Janaina Sena Boyce | Molecular Imaging Techniques | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Janaina Sena Boyce | Molecular Imaging Techniques | Best Researcher Award

Project Scientist at UCSD, United States

Dr. Janaina Sena Boyce is a highly accomplished neuroscientist and stem cell researcher with extensive experience in modeling neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. She currently serves as an Assistant Project Scientist at the University of California San Diego (UCSD), where she leads and contributes to innovative research involving human iPSCs, cerebral organoids, and assembloids. Her work is instrumental in advancing understanding of disorders such as Pitt-Hopkins syndrome, Rett syndrome, and Alzheimer’s disease, and in driving forward human model-based drug discovery platforms.

Academic Profile 

Scopus  | Orcid  | Google Scholar

Education 

Dr. Boyce holds a Ph.D. in Science (Medicine – Endocrinology) from the Federal University of São Paulo, Brazil (2016), where she focused on molecular endocrinology and neuroscience. She earned a Master of Science in Human Physiology from the University of São Paulo (2010), deepening her expertise in physiological processes relevant to brain function and disorders. Her academic journey began with a Bachelor’s degree in Biological Science from Mackenzie Presbyterian University, Brazil (2007). Throughout her education, she developed skills in molecular biology, stem cell culture, and animal modeling, setting a solid foundation for her later research in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disease modeling using stem cell technologies and organoids.

Experience

Currently, Dr. Boyce serves as an Assistant Project Scientist at UC San Diego, leading research on neural organoids and stem cell models since 2022. She collaborates on project design, trains students and technicians, and secures funding while acting as a junior principal investigator. From 2019 to 2022, she was a Postdoctoral Research Scientist at UC San Diego, mentoring lab personnel in stem cell culture. Earlier, she worked in Brazil at the Federal University of São Paulo and Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, focusing on thyroid hormone effects in Alzheimer’s models and autism spectrum disorders. Her roles involved extensive collaboration, protocol development, and participation in national and international scientific meetings, highlighting her ability to manage complex neuroscience projects and train the next generation of researchers.

Awards and Honors

Dr. Boyce has received several notable recognitions throughout her career. She earned an Honorable Mention at the Encontro Brasileiro de Tiróide in 2016 for her contributions to thyroid and neuroscience research. Her doctoral studies were supported by a prestigious PhD Fellowship from the Brazilian Ministry of Education and Research from 2012 to 2016, recognizing her academic excellence and research potential. In 2009, she was awarded another Honorable Mention at the XXIV Reunião da Federação das Sociedades de Biologia Experimental. These accolades highlight her consistent dedication to scientific inquiry and impact in endocrinology and neuroscience. Additionally, she holds memberships in respected professional organizations, including the American Thyroid Association (ATA) and Sociedade Brasileira de Fisiologia (SBFIS), reflecting her active engagement with the scientific community.

Research Focus

Dr. Boyce’s research centers on using human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and brain organoids to model neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Pitt-Hopkins syndrome, Rett syndrome, and Alzheimer’s disease. She develops cortical, hindbrain, and thalamic organoids and cerebral assembloids to mimic brain structure and function, providing platforms for studying disease mechanisms and drug discovery. Her work combines molecular biology, cell culture, microscopy, and assay optimization to investigate cellular phenotypes and neural circuitry alterations. Dr. Boyce also explores thyroid hormone regulation’s role in brain development and pathology, linking endocrine factors to neurological outcomes. Her multidisciplinary approach leverages both 2D and 3D neural cultures, advanced imaging, and statistical analysis, aiming to uncover new therapeutic targets and deepen understanding of CNS diseases. She emphasizes translational applications to accelerate the development of effective treatments.

Notable Publications

Embryonic origin of two ASD subtypes of social symptom severity: the larger the brain cortical organoid size, the more severe the social symptoms

  • Authors: Courchesne E, Taluja V, Nazari S, Aamodt CM, Pierce K, Duan K, Stophaeros S, Lopez L, Barnes CC, Troxel J, Campbell K, Wang T, Hoekzema K, Eichler EE, Nani JV, Pontes W, Sanchez SS, Lombardo MV, de Souza JS, Hayashi MAF, Muotri AR
    Journal: Molecular Autism
    Year: 2024

Loss of GTF2I promotes neuronal apoptosis and synaptic reduction in human cellular models of neurodevelopment

  • Authors: Adams JW, Vinokur A, de Souza JS, Austria C, Guerra BS, Herai RH, Wahlin KJ, Muotri AR
    Journal: Cell Reports
    Year: 2024

Thyroid hormone biosynthesis and its role in brain development and maintenance

  • Authors: de Souza JS
    Journal: Advances in Protein Chemistry and Structural Biology
    Year: 2023

Thyroid dysfunction alters gene expression of proteins related to iron homeostasis and metabolomics in male rats

  • Authors: da Conceição RR, Giannocco G, Herai RH, Petroski LP, Pereira BG, Oliveira KC, Chiamolera MI, Sato MA, Maciel RM, de Souza JS
    Journal: Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology
    Year: 2023

SARS-CoV-2 infects human brain organoids causing cell death and loss of synapses that can be rescued by treatment with Sofosbuvir

  • Authors: Mesci P*, de Souza JS*, Martin-Sancho L*, Macia A*, Saleh A, Yin X, Snethlage C, Adams JW, Avansini SH, Herai RH, Almenar-Queralt A, Pu Y, Szeto RA, Goldberg G, Bruck PT, Papes F, Chanda SK, Muotri AR
    (*These authors contributed equally)
    Journal: PLoS Biology
    Year: 2022

Conclusion

Dr. Janaina Sena Boyce, PhD stands out as a pioneering neuroscientist whose expertise bridges stem cell biology, neurodevelopmental modeling, and neurodegenerative research. Her innovative use of human iPSC-derived systems, including brain organoids and assembloids, positions her at the cutting edge of translational neuroscience. With a career marked by rigorous experimentation, high-impact publications, and a deep commitment to mentorship and collaboration, she contributes meaningfully to both scientific discovery and the cultivation of future scientific talent. Her trajectory reflects a balance of technical sophistication, intellectual curiosity, and strategic vision qualities that continue to shape the future of neuroscience research and therapeutic innovation. Dr. Boyce is not only advancing knowledge in her field but also building the platforms and partnerships necessary for impactful, human-centered science.

Feng Tian | Cancer Biophotonics Studies | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Biophotonics Research

Prof. Dr. Feng Tian | Cancer Biophotonics Studies | Best Researcher Award

Prof. Dr. Feng Tian, Hebei University of Engineering, China 

Dr. Feng Tian, Ph.D., is a distinguished Professor of Bioinformatics and Medical Data Science at the School of Medicine, Hebei University of Engineering. With over two decades of academic and research excellence, Dr. Tian has established himself as a pioneer in integrating artificial intelligence, bioinformatics, and public health data science. His interdisciplinary expertise drives cutting-edge solutions across clinical diagnostics, multi-omics research, and emergency medical services.

Profile 

Scopus

🎓 Early Academic Pursuits

Dr. Tian earned both his Bachelor’s degree in Biology and his Ph.D. in Bioinformatics from the prestigious Tsinghua University in Beijing, one of China’s top academic institutions. During this period (2000–2009), he demonstrated exceptional promise in computational biology and systems genomics. His doctoral research laid the groundwork for his later contributions to regulatory network analysis and transcription factor dynamics.

👨‍🏫 Professional Endeavors

Dr. Tian has held the position of Professor at Hebei University of Engineering since 2021. His international outlook is marked by his tenure as a Visiting Scholar at the National Center for Data Mining, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), where he collaborated with globally recognized experts in biomedical informatics. He has also played a crucial role in establishing the Hebei Key Laboratory of Medical Data Science, fostering innovation at the intersection of AI and health sciences.

🔬 Contributions and Research Focus

Dr. Tian’s primary research interests include:

  • Artificial Intelligence in Health Big Data: Developing intelligent systems for disease prediction, emergency triage, and resource allocation.

  • Multi-Omics Data Integration: Focused on molecular subtyping and MRD detection in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) using transcriptomic and epigenomic data.

  • Bioinformatics Platforms: Architecting data analysis systems such as miRAS and FlyNet, enabling high-throughput genomic data processing.

  • Public Health Policy Research: Evaluating healthcare accessibility and the impact of localized health interventions like the Handan “Health Cabins” model.

🌍 Impact and Influence

Dr. Tian has co-authored high-impact publications in Nature Communications, Haematologica, Advanced Science, and Bioinformatics, reflecting his global academic stature. His work has significantly advanced our understanding of ALL pathogenesis, and informed AI-based clinical workflows in China. As Principal Investigator on several multi-disciplinary projects, he has bridged the gap between academic research and real-world healthcare applications.

📊 Academic Citations

Dr. Tian’s publications have garnered substantial academic citations, particularly in areas involving gene regulatory networks, deep learning for medical text, and multi-omics disease characterization. His 2024 and 2025 papers on glucocorticoid response in leukemia and tumorigenic profiling of adrenal incidentalomas are already becoming cornerstone references in the field.

🧠 Research Skills

Dr. Tian is highly proficient in:

  • AI and Deep Learning for medical NLP and classification tasks.

  • Multi-omics Data Analysis, including single-cell transcriptomics and epigenetic landscape mapping.

  • Spatial Data Modeling for evaluating healthcare accessibility using probabilistic algorithms.

  • Cross-species genomic comparison and graph-based regulatory modeling.

These technical proficiencies underscore his rare ability to combine computational rigor with biomedical relevance.

🎓 Teaching Experience

Although his profile focuses largely on research, as a university professor, Dr. Tian contributes to the training of graduate students, supervising research projects, and likely guiding Ph.D. candidates in bioinformatics and medical data science. Expanding documentation of his mentorship impact would further highlight his academic leadership.

🏆 Awards and Honors

Dr. Tian has been the recipient of numerous national and provincial awards, including:

  • 🥇 First Prize, Hebei Provincial Science and Technology Progress Award (2024)

  • 🥈 Second Prize, Invention and Entrepreneurship Achievement Award, China Association of Inventions (2024)

  • 🥇 First Prize, Hebei Medical Science and Technology Award (2021)

  • 🥉 Third Prize, Outstanding Achievement Award in Social Sciences (2024)

These accolades validate the real-world impact and innovation of his work, both technically and socially.

🧾 Patents and Software Copyrights

Dr. Tian has secured 22 patents and software copyrights, including:

  • A patented Prehospital Emergency Information Processing Device (2021)

  • A method for AI-driven Emergency Text Classification using ChatGLM (2024)

  • A patented Site Selection Model for Emergency Medical Stations (2025)

These innovative tools have applications in emergency response, healthcare infrastructure planning, and medical informatics.

🌟 Legacy and Future Contributions

Dr. Tian is building a legacy of translational research and technological innovation. His future contributions are likely to further:

  • Shape AI-powered healthcare delivery models in China and abroad.

  • Deepen the understanding of cancer genomics through multi-omics research.

  • Influence healthcare policy through data-driven evaluations of public health programs.

As a leader in medical AI and public health informatics, he is poised to play a key role in addressing global healthcare challenges through data science and precision medicine.

Top Publications

miRAS: a data processing system for miRNA expression profiling study

  • Authors: Tian F, Zhang H, Zhang X, Song C, Xia Y, Wu Y, Liu X

  • Journal: BMC Bioinformatics

  • Year: 2007

  • Citation: BMC Bioinformatics. 2007 Aug 4;8(1):285.

A new single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping method based on gap ligase chain reaction and a microsphere detection assay

  • Authors: Tian F, Wu Y, Zhou Y, Liu X, Visvikis-Siest S, Xia Y

  • Journal: Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (Clin Chem Lab Med)

  • Year: 2008

  • Citation: Clin Chem Lab Med. 2008;46(4):486-9.

A graph model based study on regulatory impacts of transcription factors of Drosophila melanogaster and comparison across species

  • Authors: Tian F, Chen J, Bao S, Shi L, Liu X, Grossman RL

  • Journal: Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications (Biochem Biophys Res Commun)

  • Year: 2009

  • Citation: Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2009 Sep 4;386(4):559-62.

Flynet: a genomic resource for Drosophila melanogaster transcriptional regulatory networks

  • Authors: Tian F*, Shah PK*, Liu X, Negre N, Chen J, Karpenko O, White KP, Grossman RL
    (*Shared first authorship indicated)

  • Journal: Bioinformatics

  • Year: 2009

  • Citation: Bioinformatics. 2009 Nov 15;25(22):3001-4.

DL-PER: Deep Learning Model for Chinese Prehospital Emergency Record Classification

  • Authors: Zhang X, Zhang H, Sheng L, Tian F*
    (*Tian F listed as senior/last author)

  • Journal: IEEE Access

  • Year: 2022

  • Citation: IEEE Access, vol. 10, pp. 64638-64649, 2022.

  • DOI: 10.1109/ACCESS.2022.3179685