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

Dr. Permal Deo | Prostate Cancer | Best Researcher Award

Senior Lecturer | Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia | Australia

Dr. Permal Deo is a distinguished food scientist and academic leader renowned for his contributions to nutrition, food biochemistry, and public health research. He holds a PhD in Food Biochemistry from Queen’s University Belfast, UK, where his doctoral work investigated the effects of food-derived advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) on oxidative stress and receptor activity in human cell lines. Complementing this, he earned a Master of Applied Science and Postgraduate Diploma from The University of Queensland, Australia, and a Bachelor of Science from The University of the South Pacific, Fiji. With over two decades of academic, research, and industry experience, Dr. Deo’s expertise encompasses food microbiology, food processing, functional foods, and the molecular pathways linking type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. His research emphasizes the bioactivity of natural plant compounds and nutraceuticals in combating oxidative stress and inflammation, as well as the antimicrobial and food safety applications of electrochemically activated solutions. An accomplished mentor and research leader, he has supervised numerous postgraduate students and attracted more than AUD 2.5 million in competitive funding from prestigious bodies including the Australian Research Council, Diabetes Australia, and Horticulture Innovation. His extensive collaborations with institutions such as CSIRO, Monash University, and the University of Adelaide have advanced understanding in genome stability, indigenous food systems, and sustainable nutrition technologies. Widely recognized for his scholarly impact and leadership, Dr. Deo has presented at global scientific conferences and published influential studies in leading journals. His enduring scientific legacy is reflected through 944 citations, 57 documents, and an h-index of 19, underscoring his influential role in advancing the frontiers of food biochemistry, nutritional science, and biomedical innovation.

Profiles: Google Scholar | Scopus | ORCID | ResearchGate | LinkedIn

Featured Publications

1. Snelson, M., Tan, S. M., Clarke, R. E., De Pasquale, C., Thallas-Bonke, V., Deo, P., … & Coughlan, M. T. (2021). Processed foods drive intestinal barrier permeability and microvascular diseases. Science Advances, 7(14), eabe4841. Cited by: 148

2. Sim, D. P., Khazandi, M., Chan, W. Y., Deo, P., & Trott, D. J. (2019). Antimicrobial activity of thyme oil, oregano oil, thymol and carvacrol against sensitive and resistant microbial isolates from dogs with otitis externa. Veterinary Dermatology. Cited by: 106

3. Deo, P., Hewawasam, E., Karakoulakis, A., Claudie, D. J., Nelson, R., & Vemulpad, S. (2016). In vitro inhibitory activities of selected Australian medicinal plant extracts against protein glycation, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), and digestive enzymes linked to diabetes. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 16(1), 435. Cited by: 61

4. Bergamin, A., Mantzioris, E., Cross, G., Deo, P., Garg, S., & Hill, A. M. (2019). Nutraceuticals: Reviewing their role in chronic disease prevention and management. Pharmaceutical Medicine, 33(4), 291–309. Cited by: 60

5. Fenech, M., Knasmueller, S., Knudsen, L. E., Kirsch-Volders, M., Deo, P., … & Bonassi, S. (2021). “Micronuclei and Disease” special issue: Aims, scope, and synthesis of outcomes. Mutation Research/Reviews in Mutation Research, 788, 108384. Cited by: 54

6. Ferro, S., Amorico, T., & Deo, P. (2018). Role of food sanitising treatments in inducing the ‘viable but nonculturable’ state of microorganisms. Food Control, 91, 321–329. Cited by: 54