial boards 📚. Dr. Khan is also a dedicated mentor and advocate for diversity in science and medicine .

Publication Profile

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Education

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Salma Khan began her academic journey with a Higher Secondary Certificate from Govt. M.M. Ali College, Tangail, Bangladesh (1983–1985). 🎓 She earned her MBBS from Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal, India (1986–1991), followed by an internship at Hamidia Hospital (1991–1992). 🏥 Dr. Khan completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at IPGMR, Dhaka (1992–1994), and pursued a fellowship at Kumamoto University School of Medicine, Japan (1995–1996). 🌸 Her academic excellence culminated in a Ph.D. in Gynecologic Oncology from Kumamoto University (1996–2000), showcasing her dedication to advancing women’s health.

Awards

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Salma Khan has received numerous accolades throughout her distinguished career. She was honored with the Best Mentor Award by BMANA in 2025 (San Francisco), 2023 (Los Angeles), and 2020 (Dallas). 🌟 In 2024, she received the AACR Women Cancer Research Award and the Best Basic Science Research Award in California. 🎗️ A frequent recipient of Travel Awards from the American Thyroid Association (2016–2023), Dr. Khan also earned top honors at scientific meetings and was a keynote speaker in Japan and Korea (2015). 🌍 Her journey began with prestigious academic scholarships in Bangladesh, India, and Japan.

Research Focus

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Salma Khan focuses her research on cancer biology, with a specialized emphasis on exosomes, survivin biology, and biomarkers for early cancer detection, particularly in prostate and breast cancers. Her groundbreaking studies explore how tumor-derived exosomes contribute to cell signaling, apoptosis inhibition, and metastasis, highlighting survivin as a pivotal player and potential diagnostic marker. Dr. Khan’s work intersects molecular oncology and translational medicine, aiming to bridge lab findings with clinical applications. Her contributions are instrumental in advancing non-invasive diagnostic tools and improving cancer prognosis across diverse populations.

Publication Top Notes

Plasma-derived exosomal survivin, a plausible biomarker for early detection of prostate cancer

Survivin is released from cancer cells via exosomes

Early diagnostic value of survivin and its alternative splice variants in breast cancer

Extracellular, cell-permeable survivin inhibits apoptosis while promoting proliferative and metastatic potential

PTEN promoter is methylated in a proportion of invasive breast cancers

Human villous macrophage-conditioned media enhance human trophoblast growth and differentiation in vitro

Differential MicroRNA‐Signatures in Thyroid Cancer SubtypesProteomic profiling of serum-derived exosomes from ethnically diverse prostate cancer patients

Exosomes secreted from human cancer cell lines contain inhibitors of apoptosis (IAP)

LATS1 phosphorylates forkhead L2 and regulates its transcriptional activity

The emerging role of exosomes in survivin secretion

Curcumin induces pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell death via reduction of the inhibitors of apoptosis

juan iovanna | Personalized Medicine | Best Researcher Award

juan iovanna | Personalized Medicine | Best Researcher Award

Prof. Dr. juan iovanna, INSERM, France

Prof. Dr. Juan Iovanna è un medico e ricercatore internazionale esperto in oncologia, specializzato nello studio del carcinoma pancreatico. Laureato e dottorato all’Università di Buenos Aires, lavora in Francia dal 1991 presso l’INSERM, dove ha raggiunto il grado di Direttore di Ricerca di Classe Eccezionale. Co-dirige il gruppo “Biologia del cancro pancreatico” al CRCM di Marsiglia e presiede il Programma G7 Cancer. Fondatore di tre start-up biotecnologiche, ha pubblicato 472 articoli con oltre 43.500 citazioni 📚. La sua missione è migliorare la prognosi del tumore pancreatico attraverso ricerca e innovazione terapeutica.

Publication Profile

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Education

Prof. Dr. Juan Iovanna began his academic journey with a degree in Medicine from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1982. Driven by a passion for biomedical research, he pursued a Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences at the same university, which he completed in 1986. 🧬 His doctoral thesis, titled “Meccanismi di regolazione della sintesi proteica in modelli cellulari di stress,” focused on the mechanisms regulating protein synthesis in cellular stress models. 🧪 This foundational work laid the groundwork for his future contributions to medical science and molecular biology.

Experience

🔬 Prof. Dr. Juan Iovanna has built an illustrious career in cancer research. In 1991, he began as a researcher at INSERM in France and was promoted to Research Director in 1993 and again in 1998. 🚀 In 2011, he achieved the prestigious title of Directeur de Recherche de Classe Exceptionnelle (DRCE). From 2011 to 2023, he served as Vice-Director of the Marseille Cancer Research Center (CRCM) and led its Translational Medicine Department. 🧫 He also directed the “Pancreatic Cancer Biology” group from 1999 to 2023. Since 2024, he co-directs this group with Dr. Nelson Dusetti and serves as Emeritus Research Director.

Distinctions and Awards

Prof. Dr. Juan Iovanna has received numerous prestigious awards and honors throughout his career. In 2017, he was awarded the Jean Valade Prize by the Fondation de France for his outstanding contributions to biomedical research. 🌍 In 2018, he received the RAICES Award from Argentina’s Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation. 🇫🇷 In 2021, the French Senate honored him with a commemorative medal. In 2023, he was named Honorary Professor at the National University Arturo Jauretche (UNAJ), and in 2024, he was recognized as a Distinguished and Honorary Member of the University of Buenos Aires.

Research Focus

Prof. Dr. Juan Iovanna’s research is centered on precision oncology, with a primary focus on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). His work integrates transcriptomics, drug resistance mechanisms, redox metabolism, and multi-omics modeling to uncover novel therapeutic vulnerabilities and biomarkers. He contributes to the development of RNA signatures (like GemPred) to predict chemotherapy response, and investigates KRAS inhibition and therapy-induced senescence as pathways to reverse drug resistance. His translational studies aim to optimize personalized treatment strategies for pancreatic cancer patients, bridging molecular insights with clinical application.

Publication Top Notes

KRAS inhibition reverses chemotherapy resistance promoted by therapy-induced senescence-like in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

The PancreasView gemcitabine transcriptomic signature predicts response to gemcitabine in patients with resected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Adaptation of redox metabolism in drug-tolerant persister cells is a vulnerability to prevent relapse in pancreatic cancer

Reply to the Letter to the Editor regarding ‘Chi-squared and P-values vs. machine learning feature selection by Y. Takefuji’

Reply to the Letter to the Editor ‘AI-assisted personalized adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma’ by Y. Shimazu

Prediction of Adjuvant Gemcitabine Sensitivity in Resectable Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Using the GemPred RNA Signature: An Ancillary Study of the PRODIGE-24/CCTG PA6 Clinical Trial
Inhibition of glucuronidation in pancreatic cancer improves gemcitabine anticancer activity
Limitation and challenges in using pancreatic cancer‐derived organoids as a preclinical tool

Multi-omics data integration and modeling unravels new mechanisms for pancreatic cancer and improves prognostic prediction