Speakers

Associate Professor in the Department of Pathology at the College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, where he also leads the Department of Cancer Prevention Material Development and the Korean Medicine Reinterpretation Cancer Research Center. He completed his Ph.D. at Kyung Hee University and postdoctoral research at Texas Tech University, USA.

His work focuses on cancer prevention and natural product therapeutics, with over 240 SCIE-indexed publications and multiple patents. He serves on the editorial boards of several international journals and holds board positions in key domestic scientific societies. Dr.Kim has established international collaborations with universities in Indonesia, India, Brazil, Iran, Morocco, Philippine and Korea.

Recognized for his contributions, he has received awards including Best Teacher (2023) and Professor of the Year (2021). His research bridges traditional Korean medicine with modern biomedical science to advance cancer prevention and treatment.

PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto and postdoctoral fellow at Plant Research International, Wageningen University. He is currently a full professor at the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS), specializing in Natural Products. His research focuses on the characterization of plant secondary metabolites, using advanced hyphenation and mass spectrometry techniques. With extensive experience in plant metabolomics and chemical ecology, he is dedicated to advancing knowledge in these areas. He has an H-index of 22, with 111 publications and a total of 1,544 citations.

Full Professor at the Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), holds a degree in Biological Sciences and a Ph.D. in Genetics and Biochemistry from UFU. He completed three postdoctoral fellowships at INPA (National Institute of Amazonian Research), UFTM (Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro), and the University of California – Davis (USA). He is currently a CNPq Research Productivity Fellow (Level 1D), former coordinator of the National Institute of Science and Technology for NanoTheranostics (INCT-TeraNano), and a member of the Minas Gerais Genome Network.

His scientific work focuses on biotechnology, molecular genetics, gene expression, nanotechnology, antibody engineering, bioinformatics, and the use of alternative biological models such as Drosophila melanogaster for neuroscience research and studies on diseases such as Alzheimer’s. He has published over 90 scientific articles with more than 1,100 citations and leads innovative projects on the bioprospecting of biomolecules derived from Brazilian biodiversity with therapeutic and diagnostic potential.

Full Professor of Biochemistry at the Institute of Biotechnology, Federal University of Uberlandia (UFU), and a CNPq Productivity Fellow. He holds a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of São Paulo (USP) and completed his postdoctoral training through the Pew Fellowship Program (Yale University). His research operates at the interface of redox biochemistry, natural products, medicinal plants, and bionanotechnology. Currently, Professor Espindola teaches and advises students in UFU's Graduate Programs in Health Sciences, Genetics and Biochemistry, and Applied Cell and Structural Biology. He coordinates a project focused on the Brazilian Public Health System (SUS), investigating the therapeutic potential of plant extracts from Brazilian biodiversity through omics and biotechnological techniques. This project aims at innovation in the development of phytotherapeutics for socially important diseases such as Chagas disease and Malaria. His research also encompasses: Functionalized metallic and polymeric nanomaterials with plant extracts and polyphenols, applied in oxidative stress models and Salivary and plasmatic biomarkers of oxidative stress, combining ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and artificial intelligence (AI) for non-invasive diagnostics.

Biologist from UNESP, master's and doctorate in Genetics from USP-RP. She has three post-doctorates in the area of ​​Biofabrication and Bioprinting of Tissues. And four years of Control and Automation Engineering. Co-founder and CEO of the startup Quantis, focused on the development of high-performance bioprocesses and bioproducts using 3D bioprinting. In addition, Co-founder and Director of Innovation of the startup BioEdTech, focused on customized 3D bioprinters for the medical and food sectors.

PhD in Chemistry from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), with part of his doctorate completed at the University of Strasbourg, France. He also holds a master's degree in Organic Chemistry and a bachelor's degree in Chemistry, both from UFMG. Since 2009, he has been a professor of Organic Chemistry and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR) at UFMG. Since 2023, has held the position of deputy head of the Chemistry Department at UFMG. His main research area focuses on peptide chemistry, with a special emphasis on antimicrobial peptides. He uses NMR spectroscopy as the main tool for studying the structure, topology and thermodynamics of interaction of these peptides with biological membranes. The research also involves the use of complementary techniques, such as circular dichroism (CD), SPR, fluorescence, ITC, DSC, DLS and zeta potential, allowing an in-depth understanding of the mechanisms of action and interaction of the peptides. Based on these analyses, structural modifications are proposed aiming at obtaining more efficient, peptidase-resistant and lower-cost analogues. It also develops innovative formulations, such as glycotriazole peptides, pegylated peptides and functional nanobiomaterials (decorated with peptides), in addition to polymeric implants. Although the main focus is on antimicrobial activity, its expertise in peptide chemistry has been applied to other areas, such as the development of compounds with anticancer, antiangiogenic and erectile function-oriented activities.

Professor of Pharmacognosy at State University of Maringá – UEM and Coordinator of the Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biology - PALAFITO since 1986. He received his Master degree at Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (1989) and PhD at University of Münster, Germany (1995). Currently he is working with Tannins from the species of the Brazilian Biodiversity. Professor Mello specializes in the development of analytical methods applied to Brazilian herbal extractives, tannin phytochemistry, toxicological tests, biological assays always together with other researchers, and now also with cellular assays. Professor Mello is Editor-in-chief of the Brazilian Journal of Pharmacognosy.

PhD in Functional and Molecular Biology (Biochemistry) from the University of Campinas (UNICAMP). Currently researcher, and professor at universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam (Ecuador), and conducting postdoctoral research at the University of Reading (UK). Your work focuses on the proteomics, pharmacology, and toxicology of Ecuadorian snake venoms, as well as the development of anticancer, antibacterial, and leishmanicidal peptides inspired by animal toxins. Beyond drug discovery, he investigates the potential of Amazonian plants, repurposing drug strategies and mRNA-based technologies for neutralizing venom toxins.

Mansurah Abdulazeez is a professor and researcher at the Centre for Biotechnology Research, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria. She earned her BSc, MSc, and PhD in Biochemistry at Ahmadu Bello University, and became the first female Professor of Biochemistry at Bayero University in 2021. Her academic path includes doctoral research in Thailand, postdoctoral training in the UK, and research on breast cancer therapy resistance in Spain.

She leads research groups focused on identifying bioactive compounds from medicinal plants to treat non-communicable diseases like cancer and hypertension. Recently, she expanded her expertise with studies in bioinformatics and biosafety, leading genomic research on BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations in breast cancer patients in northern Nigeria. Beyond her scientific contributions, she is a strong advocate for girls’ education in Northern Nigeria, mentoring young women and engaging in outreach to promote academic and personal development in her community.

Biologist from the Federal University of Uberlândia (MG, Brazil), Master of Science in Biochemistry and Immunology from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (MG, Brazil) and PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Marseille (Marseille, France). Currently, Professor/researcher at the Santa Casa de Belo Horizonte College, Postgraduate Program in Medicine and Biomedicine, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. And Full Professor at the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. Her line of research includes biochemistry and pharmacological studies of peptides purified from animal venoms, mainly from arthropods, as well as synthetic derived peptides. Her focus is on the peptides with biotechnological potential, showing mainly the following activities: antimicrobial, antinociceptive, anti-cancer and active on erectile function. She is author of more than 160 papers in indexed Journals, 10 book chapters and editor of two scientific books on Toxins. She has 22 internationals granted and 10 filled patents and a technology transfer to Biozeus company (Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil), which product has just finished clinical trial, phase 2 going to clinical trial phase 3.

He is a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Calgary and holds the Canada Research Chair Level I in Environmental Physiology and Toxicology, and serves as Associate Chief of Research. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Fisheries Science from the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, a Master of Science in Fish Production and Management from the University of Agricultural Sciences in India, a PhD in Animal Physiology from the University of Guelph, and a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Ottawa, both in Canada. His research focuses on the cellular and molecular mechanisms of stress tolerance, with a focus on corticosteroid-mediated hormonal regulation, investigating how these hormones influence development, growth, and metabolism, as well as the effects of environmental contaminants on these processes. He uses models such as zebrafish, rainbow trout, and fathead minnow, employing techniques such as genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, methylomics, and gene editing with CRISPR-Cas9. He currently leads projects that study maternal stress, stress signaling, and molecular and behavioral biomarkers related to emerging contaminants in municipal wastewater effluents. Dr. Vijayan has over 240 scientific publications, with approximately 15,000 citations, consolidating his expertise in the areas of animal physiology, endocrinology, and environmental toxicology.

He holds a degree in Pharmacy from UNESP, a master's degree and a PhD in Biochemistry from UNICAMP, and a postdoctoral degree from MIT in the area of ​​biomaterials. He is an associate professor IV at the Centro Oeste Campus of the Federal University of São João del-Rei (UFSJ), in Divinópolis-MG, where he teaches Enzymology, Analytical Biochemistry and Metabolism for the Biochemistry and Pharmacy courses. His research involves purification and characterization of plant proteins with biological activities (antimicrobial, antitumor), production of biosurfactants for human health, application of polymers as anti-adhesion agents of biofilms in medical devices, optimization of probiotic production and technological innovation. In addition, he has extensive experience in startup acceleration programs, having co-founded several companies and acting as a consultant in entrepreneurship and innovation. He coordinates entrepreneurship centers and incubators at UFSJ and is also a member of scientific academies and coordinator of chambers of public policies in innovation.

PhD and MSc in Cell Biology from the Federal University of Minas Gerais and he completed his postdoctoral studies at Northeastern University, Boston, USA. Associate Professor of the Federal University of São João Del Rei (UFSJ), where he is a coordinator of the Laboratory Animal Breeding Center and Laboratory for Reproductive Biology Research. His main research lines are: Bioengineering of reproduction, ovary transplantation, ovarian cancer.

Link Lattes
http://lattes.cnpq.br/0376595787624339
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1779-5036

http://lattes.cnpq.br/5998296523794170
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3748-3427

PhD in Pharmacy from the Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Indonesia. Currently affiliated with the Department of Pharmacology. With over 88 publications and an H-index of 11, his research interests include natural product pharmacology, cardioprotection, cancer therapy, and network pharmacology. His contributions have been institutions and supported by national and international grants, some examples being the University of Siena, Italy, Kyung Hee University, South Korea, and the Federal University of São João del-Rei, Brazil. An expert in both wet-lab and computational methodologies, he is also a highly collaborative scholar, actively involved in multi-center research on phytotherapy and precision medicine. His visionary leadership and commitment to translational research make him an influential voice in global pharmacological sciences.

http://lattes.cnpq.br/2822153594148981
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7374-4743

http://lattes.cnpq.br/5222987608775248
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6952-0512

He holds a degree in biological sciences, a master's degree in genetics and a PhD in natural and synthetic bioactive products with a concentration in pharmacology from UFPB. He has experience in the area of ​​genetics and microbiology, with an emphasis on molecular and microorganism genetics, working mainly on the following topics: Molecular analysis and mechanisms of antibiotic resistance, ecology of soil microorganisms and evaluation of the intrinsic or associated antimicrobial activity of natural products. He is currently a full professor at the Regional University of Cariri (URCA) and coordinator of the microbiology and molecular biology laboratory - LMBM/URCA. He holds a PQ1D research productivity scholarship in biotechnology, and is also a professor advisor for the postgraduate program in biological chemistry/URCA and the northeast biotechnology network - RENORBIO/UECE. For the past 5 years, he has been listed as one of the 2% of the world's most influential researchers in the field of Bioorganic and Medicinal chemistry in a ranking organized by Stanford University (USA). He was also listed as one of the 10,000 most influential scientists in Latin America and the BRICS countries in the lists prepared by the AD scientific Index 2021, and received the best researcher award from the VDGOOD professional association (Tamil Nadu - India). Associate member of the World Academy of Sciences.