Dr. Nurgul Ablakimova, MD, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology at West Kazakhstan Marat Ospanov Medical University and serves as a Clinical Pharmacologist and Head of the Department of Hospital Pharmacy at the Regional Perinatal Center. Her primary research interests include antimicrobial resistance, antimicrobial stewardship, rational antibiotic therapy, and clinical pharmacology approaches in internal diseases. She is a medical doctor and a clinical pharmacologist of the 2nd qualification category with six years of combined clinical and teaching experience. Dr. Ablakimova actively contributes to intramural research projects and grant-funded studies supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Kazakhstan, helping to develop targeted educational and clinical interventions. She has authored original research articles, reviews, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses in peer-reviewed international journals and holds an h-index of 4. She is a member of the Association of Clinical Pharmacologists and Pharmacists of Kazakhstan and EACPT, and has participated in major scientific events, including WCP 2023 and EACPT 2024.

Gaziza Smagulova, MD, PhD, is a Professor and Head of the Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology at West Kazakhstan Marat Ospanov Medical University. With 30 years of combined clinical and teaching experience, she is a medical doctor and clinical pharmacologist specializing in clinical pharmacology approaches in internal diseases, pharmacogenetics, antimicrobial resistance, antimicrobial stewardship, and rational antibiotic therapy. Dr Smagulova actively participates in both intramural research projects and grant-funded studies supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Kazakhstan and the Ministry of Health, contributing to the development of targeted educational and clinical interventions. She has co-authored original research articles and review papers, including systematic reviews and meta-analyses, published in peer-reviewed international journals indexed in Scopus and Web of Science, and has an h-index of 4. A member of the Association of Clinical Pharmacologists and Pharmacists of Kazakhstan and the European Association for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (EACPT), she is committed to evidence-based practice and antibiotic stewardship. She has participated in major scientific events, including EACPT 2025, and has received institutional and ministerial recognition for her contributions.

Dr. Nurgul Ablakimova, MD, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology at West Kazakhstan Marat Ospanov Medical University and serves as a Clinical Pharmacologist and Head of the Department of Hospital Pharmacy at the Regional Perinatal Center. Her primary research interests include antimicrobial resistance, antimicrobial stewardship, rational antibiotic therapy, and clinical pharmacology approaches in internal diseases. She is a medical doctor and a clinical pharmacologist of the 2nd qualification category with six years of combined clinical and teaching experience. Dr. Ablakimova actively contributes to intramural research projects and grant-funded studies supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Kazakhstan, helping to develop targeted educational and clinical interventions. She has authored original research articles, reviews, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses in peer-reviewed international journals and holds an h-index of 4. She is a member of the Association of Clinical Pharmacologists and Pharmacists of Kazakhstan and EACPT, and has participated in major scientific events, including WCP 2023 and EACPT 2024.

Gaziza Smagulova, MD, PhD, is a Professor and Head of the Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology at West Kazakhstan Marat Ospanov Medical University. With 30 years of combined clinical and teaching experience, she is a medical doctor and clinical pharmacologist specializing in clinical pharmacology approaches in internal diseases, pharmacogenetics, antimicrobial resistance, antimicrobial stewardship, and rational antibiotic therapy. Dr Smagulova actively participates in both intramural research projects and grant-funded studies supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Kazakhstan and the Ministry of Health, contributing to the development of targeted educational and clinical interventions. She has co-authored original research articles and review papers, including systematic reviews and meta-analyses, published in peer-reviewed international journals indexed in Scopus and Web of Science, and has an h-index of 4. A member of the Association of Clinical Pharmacologists and Pharmacists of Kazakhstan and the European Association for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (EACPT), she is committed to evidence-based practice and antibiotic stewardship. She has participated in major scientific events, including EACPT 2025, and has received institutional and ministerial recognition for her contributions.

Ishumeet Kaur Bajwa is a biomedical researcher who completed her PhD at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India, and has over eight years of experience in preclinical research. She has developed and worked extensively on diverse animal disease models, including Alzheimer’s disease, wound healing, and diabetes, with strong expertise in experimental design and translational evaluation. Her doctoral research focused on the development and preclinical evaluation of a novel hollow microneedle–based system for intradermal delivery of drugs and vaccines. This work demonstrated efficient drug absorption, significantly reduced pain, and robust immunogenic responses, highlighting the potential of microneedle technology for dose-sparing and pain-free vaccination. The project was supported by a CRG–SERB grant, underscoring its scientific rigor and translational relevance. Dr. Bajwa’s long-term goal is to advance this research toward first-in-human clinical trials, aiming to transform childhood immunization programs through safe, painless, and efficient microneedle-based vaccine delivery systems.

First-year PhD student researching respiratory diseases, with interests in understanding disease mechanisms and improving clinical outcomes.

Priyanka Chandramohan is a fifth-year PhD candidate in the Cardiovascular and Respiratory Sciences program at the University of Calgary, mentored by Dr. Robert Newton. She holds dual master’s degrees in Biohealth Engineering from France and Medical Biotechnology from India. Her research focuses on unraveling the molecular interactions between glucocorticoids (GCs) and β₂-adrenoceptor agonists (β₂As) in asthma therapy, with particular emphasis on the role of CREB-regulated transcription coactivators—CRTC1, CRTC2, and CRTC3—in mediating GC- and β₂A-induced gene expression in airway epithelial cells. Outside the laboratory, Priyanka enjoys playing basketball, baking, hiking, reading, and spending quality time with her niece and nephew.

Dr Chandrashekaran Girish is an Additional Professor in the Department of Pharmacology at the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, India, an Institute of National Importance under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. He has 15 years of experience in teaching and research and has guided PhD and MD students in Pharmacology. His research interests include the development of phytochemicals for liver disorders, psychopharmacology, and reproductive toxicology. Dr Girish has authored more than 40 publications in international and national journals and has also contributed chapters to textbooks. He has received extramural research grants from agencies such as the Indian Council of Medical Research and has served as an Associate Editor of the Journal of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapeutics.

Lucia Cipková is a student at the Department of Pharmacology, Biomedical Centre Martin (BioMed), JFMED, actively engaged in research on bitter taste receptors (TAS2R) and their role in mast cell signalling and airway defence mechanisms. She presented her work at the World Allergy Congress (WAC 2024, Lisbon, Portugal) on TAS2R involvement in intracellular signalling of mast cells and the effect of TAS2R agonists in an experimental model of allergic asthma under the supervision of Prof. MUDr. Martina Šutovská, PhD. Her scientific contributions include presentations at multiple Students Scientific Conferences, earning awards such as 1st place, Audience Awards, and the Dean’s Award during the 2023/2024 academic year. She has also received a Motivational Scholarship in 2022. Lucia’s research topics include the chemical profile and biological effects of vaccinium glycoconjugates on cough and airway reactivity, and the effects of amarogentin as a TAS2R agonist. She is a member of the Slovak Pharmacological Society and is mentored by Prof. MUDr. Martina Šutovská, PhD, and Mgr. Jozef Mažerik.

Dr. Madison Coward-Smith is an early career researcher at The University of Technology Sydney. She is focused on understanding the complex interplay between the respiratory and cardiovascular systems in models of respiratory disease and infection, which comprise major clinical co-morbidities in Australia and worldwide.

Dr Seungyeon Yeon is a Research Assistant in Vascular Biology and Pharmacology at NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University. She completed her PhD at Western Sydney University in 2025, focusing on mechanisms of vascular calcification in human aortic smooth muscle cells. Her research interests include vascular pharmacology, smooth muscle cell phenotypic modulation, osteogenic signalling, and translational cardiovascular disease research.

Said Jesús Domínguez Ramírez is a Master’s student in Pharmacology at the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN), with a background in Diagnostic Biochemistry. His research focuses on how preeclampsia influences the expression of the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor in offspring T cells, with interests in developmental programming and maternal–offspring immune interactions.

Dr. Ganesh Dakhale holds an MBBS, MD (Pharmacology), LL.B, and PGDHHM, and is a certified NABH trainer for Good Clinical Practice. He has over 25 years of experience in academic and regulatory clinical research, medical education, pharmacovigilance, and antimicrobial stewardship (AMS). He serves as a peer reviewer for 10 international journals and is a member of the Subject Expert Committee of the DCGI, New Delhi. Dr. Dakhale has authored 80 publications and a book on Good Clinical Practice, and has delivered more than 50 invited talks. He is also the Nodal Officer for the ICMR-INTENT Programme. His key areas of interest include clinical research, statistics, and ethics committees. His notable achievements include being elected President of NPT in 2025 and Chair of the Ethics Council of the Indian Society for Clinical Research (ISCR) the same year. He was elected General Secretary of NPT in 2023, received the ISCR Hall of Fame Award in 2022, and earned Best Teacher Awards in 2018, 2012, and 2013.

Dr. Carolina Campos Estrada is a pharmacist and PhD, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidad de Valparaíso, Chile. Her research focuses on pharmacological and toxicological modulation of inflammation, with particular emphasis on specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) such as resolvins, maresins, and lipoxins. She leads and collaborates in national and international projects exploring inflammation resolution, vascular repair, chronic inflammatory diseases, and translational experimental models, including 3D spheroids and cellular systems. Dr. Campos has extensive experience in pharmacology education, postgraduate program coordination, and interdisciplinary research linking basic mechanisms to clinical and public health relevance.

Li Bin, male, graduated from Hubei University of Science and Technology with a bachelor's degree in Clinical Medicine. With 14 years of experience in obstetrics and gynecology, he completed advanced training in gynecologic oncology at West China Second University Hospital of Sichuan University. He specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of gynecologic

Li Lin is a postgraduate student at the School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, China, supervised by Professor Xiaoxia Wei. Her research focuses on neuropharmacology and the gut microbiota. She is skilled in establishing the HIE animal model, gut microbiota analysis, and molecular biology techniques including Western blotting. Her current work investigates the role of metabolite-mediated epigenetic modifications in synaptic plasticity and cognitive recovery.

Chang-fang Fu, Female, Ph.D.; Pharmacist of the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230001, China; Engaged in the basic and clinical research on basic and translational medical research for 10 years; Issued 8 SCI papers. Obtained 1 national invention patent on genomic predictor of chemosensitivity in breast cancer.

Aaron is a third year PhD student in the Airway Epithelial Research team at the Wal-yan Respiratory Research Centre. He is undertaking candidature with The Kids Research Institute and the School of Human Sciences at the University of Western Australia. His research focuses on therapeutic targeting of defective airway epithelial cell repair in childhood asthma. This research is crucial for validating drug safety & efficacy, and understanding therapeutic mechanism-of-action in order to ameliorate disease trajectories in asthma via early life treatment interventions.

Dr. Lilla Gunkl-Tóth earned her MD at Semmelweis University. She is currently a PhD candidate, conducting her research at the Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Semmelweis University, and at the Institute of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, University of Pécs. Her work focuses on difficult-to-treat (D2T) rheumatoid arthritis and pain pathomechanisms, with particular emphasis on central sensitization and related neurobiological processes. During medical school, she completed a 10-month research scholarship at Heidelberg University (Jellinek Harry Scholarship, 2018–2019), where she gained experience in metabolomics and lipidomics. Her research has been supported by several grants and scholarships, including the Richter Talentum PhD Scholarship, and multiple EULAR awards supporting young investigators’ conference presentations. In 2025, she received the ACR Emerging Investigator Excellence Award. Her teaching activities include undergraduate rheumatology seminars and practical sessions in Hungarian, English, and German, as well as mentoring students in scientific projects.

Name‌: Min Hong Title‌: Researcher & Doctoral Supervisor Affiliation‌: Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine Research Focus‌: Immunomodulatory mechanisms of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), anti-inflammatory and immune-regulating effects Key contributions‌: Hosted 6 National Natural Science Foundation projects and published over 100 papers in international journals (e.g., Nature Communications, Mucosal Immunology). Editorial board member for Phytomedicine and Frontiers in Pharmacology; reviewer for multiple journals.

Dr. Wang is the Distinguished Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Illinois medical campus in Chicago. Dr. Wang is a long time member of ASPET, has served ASPET at various capacities, and the founding director of ASPET-funded SURF program (summer undergraduate research fellowship) at the University of Illinois since 2015. Dr. Wang has over 25 years’ experience studying basic neurobiology of pain and opioid addiction, and preclinical and translational pharmacology of analgesic drugs. The work to be presented is a new area investigating the role of microRNA epigenetic mechanism for treating neuropathic pain that is poorly responsible to the currently available drugs.

Kenta Hosomi is a Ph.D. student in Pharmaceutical Sciences in Japan, focusing on advancing knowledge in drug development and pharmacological research.

Dr. Ming-Jen Hsu is Professor and Chair of the Department of Pharmacology at Taipei Medical University and serves as the Secretary-General of The Pharmacological Society in Taiwan. He earned his Ph.D. from the Graduate Institute of Pharmacology at National Taiwan University. His research expertise spans signal transduction, molecular pharmacology, and drug development. Dr. Hsu is particularly recognized for his work on hydroxamate-based compounds and natural products, including derivatives from Magydaris tomentosa, investigating their anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic, and anti-tumor potential. Recently, his work has expanded into the role of metabolic reprogramming in chronic respiratory diseases. His team recently identified a novel feedback loop where TGF-β-driven glycolysis amplifies inflammatory signaling and airway remodeling. By bridging the gap between natural compound pharmacology and metabolic intervention, Dr. Hsu aims to develop innovative therapeutic strategies for asthma, pulmonary fibrosis, and cancer.

Varuna Jayasinghe is a PhD candidate at the Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, University of Calgary. Prior to his graduate studies, he received his Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology in Sri Lanka. Currently, he works on elucidating the mechanisms of action of drugs used for the treatment of COPD and other respiratory diseases. His research areas of interest include pharmacology, GPCR signaling and respiratory diseases.

Seungwon Jeong received a B.S. degree in Polymer Nano Science and Technology in 2020 and an M.S. degree in Bionanotechnology and Bioconvergence Engineering in 2022 from Jeonbuk National University. From 2022 to 2024, he served as a researcher at the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB). Currently, he is a Ph.D. student jointly affiliated with the Department of Innovative Pharmaceutical Sciences at Kyungpook National University and the Department of Bionanotechnology and Bioconvergence Engineering at Jeonbuk National University. His research focuses on pharmacology and immunology, specifically investigating the therapeutic efficacy of nanoparticles in pulmonary diseases.

The presenting author is a master's student in the Department of Life Science & Biotechnology at kyungpook national university Author focuses on endothelial cell biology, particularly AMPK signaling and intercellular communication mediated by Tunneling Nanotubes. Their current work investigates mitochondrial transfer and its role in cellular adaptation under hypoxic conditions.

Professor Li-Long Pan, PhD, is a researcher in the fields of Inflammation and Immunopharmacology, with a focus on the pathogenesis, prevention, and treatment of atherosclerosis, ischemic heart disease, and pancreatitis. His research findings have been published as first/corresponding author (including co-authorship) in internationally renowned academic journals, including Cell Reports Medicine, Cardiovascular Research, EMBO Molecular Medicine, Allergy, and Pharmacology & Therapeutics. He has been authorized for five Chinese invention patents and has served as the principal investigator on more than 10 provincial and ministerial-level projects, including four projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC). Professor Pan has received several honours, including the Third Prize of the Sichuan Provincial Science and Technology Progress Award (2020), the Second Prize of the Jiangsu Provincial Traditional Chinese Medicine Science and Technology Award (2020), and the Servier Young Pharmacologist Award from the Chinese Pharmacological Society. He also contributes to the profession through his service as a Member of the Committee of Anti-inflammatory and Immunopharmacology of the Chinese Pharmacological Society and the Committee of Anti-inflammatory and Immunopharmacology of the Jiangsu Pharmacological Society.

Professor, PhD Supervisor. My research focuses on the pathogenic mechanisms of inflammatory and immune diseases, with particular emphasis on target identification and pharmacological elucidation of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) and their active components. My primary research interests include: (1) regulatory mechanisms of the NLRP3 inflammasome in autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis; (2) discovery of bioactive constituents and molecular targets of TCM formulas and natural products; (3) pharmacological interventions targeting macrophage polarization and inflammatory signaling pathways.

Dr. Hiroki Aida, MD, is a physician in internal medicine with a clinical focus on cardiology at Department of Pharmacology, Division of Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Sapporo Medical University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. He graduated from Sapporo Medical University in 2019, obtained his medical license in Japan. Since then, he has been practicing mainly in cardiovascular and general internal medicine. In 2024, he entered the doctoral program at Sapporo Medical University and has been conducting basic research in cardiovascular and metabolic medicine while continuing his clinical practice.

Dr Jagriti Bhatia is presently working as Professor in the Department of Pharmacology at AIIMS, New Delhi. She also serves as President of the Indian Society for Atherosclerosis Research, Delhi Chapter, and is an Executive Member of the Indian Society for Rational Pharmacotherapeutics (National Body). Dr Bhatia is a Fellow of the Indian Pharmacological Society (FIPS) and has also been awarded Fellowship by the Indian Society for Atherosclerosis Research. She completed her MD (Pharmacology) from the University College of Medical Sciences & GTB Hospital, Delhi, and has more than 30 years of experience in teaching and research. Dr Bhatia has worked and continues to work on several extramural (DBT/DST/AYUSH), intramural, and departmental research projects. Her research focuses on myocardial infarction, cardiac hypertrophy, cardiomyopathy, diabetes, MASLD, nephrotoxicity, and pulmonary fibrosis. She has published more than 75 papers in international and national journals.

Muhammet Zahit Çelik is a research assistant at Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University specializing in experimental pharmacology. His research focuses on the contraction–relaxation mechanisms of smooth muscle–containing organs, particularly through organ bath systems and ex vivo vascular models. He has extensive experience in designing and conducting concentration–response experiments, investigating ion channel–mediated signaling pathways, and analyzing pharmacodynamic interactions. His work also includes in vivo models related to airway hyperresponsiveness and inflammatory mechanisms. He is actively involved in laboratory project coordination, experimental protocol development, and statistical data analysis. In addition to his academic research, he serves as a board member of Vetchange, contributing to scientific and educational initiatives. His long-term research interests center on vascular pharmacology, ion channel physiology, and the molecular mechanisms regulating smooth muscle function.

Dr Burger is an NHMRC Emerging Leader Fellow and Senior Research Officer at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) in Melbourne, Australia. He completed his Master’s degree at Leiden University, followed by a PhD at the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University. His research focuses on the structural mechanisms underlying Wnt signalling, with particular emphasis on how Frizzled receptors mediate this process, using a combination of structural biology and pharmacological approaches.

Professor Gwo-Jyh Chang is from the Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taiwan. He is a member of the Taiwan Pharmacological Society and was trained as a cardiac electrophysiologist. During his PhD (1992–1997) and postdoctoral (1997–1999) training in the Department of Pharmacology at National Taiwan University, his research focused primarily on whole-cell voltage-clamp studies of ionic currents in cardiomyocytes. The application of this technique, combined with various cardiovascular research approaches, enables the investigation of new drug actions and the elucidation of pathological electrical remodeling processes. The strength of Professor Chang’s research lies in the characterization of the pharmacological and electrophysiological properties of novel drugs with antiarrhythmic and positive inotropic effects. In recent years, he has become interested in studying ion channel and structural remodeling, as well as calcium mishandling, in pathological cardiac conditions, and in understanding how novel agents exert cardioprotective effects in animal models. Through close collaboration with investigators from other disciplines, his work addresses complex questions regarding disease mechanisms and identifies potential therapeutic strategies for modern cardiac diseases.

Maggie Cunningham is Professor of Pharmacology and Associate Dean (Learning Enhancement) in the Faculty of Science at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, where she also serves as Director of Biomolecular Sciences Programmes. Her education research is focused on reimagining pharmacology teaching through ethical, innovative, and inclusive approaches, particularly the development of low-cost alternatives to animal-based practical’s. This includes the design and development of a 3D-printed organ-on-chip laboratory practical that her team and collaborators have developed for pharmacology students at Strathclyde. This research is underpinned by a strong commitment to the principles of the 3Rs. Maggie is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Honorary Fellow of the British Pharmacological Society (BPS), Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology and recipient of the BPS Rang Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Teaching. She serves as Secretary of the IUPHAR Education Section (2023–2026) and is a member of the IUPHAR-Ed Core Concepts in Pharmacology Research Team. She leads the BPS-funded education project that she will demonstrate as part of the IUPHAR Education Innovation Showcase.

In the earlier chapter of my career, I worked as a dedicated and proactive pharmacist, but my passion for science inspired me to pursue further study and research. I had the opportunity to meet Dr Craig Smith, an eminent neuroscience researcher at Deakin University, and was later accepted to join his laboratory. Since then, I have achieved significant milestones in heart research, which has been a transformative experience for me. I am committed to continuing my growth as a researcher and contributing meaningful findings to the field.

Elizabeth Forrester is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Oxford. Her research investigates the physiology and pathophysiology of the human coronary microcirculation, with a focus on how vasodilator signalling is altered in ischaemic heart disease.

A/Prof Simon Foster is a Bellberry-Viertel Senior Medical Research Fellow, Heart Foundation Future Leader Fellow and head of the Cardiac Drug Discovery lab at QIMR Berghofer. A/Prof Foster’s research focusses on novel aspects of cell signalling and receptor biology, with recent publications in Cell, Brit J Pharmacol, Cell Reports and Nat Cardiovasc Res. He was awarded the ASCEPT/BPS Outstanding Young Investigator Prize and Certara New Investigator Award in 2019. After his BA/BSc (Hons) degrees (University of Melbourne) and PhD (University of Queensland), Simon led a large project on orphan GPCRs in Denmark, supported by consecutive fellowships from Lundbeck Foundation and Danish Council for Independent Research. He returned to Australia in 2018 to Monash University, and was recruited to QIMR Berghofer in late 2020. A/Prof Foster is now combining his expertise in cardiovascular biology, inflammation and cell signalling to discover new avenues to target cardiac fibrosis and heart failure.

Vivian Fuguhara is a PhD student in Pharmacology at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Brazil, and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedicine from the State University of Maringá (UEM), where she conducted undergraduate research focused on histological analyses of the heart, brain, and intestine under different experimental conditions. Her doctoral research investigates the cardiovascular effects of nitro compounds and novel catecholamines in anesthetized rats and isolated atrial preparations using organ bath assays. She also completed an 11-month research internship at Brown University (USA), where she studied the role of 6-nitrodopamine in angiogenesis and redox mechanisms, using human coronary artery endothelial cells and an ex vivo mouse aortic sprouting assay.

Anna Jeong is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Pharmacology at Chonnam National University Medical School, South Korea, under the supervision of Prof. Hyun Kook. Her research focuses on the epigenetic regulation of cardiac remodeling, with particular interest in how chromatin-modifying enzymes and non-coding RNAs contribute to the development of heart failure and fibrosis-related diseases. She has published studies investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying cardiac and pulmonary fibrosis and aims to develop novel therapeutic strategies targeting these pathways. At WCP 2026, she will present her work on circular RNA–mediated regulation of cardiac fibroblasts and the role of PCAF-CAMKK2 signaling in cardiac remodeling.

Anna Jeong is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Pharmacology at Chonnam National University Medical School, South Korea, under the supervision of Prof. Hyun Kook. Her research focuses on the epigenetic regulation of cardiac remodeling, with particular interest in how chromatin-modifying enzymes and non-coding RNAs contribute to the development of heart failure and fibrosis-related diseases. She has published studies investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying cardiac and pulmonary fibrosis and aims to develop novel therapeutic strategies targeting these pathways. At WCP 2026, she will present her work on circular RNA–mediated regulation of cardiac fibroblasts and the role of PCAF-CAMKK2 signaling in cardiac remodeling.

Vi Pham obtained her PhD from the Howard Florey Institute at University of Melbourne under the supervision of Professor Patrick Sexton. In 2018, she joined the Analytical and Structure Neuropharmacology laboratory at the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS, Monash University) as a postdoctoral research fellow. Her research focuses on elucidating the mechanisms of drug action at G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), with a particular interest in biased agonism and allosteric modulation. Currently she is investigating novel small molecules that selectively target muscarinic acetylcholine receptors and opioid receptors with the aim of developing new therapeutic strategies for neuropsychiatric disorders and chronic pain.

She received her medical degree (MD) and PhD by the University of Pecs, Hungary. She is a doctor (DSc) of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences since 2006. Dr. Pintér spent a one year postdoctoral fellowship at King’s College London supported by the Royal Society. In 2001 she obtained the Wellcome Trust International Research Development Award supporting her four year research. She has published more than 200 peer-reviewed papers and several book chapters providing key data to understand the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of somatostatin and its analogues, physiological and pathological functions of TRPV1 and TRPA1 receptors, as well as the mediator role of hydrogen sulfide in pain and inflammation. Prof Pinter’s research is focused on neuro-immuno-pharmacology and inflammation. Her main interests are the role of capsaicin-sensitive sensory nerves in the regulation of microcirculation and immuno-modulatory effects of neurogenic components. She has 8385 citations, her Hirsch index is: 53. She was awarded the Max-Planck Fellowship Germany (1989), Royal Society/ NATO Postdoctoral Fellowship, King’s College, London, UK (1998-99), Wellcome Trust International Research Development Award UK (2001-2004), János Bolyai Research Fellowship, Hungary (2005), Szentágothai Advanced Researcher Fellowship Hungary (2014). She received the Béla Issekutz Award – lifetime achievement award of the Hungarian Pharmacological Society and the fellowship of the British Pharmacological Society (FBPhS) in 2017. She is the owner of the Károly Moll Award, the Hungarian Cross of the Order of Merit and the Miklós Jancsó Memorial Medal. Professor Pinter has sat on committees of the Hungarian Physiological Society (she is currently the General Secretary of the Society) and the Hungarian Pharmacological Society. She is the member of the British Pharmacological Society and was elected FBPhS in 2017. She is the member of the Steering Committee of the International Society for Bioactive Peptides.

Gorana Puzovic is a PhD candidate in Integrated Biomedical Sciences at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, currently completing her doctoral training at the University of Michigan. Her research examines the behavioral and physiological effects of opioid–sedative combinations, with a focus on fentanyl and xylazine/medetomidine dependence and withdrawal and cardiovascular effects.

Specializing in neuropharmacology, with a specific focus on the pathophysiological mechanisms of Alzheimer’s disease and drug target identification. Recipient of the Shanghai Pujiang Talent Program. Authored over 40 peer-reviewed articles in international journals such as Translational Neurodegeneration and Neuropharmacolgy. Co-recipient of the First-Class Award for Scientific and Technological Progress conferred by the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China. Currently serving as Member of the Pharmacology Education Committee, Shanghai Pharmacological Society.

Sarah Reed holds a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences from the University of South Florida. She is currently a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate at the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Florida, with a research focus on neuropharmacology. Her current project aims to determine the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects of metformin in stimulated BV-2 microglia cells, with the goal of identifying a safe compound that may help prevent neurodegeneration and potentially reverse its effects. Following graduation, she plans to attend medical school to pursue a career as a neurosurgeon. With both an M.D. and Ph.D., she intends to work in research and clinical settings to maintain a comprehensive understanding of patient physical health and social well-being. During her Ph.D. program, she has gained insight into the significance of drug interactions with human physiology. Additionally, her participation in scientific conferences has provided opportunities to engage with researchers from diverse backgrounds and disciplines, broadening her perspective and deepening her understanding of research and its potential impact.

Roselyn Rose’Meyer holds a PhD in pharmacology from the Faculty of Medicine, Monash University, and completed her research studies in the School of Pharmacology at the Victorian College of Pharmacy, Monash University (Parkville campus). Her research publications span the fields of pharmacology, pharmaceutical science, and cardiovascular research. For most of her career, she has studied adenosine receptors in tissues to identify receptor subtypes and signalling pathways in the heart, blood vessels, and bladder, and to examine how these may change during common chronic disorders, including hypertension, diabetes, heart attacks, incontinence, and ageing. She has established national collaborations with colleagues from Bond University, including Professor Donna Sellers and Professor Russ Chess-Williams, as well as Professor David Taylor at Eastern Health, Box Hill Hospital, Victoria. She currently collaborates with staff from Gold Coast University Hospital to develop a stronger emphasis on clinical and translational research. At Griffith University, she has taught pharmacology to undergraduate students across pharmacy, biomedical science, nursing, and physiotherapy programs. Her research expertise is utilised by the Gold Coast University Hospital Human Research Ethics Committee, where she currently serves as Deputy Chair. In this role, she administers the scientific review of full HREA applications and the expedited review of ethics applications submitted to the committee.

Harrison is a second-year PhD candidate at the University of Sydney, based at the ANZAC Research Institute. Harrison completed a Bachelor of Medical Science at Macquarie University before undertaking Honours at the University of Sydney, which was centred around the development high-throughput platforms to accurately quantify biological cellular ageing for later use in partial reprogramming. His current doctoral research focuses on the development and evaluation of a novel quantum dot-based nanomedicine designed to modulate autoimmune responses in Parkinson’s disease.

Naoaki Sakamoto is a PhD student in the Department of Animal Radiology at the University of Tokyo, Japan. His work focuses on artificial intelligence (AI)-based behavioral analysis of experimental mice, alongside the investigation of allergic diseases. He seeks to contribute to pharmacological research by combining AI-based computational methodologies and traditional experimental studies. At WCP2026, he is sharing his recent progress in AI-driven behavioral analysis.

Kodai Sasaki is an undergraduate student at the Faculty of Medicine, the University of Tokyo. His research focuses on single-molecule imaging of synaptic proteins in cultured neurons, aiming to elucidate the molecular dynamics underlying synapse formation.

Hinami Sashi is a PhD candidate in the Department of Applied Biochemistry at Tokyo University of Life Sciences, Japan. Her research focuses on neuropharmacology, specifically examining the mechanisms and therapeutic approaches for retinitis pigmentosa.

Zhenhua Shao, Professor at State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Sichuan University. I obtained my Ph.D. at the University of Science and Technology of China in 2014, followed by postdoctoral training under the guidance of Daniel Rosenbaum at UT Southwestern Medical Center. My research Interests are function signaling pathway of GPCR and disease treatment, as well as allosteric modulation of GPCR signaling and drug discovery.

Jui-Hu Shih is an Associate Professor in the Department and Graduate Institute of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, National Defense Medical University, Taiwan. His research focuses on Parkinson’s disease (PD) and neuroinflammation, with particular emphasis on microglia-driven mechanisms and translational neuropharmacology. Using LPS-based, PD-relevant inflammatory models and multimodal phenotyping, his group has shown that targeting KCNN4 (KCa3.1) channels modulates microglial activation and apoptosis. He has also identified candidate neuroprotective strategies, including C18:0 GM3 ganglioside and the natural compound isofraxidin, which alleviate parkinsonian-like motor deficits while attenuating neuroinflammatory responses and gliosis. He integrates in vivo PET imaging (including [¹⁸F]PE2I and [¹⁸F]FDG) with behavioral testing and molecular/histological analyses to quantify dopamine transporter alterations and cerebral glucose utilization in living animal brains, supporting mechanism-informed therapeutic development for PD. He has led multiple government-funded projects and published over 30 SCI-indexed papers.

Our group uses patch clamp electrophysiology to investigate presynaptic mechanisms in synaptic transmission. In particular, we are interested in modulation of presynaptic calcium channels and G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) in disease conditions, with work on pain, bipolar disorder, epilepsy and ataxia. We are also investigating the effect of psychedelic drugs in pain. We investigate molecular determinants of ion channel and receptor modulation in native neurones and recombinant cells and synaptic transmission in mammalian cerebellum and hippocampal brain slices. We have previously investigated plant derived cannabinoids as therapeutic agents.

Oliver V. Stöckmann is a PhD student in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Basel and is part of the psychopharmacology research group of Prof. Dr. Matthias E. Liechti. His research focuses on psychoactive substances, with an emphasis on characterizing their pharmacological receptor profiles. He uses stably transduced cell lines expressing human receptors, along with binding and functional assays, to assess receptor affinity and potency. His work aims to support the development of novel treatment options for depression and anxiety. He did his bachelor’s degree in Biomedicine at the University of Zurich and finished his master’s degree in Drug Sciences at the University of Basel. Oliver is a representative and current president of the PhD Association of the PhDs of the Pharmaceutical Sciences Department and an active member of the Erasmus Student Network.

Kenji Takikawa, PhD, is an Assistant Professor at the University of Tokyo.

Dr. Nobumasa Takasugi is an Associate Professor at Okayama University, Japan. His research focuses on lipid signaling and membrane dynamics in microglia, with particular interest in neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease. By integrating pharmacological approaches with molecular and cellular biology, his work aims to elucidate how lipid- mediated stress responses and vesicular trafficking dysfunction contribute to disease progression and therapeutic vulnerabilities.

Tsugumi Tanaka, Hiroshi Nango, Hiroko Miyagishi, Yasuhiro Kosuge. Lab. Pharmacol., Sch. Pharm., Nihon Univ., Funabashi, Chiba, Japan.

Dr. Celine Valant is the co-leader of the Analytical & Structural Neuropharmacology (ASNP) Laboratory within the Drug Discovery Biology Theme at Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Melbourne, AUSTRALIA. Celine completed her PhD in Medicinal Chemistry in 2005 at The University of Pharmacy, Strasbourg, FRANCE, then took up a postdoctoral position in molecular pharmacology with Prof. Arthur Christopoulos and Patrick Sexton, at Monash University, Melbourne, AUSTRALIA, where she established an international profile in the synthesis and study of allosteric ligands at G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). In 2019, Celine became the co-leader of the ASNP laboratory, focusing on understanding the modes of regulation of GPCRs by small molecules, in an effort to identify novel targets or approaches for drug discovery. Her research interests encompass allosterism, biased signalling, analytical pharmacology, and drug design. Through collaborative projects, Celine has also now extended her research interest to computational and structural biology.

Prof. Wang is a professor of pharmacology at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and vice dean of the College of Basic Medical Sciences. She serves as a council member of the Chinese Pharmacological Society, the chairman of the Science and Technology Communication Committee of the Shanghai Pharmaceutical Society, an executive director of the Shanghai Society of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, and a council member of the Shanghai Society of Aging and Degenerative Diseases. She has long been engaged in research on new mechanisms, new targets, and pharmacology of traditional Chinese medicine for neurodegenerative diseases. She has presided over 20 projects, including the National Natural Science Foundation of China and key projects of the Shanghai Science and Technology Commission. She has published 40 high-level papers in journals such as Mol Neurodegener, Cell Death Differ, Adv Sci, and Transl Neurodegener, and obtained 10 Chinese and international invention patents.

Prof. Wang is a professor of pharmacology at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and vice dean of the College of Basic Medical Sciences. She serves as a council member of the Chinese Pharmacological Society, the chairman of the Science and Technology Communication Committee of the Shanghai Pharmaceutical Society, an executive director of the Shanghai Society of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, and a council member of the Shanghai Society of Aging and Degenerative Diseases. She has long been engaged in research on new mechanisms, new targets, and pharmacology of traditional Chinese medicine for neurodegenerative diseases. She has presided over 20 projects, including the National Natural Science Foundation of China and key projects of the Shanghai Science and Technology Commission. She has published 40 high-level papers in journals such as Mol Neurodegener, Cell Death Differ, Adv Sci, and Transl Neurodegener, and obtained 10 Chinese and international invention patents.

Dr. Han-Rong Weng is an Associate Professor at the California Northstate University College of Medicine. The long-term goal of his research program is to identify novel molecular targets for the development of effective and safe analgesics to treat chronic pain. His laboratory focuses on defining glial cell–mediated molecular signaling pathways that drive aberrant neuronal activation in the spinal cord in animal models of pathological pain, including pain induced by nerve injury, chemotherapy, and systemic lupus erythematosus. Dr. Weng is particularly interested in glial–neuronal interactions, neuroinflammation, and epigenetic mechanisms underlying the development and maintenance of chronic pain. His laboratory employs a multidisciplinary approach using state-of-the-art techniques, including molecular and cellular biology, patch-clamp electrophysiology, calcium imaging, genetic manipulation, immunohistochemistry, cell culture, and behavioral assays. His research has been supported by NIH R01 grants.

John Chung-Che Wu, MD, PhD, is a neurosurgeon and Associate Professor at Taipei Medical University dedicated to bridging basic neuroscience and clinical translation. Trained in medicine, molecular biology, biodesign, and precision medicine at institutions including UC Berkeley, Stanford, MIT, and Oxford, his work is guided by a central pursuit: discovering biological truth and transforming it into meaningful therapies. His research focuses on neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, remyelination, and regenerative signaling after brain and spinal injury. By investigating molecular mechanisms such as cytokine modulation and axonal growth inhibition, he aims to identify actionable therapeutic targets with real-world clinical impact. As a practicing surgeon, he grounds his scientific inquiry in patient need, striving to move discoveries from bench to bedside through innovation, translational research, and responsible medical advancement.

Dr. Jiin-Cherng Yen is currently an associate professor, also served as the department director, of the Institute of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University in Taiwan. Yen lab, a member of Prof. Shuu-Jiun Wang’s Headache Research Team, is focusing on investigation of brainstem mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of migraine. Partners of this lab also dedicate their efforts to explore pharmacologic and/or non-pharmacologic therapies including vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) for migraine. They find the beneficial effects of VNS on migraine might be attributed to the activation of nucleus tractus solitarii/locus coeruleus pathway and enhancement of glymphatic function.

Dr Alene is a pharmacist and public health researcher, currently a Research Fellow at the Centre for Medicine Use and Safety (CMUS), Monash University. She is currently working on clinical practice guideline development and research implementation. Previously, Alene has worked as a community pharmacist and a research consultant for international organisations, including the World Health Organisation and City Cancer Challenge Foundation. In these roles, she contributed to a range of national and international research initiatives, including health financing in low-resource settings, patient navigation in cancer care, and addressing barriers to accessing health services. She has extensive experience in evidence synthesis, mixed-method research, and preference elicitation methods. Alene is driven by her passion for translating research outcomes into policy, clinical practice, and tangible positive impacts for the community.

Dr. Qian Zhou received a doctorate degree in medicine from University of Occupational and Environmental Health in 2021. Presided over 1 project of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, 1 project of new teachers' research program of TJUTCM. Her main research interests lie in Chinese medicine and compound cardiovascular pharmacology, and neuropharmacology. In recent years, she has published more than 10 SCI papers, which have been cited more than 100 times.

Xinyu Zhou is a Ph.D. candidate in Neuropharmacology at Zhejiang University, supervised by Prof. Xiangnan Zhang. Her work investigates mitochondria quality control in regulating microglial function, with a focus on mitophagy. At WCP2026, Ms. Zhou will present recent findings on how microglial mitophagy endows resilience to stress-induced cognitive rigidity.

Stefany Alamilla Cuellar, MD, MSc is a physician and Master of Science affiliated with the Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico. She holds a medical degree and a Master’s degree in Sciences, and is currently a PhD candidate in medical research. Her research focuses on mucosal immunity and the effects of chronic stress on intestinal immune regulation, with particular interest in Peyer’s patch M cell differentiation and function. She also serves as a sessional lecturer in human histology and immunology within the undergraduate medical program.

Dr. Kikuko Amagase is the associate dean and professor at the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ritsumeikan University. She received a B.S., M.S., and PhD from Kyoto Pharmaceutical University. She served as an assistant professor and a lecturer at Kyoto Pharmaceutical University. In 2018, she joined the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Ritsumeikan University as an associate professor (PI) in the Laboratory of Pharmacology & Pharmacotherapeutics, and has been a full professor since 2023. She has conducted extensive research for many years under the mentorship of Prof. Susumu Okabe and Prof. Koji Takeuchi, focusing on the mechanisms of development and healing of gastrointestinal ulcers. Over the course of her career, she has published important papers in this field and contributed to advancing the understanding of gastrointestinal mucosal injury and protection. She is currently focusing on the pathopharmacology of gastrointestinal injuries caused by various clinically used medicines, aiming to develop safer, more effective pharmacotherapies that minimize gastrointestinal injury and other side effects. She successfully held the 13th International Symposium on Cell/Tissue Injury & Cytoprotection/Organoprotection, during which she was honored with the Ander Robert Award from the IUPHAR GI Section.

Chihiro KUBOTA is a sixth-year student at the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ritsumeikan University in Japan. Sheis currently conducting research in the Laboratory of Pharmacology & Pharmacotherapeutics. She is expected to obtain his pharmacist license in 2027 and contribute to the field of clinical pharmacology as a pharmacist.

Shota OYAMA is a sixth-year student at the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ritsumeikan University in Japan. Sheis currently conducting research in the Laboratory of Pharmacology & Pharmacotherapeutics. He is expected to obtain his pharmacist license in 2027 and contribute to the field of clinical pharmacology as a pharmacist.

Yui KITAZAWA is a second-year master course student at the Graduate School of Pharmacy, Ritsumeikan University in Japan. She is currently conducting research in the Laboratory of Pharmacology & Pharmacotherapeutics. She is expected to obtain her Master degree in 2027 and contribute to the field of pharmaceutical sciences.

Mark D. Berry holds a BSc (Hons.) in Pharmacology from the University of Sunderland and a PhD in Neuropsychiatry from the University of Saskatchewan. He is currently the Head of the Department of Human Biosciences at Memorial University of Newfoundland. For the past 35 years, his research has focused primarily on the role of trace amines and their subsequently identified GPCRs (Trace Amine-Associated Receptors) in cellular regulation. More recently, stemming from a comprehensive curriculum review that led to the development of the first undergraduate Human Biosciences programme in Canada, he has become increasingly interested in pedagogical aspects, in particular the changing function of undergraduate education and the development of more student-centric curricula.

Dr Xiuping Chen has been a full professor at the University of Macau since 2021. He has over 20 years' experience in pharmacological research, particularly focusing on screening and identifying regulators of programmed cell death (PCD) and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) from natural compounds. His work aims to discover lead compounds or potential therapeutics for cancers, cardiovascular diseases and fibrotic disorders. His notable accolades include the 17th SERVIER Young Pharmacologist Award in 2013 and Second Prize in the Macao Science and Technology Awards in 2012 and 2014. He is a Member of the Royal Society of Biology and has been chairman of the Macau Society of Pharmacology and Toxicology since 2024. He is the senior editor of the British Journal of Pharmacology and has authored over 100 publications, which have received more than 17,000 citations. His current h-index is 70.

Associate Professor Yi Fu is a principal investigator at the School of Biomedical Sciences, Shandong First Medical University, China. Her research focuses on the pathogenesis of metabolic kidney diseases and the development of new therapeutic strategies, with particular emphasis on diabetic nephropathy. She investigates podocyte lipid metabolic reprogramming, renal metabolic homeostasis, and targeted nanodrug delivery systems for kidney injury. She has led several competitive research projects in China, including those supported by the Taishan Scholar Young Expert Program and the National Natural Science Foundation of China. She has published as first or corresponding author in leading international journals such as Cell Metabolism, Advanced Materials, and Hypertension.

I am a biomedical scientist specializing in precision medicine, smart healthcare, and translational research. My research focuses on the molecular mechanisms and targeted therapeutic strategies for treatment-resistant glioblastoma, with particular emphasis on tumor heterogeneity, multi-target drug development, and epigenetic regulation. I integrate molecular biology, bioinformatics, and pharmacological approaches to identify novel therapeutic targets and advance personalized cancer treatment. My research interests extend beyond neuro-oncology to include urothelial carcinoma, gastrointestinal stromal tumor, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, neurodegenerative diseases, psychiatric disorders, reproductive endocrinology, and regenerative medicine, reflecting a strong interdisciplinary perspective. I have published extensively in international peer-reviewed SCI journals, including Neurochemistry International, Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Cancers, and European Psychiatry, frequently as first or corresponding author. I am committed to advancing translational research and personalized healthcare through close collaboration with clinical and international research teams.

1. Professor, Department of Biotechnology and Bioindustry Sciences, NCKU, TW 2. Jointly Appointed Professor, Institute of Pharmacology, NCKU, TW 3. Director, University Center for Bioscience and Biotechnology, NCKU, TW 4. Vice President for Student Affairs, NCKU, TW

I, Dr Jayadevan. K is a DM trainee in Clinical Pharmacology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. I completed MD in Pharmacology with formal training in experimental and clinical pharmacology, where my work focused on preclinical disease models and mechanistic evaluation of pharmacological interventions. Currently, my research is oriented toward clinical and translational studies, with an emphasis on drug safety, dose extrapolation from preclinical models, and evidence-based pharmacotherapy. My academic interests include cardiovascular, pulmonary, endocrine and metabolic pharmacology, mitochondrial and oxidative stress pathways, and the integration of experimental findings with clinical outcomes. I am also acquiring expertise in systematic reviews and meta-analyses to strengthen clinical research methodology. I am actively involved in study design, data analysis, and scientific writing, with the objective of advancing rational and clinically relevant pharmacological research.

I, Dr Jayadevan. K is a DM trainee in Clinical Pharmacology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. I completed MD in Pharmacology with formal training in experimental and clinical pharmacology, where my work focused on preclinical disease models and mechanistic evaluation of pharmacological interventions. Currently, my research is oriented toward clinical and translational studies, with an emphasis on drug safety, dose extrapolation from preclinical models, and evidence-based pharmacotherapy. My academic interests include cardiovascular, pulmonary, endocrine and metabolic pharmacology, mitochondrial and oxidative stress pathways, and the integration of experimental findings with clinical outcomes. I am also acquiring expertise in systematic reviews and meta-analyses to strengthen clinical research methodology. I am actively involved in study design, data analysis, and scientific writing, with the objective of advancing rational and clinically relevant pharmacological research.

Mitsutoshi Kimura is a Professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Josai University, serves as Chair of the Josai University Animal Experimentation Committee, and is a researcher at the Life Science Research Center. Our research group specializes in pharmacology and liver regeneration, with a focus on analyzing signal transduction pathways, their crosstalk, and the mechanisms regulating liver regeneration and parenchymal cell proliferation in hepatocytes. These studies employ primary cultured rat hepatocytes, the human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2, and an animal model of liver regeneration induced by 70% partial hepatectomy. We investigate various bioactive substances, including growth factors, hormones, autacoids, and cytokines, that influence hepatocyte proliferation. Our aim is to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying liver regeneration and to identify novel drug candidates that may promote or inhibit this process.

Dr. Xiaoping Wu obtained her Bachelor of Science and PhD in Pharmacology at the China Pharmaceutical University and the University of Hong Kong (HKU), respectively. She received her post-doctoral training in the Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy and the State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology (SKLPB) at HKU. She is currently a research assistant professor in this department. Her research focuses on obesity-related metabolic diseases, especially adipose tissue biology and the role of adipokines in multi-organ crosstalk.

Dr. Sun Sik Bae is a Professor in the Department of Pharmacology at Pusan National University School of Medicine in the Republic of Korea. He earned his B.S. in Life Science (1993), and his M.S. (1995) and Ph.D. (1998) in Biochemistry from the Pohang University of Science and Technology. He expanded his research experience as a Visiting Scholar at Duke University Medical Center. Following his doctoral studies, he worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow at his alma mater and as a Research Associate at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Pennsylvania. He Joined Pusan National University in 2004 and became a full Professor in 2013. Dr. Bae’s research primarily focuses on cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis and hypertension, as well as angiogenesis and cancer metastasis. His laboratory utilizes various in vivo and in vitro systems, including tissue-specific knockout muse models, to dissect complex biological signaling pathways.

I am a mid-career respiratory and neuropharmacologist with a strong translational research track record. My research has identified a mechanistic pathway linking lung macrophage–driven inflammation to blood–brain barrier disruption, microglial activation (brains resident immune cells), and cognitive decline. I aim to define how this lung–brain crosstalk drives disease progression and test whether targeting CSF1R; a key regulator of macrophage and microglial function, can restore neuroimmune homeostasis and improve cognitive outcomes.

Dr Aleksandar Dobric is an early career researcher at the University of Melbourne specialising in respiratory disease, neuroscience, and translational pharmacology. He completed his PhD at RMIT University in 2022 and has since developed a multidisciplinary research program investigating the systemic consequences of chronic respiratory diseases, with a particular focus on the lung–brain axis and emerging complications in cystic fibrosis. His research integrates in vivo disease modelling, behavioural neuroscience, and molecular approaches to identify mechanistic pathways and potential therapeutic targets. Dr Dobric has experience across academia and industry, including work with CSL Innovation, strengthening his translational research capability. His current work focuses on understanding complex, multi-system disease processes and developing approaches to improve long-term patient outcomes and quality of life.

Simin Yang is a second-year graduate student majoring in Pharmacology at the School of Pharmacy, Guangxi Medical University, China. Her research primarily focuses on the antiviral mechanisms of natural products derived from Medicine-Food Homology (MFH) resources. Currently, her work centers on investigating host-directed therapeutic strategies against influenza A virus (IAV), with a specific emphasis on characterizing how bioactive triterpenoids modulate host protein homeostasis and viral budding processes. By integrating proteomic profiling and molecular interaction assays, she aims to identify novel regulatory axes to overcome viral drug resistance. Her research contributes to the scientific validation of traditional botanicals and the development of high-safety antiviral candidates.

Dr. Lifeng Han works at the Instrumental Analysis & Research Center, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). He earned his B.S. in pharmaceuticals from Tianjin Medical University (2004) and M.S./Ph.D. in natural product chemistry from Tianjin University of TCM. He gained industry experience as a researcher at Tianjin Zhongyi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. His academic visits include Zhejiang University (Prof. Yiyu Cheng), University of Florence (Prof. Bilia), and a postdoc at Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, CAS. Over a decade, his research focuses on phytochemistry, quality control of TCMs, and pharmacokinetic markers of herbal medicines. He is a member of GA, China Association of Chinese Medicine, and director of Tianjin Association for Instrumental Analysis. He peer-reviews for Journal of Chromatography A, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, and Phytomedicine, and has published 60+ papers in journals including Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Phytomedicine, J. Chromatogr. A, and Talanta.

Furlong is a tenured (combined-track) senior lecturer and researcher in the School of BioMedical Sciences, UNSW. She has 25+years research experience in behavioural neuroscience gained from world leading laboratories (at UNSW, Sydney University and the University of Utah) and has received more than $1.5M in research funding. She is currently head of the Brain & Behaviour Laboratory specialising in translational animal models of psychiatric conditions that are underpinned by dopamine dysregulation, including drug addiction, mood disorders and Parkinson’s disease, and has developed several models for testing cognition in rodents. Of particular focus is the testing and discovery of novel drug treatments for these conditions, and importantly two of her publications have been acknowledged by the Faculty of 1000 because of their impact on the treatment of clinical conditions. Dr Furlong has published two books, one book chapter, and 40 research articles in impactful neuroscience journals.

Dr. Hyunju Kang is an Assistant Professor in the School of Food Science and Biotechnology at Kyungpook National University in South Korea. She earned her Ph.D. in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Connecticut. Dr. Kang’s research focuses on nutritional immune system engineering. She investigates how bioactive compounds modulate histone modifications to prevent inflammation and metabolic dysfunctions. She currently serves as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Agriculture and Food Research and the Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology.