Mi-So Jeong | Cancer Biology | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Mi-So Jeong | Cancer Biology | Best Researcher Award

Dong-A University | South Korea

Dr. Mi-So Jeong is an active and highly productive cancer biology researcher with a strong publication record centered on bladder cancer genomics, chemoresistance, molecular biomarkers, and tumor progression mechanisms. Her work includes first-author publications in influential journals such as Clinical and Translational Medicine, Cancer Letters, Genes (Basel), Cell Death Discovery, and Genes & Genomics, demonstrating consistent leadership in molecular cancer research. Her studies have identified novel liquid biopsy markers, dissected chemoresistance-associated evolutionary signatures, and clarified genomic variants linked to bladder cancer susceptibility. She has contributed important insights into regulatory pathways involving E2F1, FOXM1, RAD54L, VNTR polymorphisms, CAF-induced migration, and SERPINE1-mediated metastasis, while also participating in multi-institutional programs investigating tumor immunity, molecular repair pathways, and signaling-driven disease recurrence. Her research expands further into breast cancer imaging genomics, hypertension-related VNTR variants, tumor microenvironment regulation, and metastatic signaling. With h-index 8,  18 total documents publications, and 192 citation count citations, together with repeated first-author contributions across high-impact outputs, Mi-So Jeong demonstrates a strong trajectory of scientific advancement.

Profile: Scopus 

Featured Publications

Jeong, M. S., Mun, J. Y., Yang, G. E., Baek, S. W., Lee, S. Y., Yun, S. H., Kim, S. I., Kim, J. J., Yoon, S. Y., Nam, J. K., Choi, Y. H., Goh, H. J., Kim, T. N., & Leem, S. H. Lipocalin 2 as a potential liquid biopsy marker for early detection of bladder cancer. Clinical and Translational Medicine.

Jeong, M. S., Baek, S. W., Yang, G. E., Mun, J. Y., Kim, J. A., Kim, T. N., Nam, J. K., Choi, Y. H., Lee, J. S., Chu, I. S., & Leem, S. H. Chemoresistance-motility signature of molecular evolution to chemotherapy in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer and its clinical implications. Cancer Letters, 610, 217339.

Eum, D. Y., Lee, C., Tran, C. S., Lee, J., Park, S. Y., Jeong, M. S., Jin, Y., Shim, J. W., Lee, S. R., Koh, M., Mishchenko, N. P., Park, S. J., Choi, S. H., Choi, Y. J., Yun, H., & Heo, K. (2024). Regulatory role of Echinochrome A in cancer-associated fibroblast-mediated lung cancer cell migration. Toxicological Research, 40(3), 409–419.

Yang, G. E., Kim, M. H., Jeong, M. S., Lee, S. Y., Choi, Y. H., Nam, J. K., Kim, T. N., & Leem, S. H. Association between PDCD6-VNTR polymorphism and urinary cancer susceptibility. Genes & Genomics, 46(11), 1281–1291.

Jeong, M. S., Mun, J. Y., Yang, G. E., Kim, M. H., Lee, S. Y., Choi, Y. H., Kim, H. S., Nam, J. K., Kim, T. N., & Leem, S. H. Exploring the relationship between CLPTM1L-MS2 variants and susceptibility to bladder cancer. Genes, 15(1), 50.

Nicole Matejka | Oncology | Best Researcher Award

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Mrs. Nicole Matejka | Oncology | Best Researcher Award

University of the Bundeswehr Munich | Germany

Nicole Matejka is a biophysics researcher specializing in biomedical radiation physics and cellular imaging, with a strong publication record in cancer cell communication via tunneling nanotubes. Her research explores the mechanisms through which glioblastoma cells use nanotube-mediated networks to enhance radiation resistance and tumor progression. She has authored three peer-reviewed papers in Cells, Frontiers in Oncology, and Radiation Oncology, These publications include high-impact studies on α-particle radiation effects and live-cell microscopic characterization of intercellular networks. In total, her document count stands at 3 indexed papers, all as lead or co-author, reflecting a focused and productive research trajectory in cellular biophysics. Her findings have been presented at prestigious conferences, including the International Congress of Radiation Research and the German Society for Medical Physics, where she received multiple awards such as the Radiation Research Society Trainee Travel Award and the European Radiation Research Society Best Poster Award. Through rigorous experimentation and advanced imaging techniques, Matejka’s contributions significantly advance understanding of radiation-induced intercellular communication in cancer biology.

Profile: Orcid 

Featured Publications

Matejka, N., Amarlou, A., Neubauer, J., Rudigkeit, S., & Reindl, J. High-resolution microscopic characterization of tunneling nanotubes in living U87 MG and LN229 glioblastoma cells. Cells, 13(5), 464

Rudigkeit, S., Matejka, N., Sammer, M., Walsh, D. W. M., Dollinger, G., & Reindl, J. Beam optimization of a heavy ion microbeam for targeted irradiation of mitochondria in human cells. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms, 549, 20–27

Matejka, N., & Reindl, J. Perspectives of cellular communication through tunneling nanotubes in cancer cells and the connection to radiation effects. Radiation Oncology,

Analisa Difeo | Cancer Biology | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Analisa Difeo | Cancer Biology | Best Researcher Award

University of Michigan | United States

Dr. Analisa Difeo’s extensive scientific portfolio demonstrates a robust record of impactful contributions to cancer biology, reflected in her h-index of 37, 84 documents, and 4693 citations. Her research primarily explores the molecular mechanisms driving ovarian and gynecological cancers, focusing on microRNA regulation, tumor stemness, and chemoresistance. She has authored and co-authored over 80 peer-reviewed journal articles, including publications in leading journals such as Cancer Research, Nature Communications, Cancer Cell, Journal of Clinical Investigation, and Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. Her studies on miR-181a signaling, PP2A activation, and tumor immune response have provided innovative translational insights and laid the foundation for therapeutic strategies targeting ovarian cancer recurrence. Beyond her publications, Dr. Difeo has received multiple competitive research grants from the NIH, DoD, and major foundations, supporting her leadership in precision oncology. She also holds patents related to cancer biomarkers and therapeutic compositions, underscoring her commitment to clinical impact and innovation. With sustained funding, high citation impact, and significant scholarly output, her record establishes a strong foundation for leadership in translational cancer research and mentorship in molecular oncology

Profiles: Scopus | Orcid | Research Gate

Featured Publications

Avelar, R. A., Gupta, R., Carvette, G., da Veiga Leprevost, F., Colina, J., Teitel, J., Nesvizhskii, A., O’Connor, C., Hatzoglou, M., & Difeo, A. (2024, March 28). Integrated stress response plasticity governs normal cell adaptation to chronic stress via the PP2A–TFE3–ATF4 pathway [Preprint].

Lee, R. T., Yang, P., Alahmadi, A., McQuade, J., Yuan, E., Difeo, A., Narla, G., & Kaseb, A. (2021). Mistletoe extract Viscum Fraxini-2 for treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: A case series. Case Reports in Oncology, 14(2), 729–738.

Nagaraj, A. B., Knarr, M., Sekhar, S., Connor, R. S., Joseph, P., Kovalenko, O., Fleming, A., Surti, A., Nurmemmedov, E., Beltrame, L., et al. (2021). The miR-181a–SFRP4 axis regulates Wnt activation to drive stemness and platinum resistance in ovarian cancer. Cancer Research, 81(16), 4081–4095.

Huvila, J., Cochrane, D. R., Ta, M., Chow, C., Greening, K., Leung, S., Karnezis, A. N., Difeo, A., & Huntsman, D. G. (2021, November). STING pathway expression in low-grade serous carcinoma of the ovary: An unexpected therapeutic opportunity? The Journal of Pathology: Clinical Research, 7(6), 537–547.

O’Connor, C. M., Leonard, D., Wiredja, D., Avelar, R. A., Wang, Z., Schlatzer, D., Bryson, B., Tokala, E., Taylor, S. E., Upadhyay, A., et al. (2020). Inactivation of PP2A by a recurrent mutation drives resistance to MEK inhibitors. Oncogene, 39(9), 1832–1847