Yvonne Hernandez-Kapila | Infectious Diseases | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Yvonne Hernandez-Kapila | Infectious Diseases | Best Researcher Award 

Professor | UCLA | United States

Dr. Yvonne L. Hernandez-Kapila is a distinguished clinician-scientist, academic leader, and global research contributor recognized for her transformative work in oral biology, periodontology, and cancer biology. As Professor and Associate Dean for Research at the UCLA School of Dentistry and the Felix and Mildred Yip Endowed Chair in Dentistry, her research has significantly advanced understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying periodontal disease, oral cancer, and host-microbiome interactions. Her laboratory’s pioneering investigations into the oral-gut-brain axis, bacteriocin therapeutics, and oral virome have shaped new paradigms in microbial pathogenesis, inflammation, and regenerative oral health. A prolific author with more than a hundred peer-reviewed publications in leading journals such as NPJ Biofilms and Microbiomes, Journal of Biological Chemistry, PLOS Pathogens, and Cell Death and Differentiation, Dr. Kapila’s work bridges fundamental discovery with translational innovation. She has served as principal investigator on multiple NIH-funded projects, including major initiatives exploring host–bacterial dynamics and microbiome modulation in oral and systemic disease contexts. Her editorial leadership extends across several international journals and major textbooks, including Periodontology 2000 and Newman and Carranza’s Clinical Periodontology, where she continues to shape scholarly discourse in the field. Dr. Kapila has received numerous prestigious honors recognizing her scientific excellence, mentorship, and contributions to dental research, including awards from the American Dental Association, the American Academy of Periodontology, and the American Association for Dental Research. A dedicated mentor, she has guided over a hundred trainees and junior faculty toward successful academic and research careers worldwide, championing inclusivity, rigorous scientific methodology, and leadership development. Through her interdisciplinary collaborations and global initiatives, Dr. Kapila continues to influence the future of oral health sciences, biomolecular therapeutics, and translational medicine, establishing herself as a leading voice in advancing oral-systemic health research on an international scale. She has 8347 citations from 146 documents with an h-index of 47.

Profiles: Scopus | ORCID

Publications

1. B. lactis HN019 modulates periapical inflammation and enhances cementum repair by increasing CEMP-1 expression in an animal model. (2025). Archives of Oral Biology.

2. The antimicrobial peptide nisin promotes host cell survival during SARS-CoV-2 infection. (2025). Virology Journal.

3. Nisin lantibiotic prevents NAFLD liver steatosis and mitochondrial oxidative stress following periodontal disease by abrogating oral, gut and liver dysbiosis. (2024). NPJ Biofilms and Microbiomes.

4. Biological biomarkers of oral cancer. (2025). [Journal name not specified].

5. Nisin, a probiotic bacteriocin, modulates the inflammatory and microbiome changes in female reproductive organs mediated by polymicrobial periodontal infection. (2024). Microorganisms.

Xiaoxiao Liu | Immunology of Infections | Excellence in Innovation

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Assoc. Prof. Dr. Xiaoxiao Liu | Immunology of Infections | Excellence in Innovation

Science & Education | Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital| China

Xiaoxiao Liu, Ph.D., focuses on the interplay between bacteria and bacteriophages, with a particular emphasis on the regulatory mechanisms of bacterial biofilms and prophage activation. Her research addresses critical challenges in combating antibiotic-resistant infections, where biofilms serve as physical barriers that protect bacterial communities and facilitate horizontal gene transfer. Xiaoxiao Liu has systematically elucidated the signaling pathways linking environmental cues, such as low-temperature stress, to host H-NS proteins, resulting in precise prophage activation. This work has advanced the understanding of how prophages influence population-level bacterial adaptation and biofilm dynamics. She has further explored the coupling between prophage activation and biofilm formation, revealing how bacterial populations deploy sophisticated defense strategies to resist phage infection. Xiaoxiao Liu’s research also identifies strategies for enhancing the efficacy of phage therapy, demonstrating how bacterial responses to nutrient limitations, particularly nitrogen starvation, regulate key metabolic targets such as GlnA to control biofilm dispersal. Her work offers novel approaches for disrupting biofilms using targeted metabolites, including arginine, to improve phage penetration and antibacterial outcomes. Current investigations expand on the mechanisms by which bacteria employ defense systems derived from prophages to selectively neutralize diverse phages, providing insights essential for the rational design of engineered phages. By integrating molecular microbiology, biofilm physiology, and phage biology, Xiaoxiao Liu’s research contributes foundational knowledge to the development of innovative antibacterial therapies, emphasizing both fundamental and translational aspects of microbial ecology, phage-bacteria interactions, and biofilm modulation. Her studies have implications for designing more effective phage-based treatments against persistent bacterial infections and enhancing the understanding of microbial population dynamics under environmental stress. 2,901 Citations, 26 Documents, 18 h-index.

Profiles : Scopus

Featured Publications

  1. Author(s). (2026). The diagnostic value of combined detection of GBP1, IFN-γ and IL-2 in differentiating NTM from TB infection. Clinica Chimica Acta.

  2. Author(s). (2024). Control of lysogeny and antiphage defense by a prophage-encoded kinase-phosphatase module. Nature Communications. 10 citations.

Sanaz Ahmadi | Diagnosis of Infectious Diseases | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Sanaz Ahmadi | Diagnosis of Infectious Diseases | Best Researcher Award

Researcher | Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research | Iran

Dr. Sanaz Ahmadi Ghezeldasht is a distinguished researcher and molecular biologist at the Molecular Biology Section, Central Laboratory ACECR, Mashhad, Iran, specializing in medical immunology, molecular virology, and infectious diseases. She holds a Ph.D. in Medical Immunology from Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, an M.Sc. in Animal Physiology from Payam-e-Noor University of Isfahan, and a B.Sc. in Biology from Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Dr. Ghezeldasht has served as the Supervisor of the Molecular Biology Center at Jahad Daneshgahi Mashhad, contributing to several national and international research projects focused on HTLV-1 pathogenesis, viral immunology, and host-virus interactions. Her prolific research portfolio encompasses numerous peer-reviewed publications in high-impact journals such as Reviews in Medical Virology, Journal of NeuroVirology, and Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, highlighting novel insights into viral oncogenesis, molecular diagnostics, and therapeutic development. A dedicated academic leader, she has organized and contributed to multiple scientific congresses and health monitoring initiatives. Dr. Ghezeldasht’s expertise extends to genetic engineering, bioinformatics, PCR technologies, and cell culture, complemented by certifications in English proficiency and advanced computer literacy. She is an active member of the HTLV-I Foundation and the Research Center for HIV/AIDS, HTLV, and Viral Hepatitis at ACECR, reflecting her enduring commitment to advancing molecular medicine and public health. Her scholarly impact is reflected by 409 citations across 26 publications with an h-index of 10.

Profiles: Scopus | ORCID

Featured Publication

1. Shafaei, A., Talebi, K., Zarean, M., Mosavat, A., Khajedaluee, A. R., Afzalaghaee, M., Shamsian, S. A. A., & Ghezeldasht, S. A. (2025). Intestinal parasitic infections, eosinophilia, and Th1/Th2 immune profiles in haemodialysis patients. Parasite Immunology.

2. Rahimzada, M., Nahavandi, M., Saffari, M., Shafaei, A., Mosavat, A., Ghezeldasht, S. A., Ariaee, N., Valizadeh, N., Rahimi, H., Rezaee, S. A., et al. (2023). Gene expression study of host-human T-cell leukaemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) interactions: adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma (ATLL). Molecular Biology Reports, 50(9).

3. Yousefpoor, N., Mahdavian, M., Pourbagher, Z., Ghezeldasht, S. A., Mosavat, A., Ziaee, M., Bahreini, M., Soleimanpour, S., Sharifmoghadam, M. R., Valizadeh, N., et al. (2023). Role of host immunity and HBx among inactive chronic hepatitis B patients in a highly endemic region. Microbial Pathogenesis, 180, 106170.

4. Ghezeldasht, S. A., Bidkhori, H. R., Miri, R., Baghban, A., Mosavat, A., & Rezaee, S. A. (2023). Momordica charantia phytoconstituents can inhibit human T-lymphotropic virus type-1 (HTLV-1) infectivity in vitro and in vivo. Journal of NeuroVirology, 29(4), 567–578.