George Hanna | Chemistry | Best Researcher Award

George Hanna | Chemistry | Best Researcher Award

Medical University of South Carolina | United States

Dr. George Steven Hanna is a Research Assistant Professor whose work lies at the intersection of environmental health, natural products chemistry, and biomedical sciences. He earned his B.S. in Marine Biology from the College of Charleston in 2014 and his Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences with a focus on Natural Products Chemistry from the Medical University of South Carolina. With a strong foundation in marine biology, Dr. Hanna has developed a career-long interest in understanding how environmental exposures—particularly those related to water quality, pollutants, and microbial dynamics—influence human health and disease. His multidisciplinary research approach integrates environmental studies, epidemiology, ecology, bioinformatics, toxicology, metabolomics, and pharmacology, using the chemistry of nature to inform biological mechanisms and drive therapeutic discovery. He has cultivated collaborations with key organizations including NOAA, NIST, South Carolina’s Department of Natural Resources, and the College of Charleston, in addition to engaging community-based groups such as Charleston Waterkeepers. Through these partnerships, he has helped develop a five-year biobank of  citizen-science water samples, providing a valuable resource for evaluating bacterial pollutants, chemical contaminants, and sewage indicators in local waterways. Dr. Hanna’s research not only advances drug discovery and toxicological studies but also directly informs public health policy and water treatment strategies. Committed to team science, community engagement, and addressing health disparities, he seeks to bridge environmental and biomedical sciences to improve human health outcomes while fostering sustainable solutions that benefit both communities and ecosystems.

profile: Google Scholar 

Featured Publications

  • Hanna, G. S., Findlay, V. J., Turner, D. P., & Hamann, M. T. (2024). Quantitative NMR analysis of marine macroalgae for AGE inhibition by methylglyoxal scavenging. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 72(39), 21905–21911.

  • Hanna, G. S., Benjamin, M. M., Choo, Y. M., De, R., Schinazi, R. F., Nielson, S. E., Hevel, J. M., & Hamann, M. T. (2024). Informatics and computational approaches for the discovery and optimization of natural product-inspired inhibitors of the SARS-CoV-2 2′-O-methyltransferase. Journal of Natural Products, 87(2), 217–227.

  • Valente, I. V. B., Garcia, D., Abbott, A., Spruill, L., Siegel, J., Forcucci, J., Hanna, G., Mukherjee, R., Hamann, M., Hilliard, E., Lockett, M., Cole, D. J., & Klauber-DeMore, N. (2024). The anti-proliferative effects of a frankincense extract in a window of opportunity phase Ia clinical trial for patients with breast cancer. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, 204(3), 521–530.

  • Krisanits, B. A., Woods, P., Nogueira, L. M., Woolfork, D. D., Lloyd, C. E., Baldwin, A., Frye, C. C., Peterson, K. D., Cosh, S. D., Guo, Q. J., Spruill, L. S., Lilly, M. B., Helke, K., Li, H., Hanna, G. S., Hamann, M. T., Thomas, C., Ahmed, M., Gooz, M. B., Findlay, V. J., & Turner, D. P. (2022). Non-enzymatic glycoxidation linked with nutrition enhances the tumorigenic capacity of prostate cancer epithelia through AGE mediated activation of RAGE in cancer associated fibroblasts. Translational Oncology, 17, 101350.

  • Mayasari, D., Murti, Y. B., Pratiwi, S. U. T., Sudarsono, S., Hanna, G., & Hamann, M. T. (2022). TLC-based fingerprinting analysis of the geographical variation of Melastoma malabathricum in inland and archipelago regions: A rapid and easy-to-use tool for field metabolomics studies. Journal of Natural Products, 85(1), 292–300.

Jigyasa | Chemistry | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Jigyasa | Chemistry | Best Researcher Award 

Dr. Jigyasa, Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara, Gujarat, India 

Dr. Jigyasa is a dedicated researcher in Chemistry with extensive experience in synthetic and analytical chemistry. She earned her PhD in Chemistry from Dr. B. R. Ambedkar National Institute of Technology (NIT), Jalandhar, in 2021, achieving a CGPA of 9.07. She also completed her MSc in Chemistry from the same institution in 2015. Dr. Jigyasa has five years of research experience during her PhD, along with one year of research during her MSc project. She also undertook summer training at the Department of Chemistry, GNDU, Amritsar, under the supervision of Professor Swapandeep Singh Chimni. Currently, she is affiliated with the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara, Gujarat, India, contributing to advanced research in Chemistry.

Education:

Dr. Jigyasa completed her PhD in Chemistry in 2021 from Dr. B. R. Ambedkar National Institute of Technology (NIT), Jalandhar, with a CGPA of 9.07. She earned her MSc in Chemistry from the same institute in 2015, achieving a CGPA of 8.80. Her undergraduate studies were in Medical Sciences (BSc) at Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, where she attended Hans Raj Mahila Maha Vidyalaya, Jalandhar, and secured 76.8%, ranking first in her college and tenth in the university. She completed her higher secondary education (XII) in 2010 at Swami Sant Dass Public School, Jalandhar, under the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), scoring 90%. She also completed her secondary education (X) at the same school in 2008, securing 84%.

Professional Profile:

Scopus Profile

Professional Experience:

Dr. Jigyasa has accumulated substantial experience in both teaching and research within the field of chemistry. She has been associated with Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara, Gujarat, India. Prior to this, she gained 2 years and 3 months of teaching experience at Maharishi Markandeshwar University, Mullana-Ambala, Haryana. Additionally, she served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry at MCM DAV, Sector-36, Chandigarh for 5 months.

Research Experience:

Her research background is extensive, with five years of research experience during her Ph.D. studies, supplemented by one year of research conducted during her M.Sc. project. She also undertook summer training at the Department of Chemistry, GNDU, Amritsar, under the supervision of Professor Swapandeep Singh Chimni.

Research Interests:

One-Pot Synthesis of Organic Compounds – Developing efficient and sustainable synthetic methodologies.

Electrochemical Analysis – Using cyclic voltammetry for studying redox behavior of organic molecules.

Spectroscopic Characterization – Employing UV-Vis, fluorescence, and other spectroscopic methods for structural and functional analysis.

Nanomaterials and Surface Chemistry – Investigating the properties of synthesized compounds using TEM-EDX, XPS, and zeta potential measurements.

Thermal and Mass Spectrometry Studies – Exploring decomposition and stability of compounds using TGA, DTA, and GC-MS.

Medicinal and Material Chemistry – Synthesizing bioactive molecules and functional materials with potential applications.

Top Notable Publications:

Jigyasa, Badhan, J., Rajput, J.K. (2023). Nanosensors: A smart remedy for early detection of clenbuterol contamination in food. Food Chemistry.

Citations: 9

Jigyasa, Rajput, J.K. (2018). Bio-polyphenols promoted green synthesis of silver nanoparticles for facile and ultra-sensitive colorimetric detection of melamine in milk. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 120, 153-159.

Jigyasa, Rajput, J.K. (2018). “ON-OFF” Novel Fluorescent Chemosensors Based on Nanoaggregates of Triaryl Imidazoles for Superselective Detection of Nitro-Explosive Trinitrophenol in Multiple Solvent Systems. Sensors and Actuators B, 259, 990-1005.

Jigyasa, Kumar, D., Arora, P., Singh, H., Rajput, J.K. (2020). Polyhydroquinoline nanoaggregates: A dual fluorescent probe for detection of 2,4,6-trinitrophenol and chromium (VI). Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy, 230, 118087.

Jigyasa, Singh, H., Rajput, J.K. (2020). Graphitic nitride nanosheets (g-C₃N₄ NS) as Dual Responsive Template for Fluorescent Sensing as well as Degradation of Azo Dyes. Food Chemistry, 343, 128451.

Jigyasa, Pratibha, Rajput, J.K. (2020). Alkali Metal (Na/K) Doped Graphitic Carbon Nitride (g-C₃N₄) for Highly Selective and Sensitive Electrochemical Sensing of Nitrite in Water and Food Samples. Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry, 878, 114605.

Conclusion:

Dr. Jigyasa is a strong candidate for the Best Researcher Award due to her high-impact research, innovative nanosensor applications, and interdisciplinary expertise. Her work significantly contributes to food safety, nanomaterials, and electrochemical sensing. To further solidify her standing, she could focus on securing research grants, expanding global collaborations, and increasing industry engagement. With these improvements, she would be an even more competitive contender for top-tier research awards.

 

Fazal Dayan | Chemistry | Best Researcher Award

Mr.  Fazal Dayan | Chemistry | Best Researcher Award

Mr Fazal Dayan institute of chemical sciences, University of Swat and Quaid e Azam university Islamabad Pakistan

Mr. Fazal Dayan is a researcher associated with the Institute of Chemical Sciences at the University of Swat and Quaid-e-Azam University in Islamabad, Pakistan. His academic interests lie in advanced chemical sciences, with a particular focus on exploring innovative methods in chemistry to address scientific and industrial challenges. Through his research and collaboration with two leading Pakistani institutions, Mr. Dayan is committed to contributing to the growth of chemical research and education in Pakistan. His work is recognized for its potential impact on the scientific community, positioning him as an emerging scholar in the field.

Professional Profiles

Orcid Profile

 

Education

Mr. Fazal Dayan is a chemistry professional affiliated with the Institute of Chemical Sciences, University of Swat, and Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan. He holds an M.Phil. in Chemistry from the University of Swat (2023), where his research focused on “Designing and Electronic States of Porphyrin Schiff Bases Nano Flakes as Cathode Materials for Li+/Na+/K+ Ion Batteries.” In addition, he has an M.Ed. (2023) and a B.Ed. (2021) from Allama Iqbal Open University, along with an M.Sc. in Inorganic Chemistry (2020) and a B.Sc. (2018) from the University of Swat. His early education includes an F.Sc. (Pre-Medical) from SCS College Swat (2016) and an SSC from SPS College Swat (2014).

 

Professional  Experience

Mr. Fazal Dayan is a dedicated chemistry professional with a strong academic background and extensive teaching experience. He completed his M.Phil. in Chemistry at the Institute of Chemical Sciences, University of Swat, Pakistan, in 2023, with research focused on the “Designing and Electronic States of Porphyrin Schiff Bases Nano Flakes as Cathode Materials for Li+/Na+/K+ Ion Batteries.” He also holds an M.Ed. from Allama Iqbal Open University (2023), an M.Sc. in Inorganic Chemistry from the University of Swat (2020), and additional education degrees, including a B.Ed. and a B.Sc.

Mr. Dayan’s professional experience spans several educational institutions in Swat, Pakistan, where he has served in various roles, including Lecturer in Chemistry and SST (Secondary School Teacher) of Chemistry. His positions include work at Abdal Education Academy, Al Madina Model School & College, The Orbit Group of Colleges, Rahman School and College System, The Stanford Academy, and Al-Azhar Educational Institute. He has also managed online and in-person classes, held leadership roles in academic administration, and conducted tutoring sessions.

Research Interests

His research interests lie in computational chemistry, particularly in designing cathode materials for energy storage applications. Mr. Dayan is skilled in using advanced tools like Gaussian09, Materials Studio, DFT, and ChemDraw. His hands-on experience includes a two-month internship at Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad, where he focused on electrochemical analysis techniques, such as cyclic voltammetry for CO₂ reduction studies. He has participated in various conferences, including international symposiums, presenting both posters and oral research on renewable energy and recent innovations in chemistry.

 

Publications 

Designing and investigating electronic states of porphyrin Schiff bases nanoflakes, cathode materials for K+ – batteriesComputational and Theoretical Chemistry
2024-12 | journal-article
DOI: 10.1016/j.comptc.2024.114936
Source:Crossref

Conclusion

Mr. Fazal Dayan’s strong academic credentials, innovative research contributions, technical expertise, and commitment to education and professional development make him a highly suitable candidate for the Research for Best Researcher Award. His work demonstrates the qualities of a leading researcher committed to advancing scientific understanding and addressing real-world challenges.