Valmir Rastely-Junior | Infectious Diseases | Young Scientist Award

Published on by NESIN Awards

Mr. Valmir Rastely-Junior | Infectious Diseases | Young Scientist Award

Universidade Federal da Bahia | Brazil

Mr. Valmir Rastely-Junior is a distinguished physician specializing in infectious diseases, pediatrics, and neuropediatrics, with an MD from the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA, 2015). He has accumulated extensive clinical and research experience, focusing on child health, congenital Zika syndrome, antimicrobial resistance, and public health inequities, integrating multidisciplinary care with evidence-based interventions. His professional trajectory includes work at Fiocruz Bahia on neurodevelopmental studies, epidemiologic surveillance, teratogen information services, and COVID-19 teleadvice programs. He has been instrumental in technology-driven initiatives such as Telecoronavírus (UFBA) and Artificial Intelligence as a Service for Combating COVID-19 (Rede CoVida/Cidacs Fiocruz), emphasizing the translation of research into practical, community-focused solutions. Mr. Rastely-Junior’s research interests center on infectious-disease–driven child health, neurodevelopmental outcomes in congenital infections, health disparities, and AI-supported clinical and epidemiological tools. He possesses strong research skills, including clinical study design, epidemiologic analysis, bibliometric synthesis, and international collaborative research, demonstrated through six peer-reviewed publications in Scopus and PubMed-indexed journals, three joint research projects, two conference presentations, and mentorship of research scholars. His work has earned eight awards and recognitions, including first-place honors at Fiocruz Bahia and an honorable mention in the International Balint Award/Ascona Prize, reflecting both scientific excellence and societal impact. Mr. Rastely-Junior is an active member of 16 professional bodies, contributing to editorial, review, and volunteer initiatives that promote knowledge dissemination and community engagement. In conclusion, his blend of clinical expertise, innovative research, international collaborations, and commitment to evidence-based public health positions him as a promising leader in global biomedical research, capable of advancing high-impact publications, AI-enabled solutions, and mentorship programs that enhance healthcare outcomes and scientific standards worldwide. 27 Citations | 3 Documents | 2 h-index.

Profiles: Google Scholar | Scopus | ORCID | LinkedIn

Featured Publications

  1. Aguilar Ticona, J. P., Nery Jr, N., Doss-Gollin, S., Gambrah, C., Lessa, M., … Rastely-Junior, V. N. (2021). Heterogeneous development of children with Congenital Zika Syndrome-associated microcephaly. PLoS One, 16(9), e0256444. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256444. Cited by: 26

  2. Nery Jr, N., Aguilar Ticona, J. P., Gambrah, C., Doss-Gollin, S., Aromolaran, A., … Rastely-Junior, V. N. (2021). Social determinants associated with Zika virus infection in pregnant women. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 15(7), e0009612. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0009612. Cited by: 14

  3. Aromolaran, A., Araujo, K., Ladines-Lim, J. B., Nery Jr, N., do Rosário, M. S., … Rastely-Junior, V. N. (2022). Unequal burden of Zika-associated microcephaly among populations with public and private healthcare in Salvador, Brazil. International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 120, 201–204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2022.06.021. Cited by: 6

  4. Mattos, A. M., Rastely-Junior, V. N., Pires, M. M., Aguilar, J. P., Lessa, M. S. A., Regis, C., … (2023). Predictors of neurodevelopment in microcephaly associated with congenital Zika Syndrome: A prospective study. Children, 10(12), 1831. https://doi.org/10.3390/children10121831. Cited by: 3

  5. Brito, L. B., Rastely-Junior, V. N., Browne, E. S., Nery Júnior, N. R. R., … (2016). Sinais e sintomas de zika-virus em gestantes internadas em um Hospital Público de referência da Bahia. Cited by: 2

 

Vishwanath Venketaraman | Infectious Diseases | Best Researcher Award

Published on by NESIN Awards

Prof. Dr. Vishwanath Venketaraman | Infectious Diseases | Best Researcher Award

Professor and Discipline Lead for Microbiology and Immunology | Western University of Health Sciences | United States

Prof. Dr. Vishwanath Venketaraman, Ph.D., is a distinguished microbiologist and immunologist with extensive expertise in tuberculosis, HIV, and host-directed therapies. He earned his Ph.D. in Immunology from the National Institute for Research on Tuberculosis (formerly Tuberculosis Research Center) in 1996, following an M.Sc. in Biology (1991) and B.Sc. in Biology (1989) from the University of Madras. He completed postdoctoral research at the University of Ferrara, Italy, and at leading U.S. institutions including the University of Michigan and Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School. Currently, he serves as Full Professor and Discipline Lead for Microbiology and Immunology at the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Western University of Health Sciences, where he teaches immunology, microbiology, and infectious diseases while mentoring students in preclinical and clinical research. His research program focuses on the host immune response against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, HIV co-infections, and type 2 diabetes, aiming to develop novel adjunctive host-directed therapies for tuberculosis. He has led numerous national and international collaborative projects, authored and edited over 164 publications in top journals and books, and serves as editor and reviewer for multiple reputed journals including Intech, Frontiers in Immunology, MDPI, and Springer Nature. Dr. Venketaraman’s professional service includes chairing research committees, mentoring students, serving on NIH and international grant review panels, and active membership in professional societies such as IEEE and ACM. He has received numerous awards including the Provost’s Distinguished Scholar Award, multiple Outstanding Faculty and Distinguished Teacher Awards, Marquis Who’s Who Lifetime Achievement, and recognition for mentoring over 400 students in research leading to publications. His extensive contributions to infectious disease research, education, and global collaboration underscore his leadership and ongoing impact in biomedical science. With an h-index of 32, 145 documents, and over 2,550 citations, Prof. Venketaraman continues to influence the field of microbiology and immunology at the highest level.

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

Featured Publications

  1. Di Virgilio, F., Chiozzi, P., Falzoni, S., Ferrari, D., Sanz, J. M., & Venketaraman, V. (1998). Cytolytic P2X purinoceptors. Cell Death & Differentiation, 5(3), 191–199. Cited by: 349

  2. Shiehzadegan, S., Alaghemand, N., Fox, M., & Venketaraman, V. (2021). Analysis of the delta variant B.1.617.2 COVID-19. Clinics and Practice, 11(4), 778–784. Cited by: 342

  3. To, K., Cao, R., Yegiazaryan, A., Owens, J., & Venketaraman, V. (2020). General overview of nontuberculous mycobacteria opportunistic pathogens: Mycobacterium avium and Mycobacterium abscessus. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 9(8), 2541. Cited by: 267

  4. Teskey, G., Abrahem, R., Cao, R., Gyurjian, K., Islamoglu, H., Lucero, M., … & Venketaraman, V. (2018). Glutathione as a marker for human disease. Advances in Clinical Chemistry, 87, 141–159. Cited by: 253

  5. Zhong, W., Shahbaz, O., Teskey, G., Beever, A., Kachour, N., & Venketaraman, V. (2021). Mechanisms of nausea and vomiting: Current knowledge and recent advances in intracellular emetic signaling systems. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 22(11), 5797. Cited by: 241