Sanaz Alaeejahromi | Reproductive Cancer | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Oncology

Dr. Sanaz Alaeejahromi | Reproductive Cancer | Best Researcher Award

Assistant Professor | Shiraz University of Medical Sciences | Iran 

Dr. Sanaz Alaee is an accomplished reproductive biologist and clinical embryologist whose extensive academic, clinical, and research contributions make her an exceptional candidate for a Best Researcher Award. With over a decade of experience, she has built a distinguished career spanning reproductive toxicology, infertility treatment, ART technologies, and stem cell–based therapeutics. Her academic foundation includes a top-ranked PhD in Reproductive Biology, followed by faculty service at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, where she has led the Reproductive Biology Department, directed the Reproductive Biology Lab, and currently serves as Director of the IVF Laboratory at Hazrat Zeinab Educational Medical Center. Her research portfolio is substantial, with more than 30 peer-reviewed publications covering critical topics such as implantation failure, ovarian and testicular toxicology, stem cell secretome therapy, PCOS biomarkers, assisted reproductive technologies, and oocyte/follicle maturation. A major highlight of her recent work includes a nationally funded project exploring extracellular vesicles from Wharton’s jelly mesenchymal stem cells for restoring fertility after chemotherapy—a promising direction for male infertility, especially among cancer survivors. She is internationally engaged, collaborating with researchers from the USA, UK, Australia, India, South Korea, Taiwan, UAE, and Kazakhstan, and remains active in global societies such as ESHRE, through which she is a certified Clinical Embryologist. Her editorial and peer-review influence is exemplary, with over 400 peer-reviews for high-impact journals, including Reproductive Sciences, Reproductive Toxicology, Scientific Reports, and PLOS ONE, demonstrating her commitment to scientific rigor and research integrity. Dr. Alaee has also contributed extensively to graduate education, curriculum development, and the supervision of MSc and PhD candidates. Her combined achievements in research innovation, clinical excellence, international collaboration, leadership, and scholarly service reflect a sustained and impactful contribution to reproductive biology, strongly supporting her suitability for a Best Researcher Award.

Profiles: Google Scholar | Scopus | ORCID | ResearchGate 

Featured Publications

  1. Monsefi, M., Alaee, S., Moradshahi, A., & Rohani, L. (2010). Cadmium‐induced infertility in male mice. Environmental Toxicology: An International Journal, 25(1), 94–102.

  2. Fazeli, M., Hassanzadeh, P., & Alaei, S. (2011). Cadmium chloride exhibits a profound toxic effect on bacterial microflora of the mice gastrointestinal tract. Human & Experimental Toxicology, 30(2), 152–159.

  3. Neisy, A., Zal, F., Seghatoleslam, A., & Alaee, S. (2019). Amelioration by quercetin of insulin resistance and uterine GLUT4 and ERα gene expression in rats with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Reproduction, Fertility and Development, 31(2), 315–323.

  4. Alaee, S. (2017). Role of essential oil of Mentha spicata (spearmint) in addressing reverse hormonal and folliculogenesis disturbances in a polycystic ovarian syndrome in a rat model. Advanced Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 7(4), 651–654.

  5. Kargar-Abarghouei, E., Vojdani, Z., Hassanpour, A., Alaee, S., & others. (2018). Characterization, recellularization, and transplantation of rat decellularized testis scaffold with bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells. Stem Cell Research & Therapy, 9(1), 324.

Dr. Alaee’s work advances reproductive science by integrating stem-cell therapies, toxicology insights, and cutting-edge ART technologies to improve fertility outcomes. Her research directly contributes to societal well-being by offering new hope for cancer survivors and infertile couples.

Melissa Christiaens | Cervical Cancer | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Oncology

Dr. Melissa Christiaens | Cervical Cancer | Best Researcher Award

Radiation-Oncology | University Hospitals Leuven | Belgium

Dr. Melissa Christiaens is a highly accomplished Radiation Oncologist recognized for her contributions to the advancement of radiotherapy and clinical oncology research. With extensive experience in oncological treatment, she has played a key role in integrating evidence-based radiotherapy techniques into modern cancer care. Her professional expertise spans across radiotherapy quality assurance, pediatric oncology, gynecologic cancers, and multidisciplinary tumor management. As an active member of several leading scientific organizations—including the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology, the Paediatric Radiation Oncology Society, the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology, the EuroEwing Consortium, and the Connective Tissue Oncology Society—she consistently collaborates in large-scale international research networks to improve patient outcomes and optimize therapeutic protocols. Her research interests focus on clinical trials in radiotherapy, immuno-oncology integration, and precision treatment strategies for rare and complex cancers. Dr. Christiaens has contributed to numerous high-impact peer-reviewed journals such as The Lancet, Radiotherapy and Oncology, BMC Cancer, and Gynecologic Oncology, where her publications have enhanced the scientific understanding of cancer treatment outcomes, safety, and innovation. Her research skills encompass clinical data interpretation, protocol development, treatment optimization, and evidence synthesis—supported by her commitment to maintaining the highest standards of clinical excellence. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated exceptional leadership in oncology research and education, promoting collaboration and innovation within the global cancer research community. Her achievements continue to inspire advancements in patient-centered cancer therapy and clinical radiobiology. Her enduring scientific legacy is reflected through 1,417 citations, 25 documents, and an h-index of 12, underscoring her influential role in advancing the frontiers of clinical radiotherapy, oncology innovation, and multidisciplinary cancer research.

Profiles: Google Scholar | Scopus | ResearchGate

Featured Publications

1. Pötter, R., Tanderup, K., Schmid, M. P., Jürgenliemk-Schulz, I., Haie-Meder, C., & Christiaens, M., et al. (2021). MRI-guided adaptive brachytherapy in locally advanced cervical cancer (EMBRACE-I): A multicentre prospective cohort study. The Lancet Oncology, 22(4), 538–547. Cited by: 613

2. Zhang, H., Ahearn, T. U., Lecarpentier, J., Barnes, D., Beesley, J., Qi, G., Jiang, X., & Christiaens, M., et al. (2020). Genome-wide association study identifies 32 novel breast cancer susceptibility loci from overall and subtype-specific analyses. Nature Genetics, 52(6), 572–581. Cited by: 466

3. Lorusso, D., Xiang, Y., Hasegawa, K., Scambia, G., Leiva, M., Ramos-Elias, P., & Christiaens, M., et al. (2024). Pembrolizumab or placebo with chemoradiotherapy followed by pembrolizumab or placebo for newly diagnosed, high-risk, locally advanced cervical cancer (ENGOT-cx11/GOG-3047/KEYNOTE-A18). The Lancet, 404(10460), 1321–1332. 
Cited by: 323

4. Ajithkumar, T., Horan, G., Padovani, L., Thorp, N., Timmermann, B., Alapetite, C., & Christiaens, M., et al. (2018). SIOPE–Brain tumor group consensus guideline on craniospinal target volume delineation for high-precision radiotherapy. Radiotherapy and Oncology, 128(2), 192–197. Cited by: 113

5. De Ruysscher, D., Sharifi, H., Defraene, G., Kerns, S. L., & Christiaens, M., et al. (2013). Quantification of radiation-induced lung damage with CT scans: The possible benefit for radiogenomics. Acta Oncologica, 52(7), 1405–1410. Cited by: 74