Dolores Di Vizio | Biochemistry | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Innovation Technologist

Prof. Dr. Dolores Di Vizio | Biochemistry | Best Researcher Award

Professor at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center | United States

Dr. Dolores Di Vizio is a globally recognized physician-scientist whose research has significantly advanced the fields of cancer biology, extracellular vesicles (EVs), and translational oncology. She holds multiple academic positions at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and plays a leading role in international scientific organizations. Dr. Di Vizio is best known for pioneering the discovery of large oncosomes, a novel type of extracellular vesicle implicated in cancer progression and metastasis.

Publication Profile 

Scopus

Educational Background 

Dr. Di Vizio earned both her M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Naples Federico II in Italy. Following her graduate education, she completed postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School, where she honed her expertise in molecular and cancer biology, laying the foundation for her later groundbreaking work in EVs and cancer metastasis.

Professional Experience 

Dr. Di Vizio is a Professor in the Departments of Surgery, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, and Biomedical Sciences at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. She also serves as Co-Director of the Cancer Biology Program at the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute. Her international presence includes visiting faculty positions at Yonsei University in Korea, the University of Calabria in Italy, and IRCCS Regina Elena in Italy. Prior to her tenure at Cedars-Sinai, she held a faculty position at Harvard Medical School. Her editorial influence is substantial, serving as Deputy Editor of the Journal of Extracellular Vesicles and sitting on the editorial boards of prominent journals such as Oncotarget, Biomedicines, and Frontiers in Oncology. Additionally, she has organized and chaired major scientific conferences including the Gordon Research Conference and the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV) meetings in 2021 and 2023.

Research Interests 

Dr. Di Vizio’s research centers on the biology of extracellular vesicles, particularly large oncosomes, and their role in tumor dissemination, with a focus on prostate cancer. She investigates the molecular and cellular mechanisms driving cancer metastasis and signal transduction, including cytoskeletal remodeling and intercellular communication. Her work also emphasizes translational research, with a goal of developing EV-based diagnostic tools and therapeutic strategies for advanced cancers.

Awards and Honors 

Throughout her career, Dr. Di Vizio has secured over $10 million in competitive research funding from prestigious agencies including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Defense (DoD), Avon Foundation, and the American Italian Cancer Foundation (AICF). She has been an invited speaker at more than 70 national and international institutions and high-profile events, such as Nature Webinars, Keystone Symposia, and AACR meetings. She has also served as a reviewer and panelist for NIH study sections, the DoD Prostate Cancer Program, and the European Research Council (ERC). Her contributions to mentorship and training are equally impressive, with leadership roles in NIH T32, R25, and CTSI-supported programs and mentorship roles in DoD and SPORE-funded initiatives.

Publications 

  1. Title: Extracellular vesicle heterogeneity through the lens of multiomics
    Year: 2025

  2. Title: Roadblocks of Urinary EV Biomarkers: Moving Toward the Clinic
    Year: 2025

  3. Title: Emerin Dysregulation Drives the Very-Small-Nuclear Phenotype and Lineage Plasticity That Associate with a Clinically Aggressive Subtype of Prostate Cancer
    Year: 2025

  4. Title: A class of large cell-like extracellular vesicles: Extracellular vesicles
    Year: 2025
    Citations: 3

  5. Title: Mechanisms governing lineage plasticity and metabolic reprogramming in cancer
    Year: 2025
    Citations: 3

Conclusion 

Dr. Dolores Di Vizio is an internationally respected leader in cancer research whose pioneering contributions to extracellular vesicle biology have reshaped current understanding of tumor progression and metastasis. Her dedication to translational science, strong record of mentorship, and active leadership in global scientific communities position her as a standout figure in contemporary oncology research. She is exceptionally well-qualified for recognition through high-level research awards, embodying a career defined by scientific innovation, educational commitment, and impactful interdisciplinary collaboration.

 

 

 

Liu Zhemin | Protein Engineering | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Innovation Technologist

Dr. Liu Zhemin | Protein Engineering | Best Researcher Award

Senior Scientist at Nanjing Vazyme Biotechnology Company, China

🔬🎓 Dr. Z. Liu is a distinguished scientist specializing in enzyme engineering and microbial biotechnology. With expertise in protein rational design, directed evolution, and computational modeling, he focuses on developing high-performance enzymes for industrial and medical applications. A prolific researcher and innovator, Dr. Liu integrates cutting-edge techniques like CRISPR-assisted rational design and cooperative substitution methods to advance enzymology. 🌟📈👨‍🔬

Publication Profile : 

Scopus

Educational Background 🎓

Z. Liu has a strong academic foundation in biochemistry and molecular biology, with advanced training in enzyme engineering and microbial biotechnology. His education laid the groundwork for his expertise in protein design, directed evolution, and enzyme applications.

Professional Experience 💼

Z. Liu is a leading researcher and academic in the fields of enzyme engineering and microbial biotechnology. He has contributed extensively to the design and optimization of enzymes for industrial and therapeutic applications, including the development of high-stability enzymes and efficient expression systems in microbial hosts such as Pichia pastoris. His professional work includes the rational design of enzymes using surface charge modifications, directed evolution for improved catalytic properties, and genome editing to enhance enzyme functionality. His research spans collaborations with industry and academia, focusing on practical solutions for enzyme stability, catalytic efficiency, and prebiotic preparation.

Research Interests 🔬

Z. Liu’s research is centered on:

  • Rational Protein Design: Enhancing enzyme stability and activity using computational modeling and experimental methods.
  • Directed Evolution: High-throughput screening and mutagenesis to optimize enzyme performance.
  • Microbial Biotechnology: Developing superior expression systems in microbes like Pichia pastoris for large-scale enzyme production.
  • Enzyme Applications: Innovations in the preparation of prebiotic mannooligosaccharides and other industrial applications.
  • Thermostable Enzymes: Engineering enzymes for high-temperature and low-pH conditions.

Publications 📚

  • Z. Liu, X. Fu, M. Yuan, Q. Liang, C. Zhu, H. Mou, Surface charged amino acid-based strategy for rational engineering of kinetic stability and specific activity of enzymes: Linking experiments with computational modeling. Int. J. Biol. Macromol. 182, 228–236 (2021).
  • M. Wu, L. Cao, W. Tang, Z. Liu*, S. Feng, Improving the anti-autolytic ability of alkaline protease from Bacillus alcalophilus by a rationally combined strategy. Enzyme Microb. Technol., 110561 (2024).
  • Z. Liu, L. Cao, X. Fu, Q. Liang, H. Sun, H. Mou, *A multi-functional genetic manipulation system and its use in high-level expression of a β-mannanase mutant with high specific activity in Pichia pastoris. Microb. Biotechnol. 14, 1525–1538 (2021).
  • W. Zhang#, Z. Liu#, S. Zhou, H. Mou, R. Zhang, Cloning and expression of a β-mannanase gene from Bacillus sp. MK-2 and its directed evolution by random mutagenesis. Enzyme Microb. Technol. 124, 70–78 (2019).
  • Z. Liu, C. Ning, M. Yuan, X. Fu, S. Yang, X. Wei, M. Xiao, H. Mou, C. Zhu, High-efficiency expression of a superior β-mannanase engineered by cooperative substitution method in Pichia pastoris and its application in preparation of prebiotic mannooligosaccharides. Bioresour. Technol. 311, 123482 (2020).
  • Z. Liu, L. Cao, X. Fu, Q. Liang, H. Sun, H. Mou, *A multi-functional genetic manipulation system and its use in high-level expression of a β-mannanase mutant with high specific activity in Pichia pastoris. Microb. Biotechnol. 14, 1525–1538 (2021).
  • Q. Liang, L. Cao, C. Zhu, Q. Kong, H. Sun, F. Zhang, H. Mou, Z. Liu*, *Characterization of recombinant antimicrobial peptide BMGlv2 heterologously expressed in Trichoderma reesei. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 23 (2022). doi:10.3390/ijms231810291.
  • W. Zhang#, Z. Liu#, S. Zhou, H. Mou, R. Zhang, Cloning and expression of a β-mannanase gene from Bacillus sp. MK-2 and its directed evolution by random mutagenesis. Enzyme Microb. Technol. 124, 70–78 (2019).
  • Z. Liu, C. Ning, M. Yuan, X. Fu, S. Yang, X. Wei, M. Xiao, H. Mou, C. Zhu, High-efficiency expression of a superior β-mannanase engineered by cooperative substitution method in Pichia pastoris and its application in preparation of prebiotic mannooligosaccharides. Bioresour. Technol. 311, 123482 (2020).
  • Z. Liu, C. Ning, M. Yuan, S. Yang, X. Wei, M. Xiao, X. Fu, C. Zhu, H. Mou, High-level expression of a thermophilic and acidophilic beta-mannanase from Aspergillus kawachii IFO 4308 with significant potential in mannooligosaccharide preparation. Bioresour. Technol. 295, 122257 (2019).