Dr. Anand Krishnan, Principal Investigator, Department of Haematology and Cell Biology, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, South Africa. He leads the Precision Medicine Integrative Nano Diagnostics (P-MIND) Research Lab, which focuses on the biological functions of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in synthetic biology. His research focuses on establishing an extracellular vesicle (EV) biofoundry by integrating synthetic biology. His research encompasses cell modification, therapeutic target, biomarker discovery from EVs derived from liquid biopsies, and the role of circulating biomarkers in disease development. Dr. Krishnan has authored over 150 articles and edited ten books published by Elsevier, Springer, and Wiley. He received the National Research Foundation (NRF) rating for Next Generation Researchers in South Africa. In the latest list published by Stanford University, Dr. Krishnan was named among the Top 2% of the most influential scientists worldwide. He is an active member of the International Society of Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV), the African Organization for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC), and the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR). Recently, he has been serving as an editor for the eLife journal, focusing on the Africa region.
Professor Mamello Sekhoacha is an Associate Professor of Pharmacology at the University of the Free State and a former Specialist Scientist at the South African Medical Research Council. She earned her Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the University of Cape Town. Her research tackles challenges of chemotherapy resistance and toxicity through the discovery of novel lead compounds, the development of targeted nano-delivery systems, molecular pharmacology, cancer pharmacogenetics, and precision oncology. Additionally, she is a qualified Clinical Research Associate (CRA) with expertise in Health Research Ethics and Governance.
Professor Parks Makhoahle is a distinguished member of the Golden Key International Honour Society. He earned his BSc in Microbiology and Biotechnology, B.Med.Sc Hons, and M.MedSc in Medical Microbiology and Virology from the University of Free State, along with a D.H.Sc in Biomedical Technology and a PGDIPHE from the Central University of Technology. Currently, he is pursuing a second doctorate in educational studies and serves as the interim Director of the Centre for Quality of Health and Living. His research focuses on the anti-cancer properties of natural products, genotoxicity, and preventing mycotoxin-induced carcinogenicity, collaborating with UFS, NHLS, and WHO-Lesotho. With over 30 peer-reviewed publications and a book chapter, he supervises nine master's students and two PhD candidates. He is also a registered medical biological scientist, a reviewer for NRF and a recipient of the multi-Vice-Chancellor’s Awards, contributing to the establishment of CUT’s advanced Biochemistry and Tissue Culture facility.
Arun Kumar Singh is Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacy at the University School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Rayat Bahra University, Sahauran, India. His research interests include nano-formulation, cancer biology, and neuroscience, alongside digital and computational approaches such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, big data analytics, blockchain, and the Internet of Things. He has contributed academic books, book chapters, and review articles in pharmaceutical sciences and healthcare technology, with a focus on interdisciplinary approaches that integrate pharmaceutical research with emerging digital technologies.
