Darya Novopashina | Genetics and Molecular Biology | Research Excellence Award

Published on by Citation Awards

Darya Novopashina | Genetics and Molecular Biology | Research Excellence Award

Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine SB RAS | Russia

Dr. Darya Novopashina, Ph.D., is a senior researcher at the Laboratory of RNA Chemistry, Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, SB RAS, where she has built a distinguished career in nucleic acid chemistry and bioorganic research. Her scientific work spans the design, synthesis, and functional exploration of modified oligoribonucleotides, with early contributions focused on creating conjugates of chemically altered RNA fragments for targeted gene expression inhibition. Over the years, she has advanced this foundation by investigating hybrid structures formed between nucleic acid fragments and carbon nanotubes, offering new insights into nanobiotechnology and molecular detection technologies. She has also developed innovative fluorescent oligonucleotide probes aimed at improving the sensitivity and specificity of nucleic acid detection methods. Currently, her research centers on engineering modified guide RNAs for CRISPR/Cas9 systems, where she has contributed to the development of light- and small-molecule–regulatable genome-editing platforms that enhance precision, control, and versatility in genetic manipulation. Through her work, Dr. Novopashina has become a key contributor to the evolution of RNA-based tools in molecular biology, enabling improvements in gene regulation, diagnostic capabilities, and therapeutic strategies. With a publication record exceeding 60 scientific papers, she is recognized for her consistent contributions to the fields of chemical biology, RNA modification, and genome-engineering technologies.

Profile: Orcid | Scopus

Featured Publications

Gavrilova, A. A., Kuznetsova, A. A., Novopashina, D. S., Zheng, C., Sun, Q., & Kuznetsov, N. A. (2025).
Biochemical characterization of R-loop degradation by chloroplast-localized RNase H1 from Arabidopsis thaliana. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 26(22),

Kamzeeva, P., Shepelev, N., Zabbarova, V., Brylev, V., Chistov, A., Ryazantsev, D., Kot, E., Novopashina, D., Rubtsova, M., & Aralov, A. (2025).
Structural characterization of DDX23 5′ UTR regulatory elements and their targeting by LNA-modified antisense oligonucleotides. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 26(22),

Dolzhikova, O., Meschaninova, M., Endutkin, A., Golyshev, V., Vorobyeva, M., & Novopashina, D. (2024).
Design of theophylline binding guide RNA for allosteric regulation of CRISPR/Cas9 system [Preprint]. Preprints.

Sakovina, L., Vokhtantsev, I., Akhmetova, E., Vorobyeva, M., Vorobjev, P., Zharkov, D. O., & Novopashina, D. (2024).
Photocleavable guide crRNAs for a light-controllable CRISPR/Cas9 system. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 25(22),

 Kuznetsova, A. A., Kosarev, I. A., Timofeyeva, N. A., Novopashina, D. S., & Kuznetsov, N. A. (2024).
Kinetic features of degradation of R-loops by RNase H1 from Escherichia coli. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 25(22),

Jingfeng Li | Genetics and Molecular Biology | Best Researcher Award

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Jingfeng Li | Genetics and Molecular Biology | Best Researcher Award

School of Pharmacy, Yantai University | China

Dr. Jingfeng Li is a distinguished molecular biologist and biotechnology expert with extensive experience in cancer research and gene therapy innovation. He currently serves as a Professor at the School of Pharmacy, Yantai University, where he leads pioneering research on the molecular mechanisms underlying the tumor-suppressive effects of oncolytic HSV1 viruses across various solid tumors. Concurrently, as Chief Science Officer, Chief Scientist, and Deputy General Manager at Beijing WellGene Company Ltd., Dr. Li oversees the strategic development and implementation of advanced gene therapy pipelines, guiding the company’s research, innovation, and product development in alignment with global biomedical trends. His career reflects a deep commitment to translational research, having previously held academic positions at The Ohio State University, where his team investigated the molecular pathways driving HPV-associated head, neck, and cervical cancers, and conducted significant studies on transposon epigenetics and hereditary disease gene cloning. Earlier in his career, at the National Cancer Institute (NIH), he focused on DNA methylation and retrotransposon polymorphisms, contributing to foundational insights in tumor biology. Dr. Li’s entrepreneurial endeavors include founding Singlebase LLC in the United States, where he developed genetic testing products for targeted lung cancer therapy, including fusion detection and resistance mutation assays. A Ph.D. graduate from the Karolinska Institute in Cell and Tumor Biology, Dr. Li has been recognized for his leadership and innovation, notably as part of Beijing’s Overseas Talent Gathering Project and as a Yicheng Outstanding Talent. His work has been presented at major international conferences, including the International Papillomavirus Conference and the CGCS Summit on Cell and Gene Therapy, reflecting his global reputation in advancing the frontiers of molecular oncology and gene therapy.

Profile: Orcid

Featured Publications

Lv, J., Zhu, W., Xie, X., Tian, C., Zhu, C., Hu, Z., Li, Y., Shao, M., Liu, W., Ma, D., Wang, S., Li, X., & Li, J. (2026). Engineered oncolytic herpes simplex virus expressing interleukin 12 suppresses tumorigenicity of hepatocellular carcinoma. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) – Molecular Basis of Disease, 1872(1), 168033.

Hu, Z., Liu, W., Liu, J., Zhou, H., Sun, C., Tian, C., Guo, X., Zhu, C., Shao, M., Wang, S., Zhu, W., Li, X., & Li, J. (2024). The anti-tumor efficacy of a recombinant oncolytic herpes simplex virus mediated CRISPR/Cas9 delivery targeting in HPV16-positive cervical cancer. Manuscript submitted for publication.

Zhu, W., Shao, M., Tian, C., Yang, J., Zhou, H., Liu, J., Sun, C., Liu, M., Wang, J., Zhu, C., Wei, L., Li, S., Li, X.#, & Li, J.# (2024). Synergistic induction of systemic antitumor immunity in bilateral tumor models through combined treatment with oncolytic virus VT1092M and anti-PD-L1 antibody.

Tian, C., Liu, J., Zhou, H., Li, J., Sun, C., Zhu, W., Yin, Y., & Li, X. (2021). Enhanced anti-tumor response elicited by a novel oncolytic HSV-1 engineered with an anti-PD-1 antibody. Cancer Letters, 518, 49–58.

Zhu, W., Lv, J., Xie, X., Tian, C., Liu, J., Zhou, H., Sun, C., Li, J., Hu, Z., & Li, X. (2021). The oncolytic virus VT09X optimizes immune checkpoint therapy in low immunogenic melanoma. Immunology Letters, 241, 15–22.

Arun Jaiswal | Genetics and Molecular Biology | Best Researcher Award

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Arun Jaiswal | Genetics and Molecular Biology | Best Researcher Award

Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil

Dr. Arun Kumar Jaiswal is a dynamic and highly motivated researcher specializing in Bioinformatics, Genomics, Proteomics, Drug Discovery, and Bacterial Diseases, with a strong focus on Treponema pallidum, the causative agent of syphilis. He earned his B.Sc. in Biotechnology, Botany, and Chemistry from Veer Kunwar Singh University, Ara, India, followed by an M.Sc. in Bioinformatics from Devi Ahilya Vishwa Vidyalaya, Indore, India. He completed his Ph.D. in Bioinformatics in 2020 at the Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Genetics, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil, where his award-winning thesis centered on pan-genomics, reverse vaccinology, and drug target identification for syphilis. Currently, he is a Residential Postdoctoral Fellow at LGCM, UFMG, supported by FAPEMIG, working on new drug target identification, pathogenomics, and vaccine development against Treponema pallidum, as well as exploring its neurological implications such as syphilitic meningitis. His expertise includes omics approaches (pan-genomics, subtractive genomics, reverse vaccinology), molecular dynamics simulations of protein–drug complexes, and next-generation sequencing data analysis. He also has growing interests in neuroinformatics and computational neuroscience to better understand neurosyphilis complications. Over the course of his career, Dr. Jaiswal has held several prestigious fellowships, including FAPEMIG and CNPq Postdoctoral Fellowships at UFMG, and an Exterior Postdoctoral Fellowship at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Saudi Arabia. Recognized for his academic excellence, he has received the Best Doctoral Thesis Award (2020) and a Best Poster Honorable Mention at the AB3C X-Meeting.

profile: Google Scholar | Scopus

Featured Publications

Prado, L. C. da S., Felice, A. G., Rodrigues, T. C. V., Tiwari, S., Andrade, B. S., Kato, R. B., Oliveira, C. J. F., Silva, M. V., Barh, D., Azevedo, V. A. de C., Jaiswal, A. K., & Soares, S. de C. (2021). New putative therapeutic targets against Serratia marcescens using reverse vaccinology and subtractive genomics. Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics. Taylor & Francis.

Felice, A. G., Santos, L. N. Q., Kolossowski, I., Zen, F. L., Alves, L. G., Rodrigues, T. C. V., Prado, L. C. S., Jaiswal, A. K., Tiwari, S., Miranda, F. M., Ramos, R. T. J., Azevedo, V., Oliveira, C. J. F., Benevides, L. J., & Soares, S. C. (2021). Comparative genomics of Bordetella pertussis and prediction of new vaccines and drug targets. Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics. Taylor & Francis.

Nogueira, W. G., Jaiswal, A. K., Tiwari, S., Ramos, R. T. J., Ghosh, P., Barh, D., Azevedo, V., & Soares, S. C. (2021). Computational identification of putative common genomic drug and vaccine targets in Mycoplasma genitalium. Genomics. Elsevier.

Jaiswal, A. K., Tiwari, S., Jamal, S. B., Oliveira, L. de C., Sales-Campos, H., Andrade-Silva, L. E., Oliveira, C. J. F., Ghosh, P., Barh, D., Azevedo, V., Soares, S. C., Junior, V. R., & Silva, M. V. (2021). Reverse vaccinology and subtractive genomics approaches for identifying common therapeutics against Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins Including Tropical Diseases.

Profeta, R., Seyffert, N., Tiwari, S., Viana, M. V. C., Jaiswal, A. K., Caetano, A. C., Bücker, D. H., Oliveira, L. T. de, Santos, R., Gala-Garcia, A., Kato, R. B., Padilh, F. F., Lima-Verde, I. B., Ghosh, P., Barh, D., Góes-Neto, A., Figueiredo, H. C. P., Soares, S. C., Meyer, R., … Castro, T. L. P. (2020). Comparative genomics with a multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae isolate reveals the panorama of unexplored diversity in Northeast Brazil. Gene. Elsevier.