Xiaowen Mao | Medicine and Health Sciences | Best Researcher Award

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Assist. Prof. Dr. Xiaowen Mao | Medicine and Health Sciences | Best Researcher Award

University of Macau | Macau

Dr. Xiaowen Mao, M.D., Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor at the State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, where she leads translational research on cancer biology, immunotherapy, and tumor microenvironment modulation. She earned her Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Hong Kong and her B.Sc. in Clinical Medicine from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China. Her research focuses on extracellular vesicles, immune homeostasis, metabolic reprogramming in tumors, and hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis, integrating molecular, cellular, and translational approaches. Dr. Xiaowen Mao has led several high-impact projects as principal investigator, funded by the Health and Medical Research Fund, National Natural Science Foundation Young Scientist Fund, and FDCT Innovation and Technology Promotion. Her significant contributions include the development of broadly potent neutralizing antibodies targeting Nidogen 1 to inhibit tumor growth, elucidation of extracellular vesicle-mediated metabolic reprogramming in tumors, and advances in dendritic cell vaccine strategies. She holds a U.S. patent on Nidogen 1 as a diagnostic and therapeutic target for hepatocellular carcinoma, serves as Guest Editor for Frontiers in Endocrinology, and is an ad-hoc reviewer for multiple high-impact journals. According to Scopus, she has 31 publications, 1,114 citations by 1,010 documents, and an h-index of 20. Dr. Xiaowen Mao’s work bridges fundamental research and clinical translation, delivering innovative therapies and advancing precision medicine in oncology, while demonstrating a profound impact on cancer biology, immunotherapy, and translational research.

Profile: Scopus

Featured Publications

  • Xue, T. M., Yeung, C. L. S., Mao, X. W., Tey, S. K., Lo, K. W., Tang, H. N., Yun, J. P., & Yam, J. W. P. (2025). Development of a broadly potent neutralizing antibody targeting Nidogen 1 effectively inhibits cancer growth and metastasis in preclinical tumor models. Journal of Translational Internal Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1515/jtim-2025-0008

  • Xia, L., Li, C. G., Zhao, J., Sun, Q. C., & Mao, X. W.* (2025). Rebalancing immune homeostasis in combating disease: The impact of medicine food homology plants and gut microbiome. Phytomedicine, 136, 156150. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2025.156150

  • Chen, Z., Yam, J. W. P., & Mao, X. W.* (2024). The multifaceted roles of small extracellular vesicles in metabolic reprogramming in the tumor microenvironments. Proteomics, e2300021. https://doi.org/10.1002/pmic.202300021

  • Lee, K. W., Yam, J. W. P., & Mao, X. W.* (2023). Dendritic cell vaccines: A shift from conventional approach to new generations. Cells, 12(2147). https://doi.org/10.3390/cells12172147

  • Li, S., Delvecchio, M., Ramkumar, K., Mao, X. W., Sun, X. D., & Guo, S. Z. (2023). Editorial: Clinical and genetic determinants of diabetes and complications. Frontiers in Endocrinology.

Naila Camila da Rocha | Medicine and Health Sciences | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Naila Camila da Rocha | Medicine and Health Sciences | Best Researcher Award

University of Wisconsin-Madison | United States

Dr. Naila Camila da Rocha is a distinguished researcher specializing in biostatistics, artificial intelligence in healthcare, and predictive analytics, with a strong focus on advancing precision medicine and healthcare delivery. She is completing her Ph.D. in Biometrics at São Paulo State University (UNESP) in collaboration with the University of Wisconsin–Madison, following a Master’s in Biometrics, a Professional Master’s in Applied Statistics, and a Bachelor’s in Administration. With over 14 years of experience in strategic planning, business intelligence, and applied statistics, she has held leadership roles including Head of Growth Strategy and Revenue at iFood, Data Science Manager at BRF, and currently works as a Data Scientist at Statbit, while also contributing as a volunteer researcher at the Clinics Hospital of Botucatu (LabData). Her research applies machine learning, natural language processing, and advanced statistical modeling to nephrology, transplantation, and chronic disease management, with impactful results such as predictive models for graft rejection, delayed graft function, and inequities in hemodialysis access. She has published more than 20 peer-reviewed papers in high-impact journals and received multiple prestigious awards, including the Massola Award (2025), AACD Summit Award (2025), Magaldi Award (2023), and Nestor Schor Award (2023). By successfully bridging data science with clinical applications, she has established herself as an influential voice in developing innovative tools for early diagnosis, risk stratification, and health system optimization, demonstrating excellence as a researcher whose work is shaping both academic knowledge and practical healthcare solutions.

Profile: Google Scholar | ORCID

Featured Publications

  • Beltramino, L., Bedacarratx, V., Roldán, P., González, N. A. M., … (2020). Aprendizajes y prácticas educativas en las actuales condiciones de época: COVID-19. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Filosofía y Humanidades. Cited by: 33

  • Da Rocha, N. C., Barbosa, A. M. P., Schnr, Y. O., Machado-Rugolo, J., … (2022). Natural language processing to extract information from Portuguese-language medical records. Data, 8(1), 11. Cited by: 13

  • De Andrade, L. G. M., Barbosa, A. M. P., Da Rocha, N. C., Cardoso, M. M. de A., … (2022). Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on solid organ transplant and rejection episodes in Brazil’s Unified Healthcare System. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 11(21), 6581. Cited by: 11

  • Ordones, F. V., Kawano, P. R., Vermeulen, L., Hooshyari, A., Scholtz, D., … (2025). A novel machine learning-based predictive model of clinically significant prostate cancer and online risk calculator. Urology, 196, 20–26. Cited by: 5

  • Addad, V. V., Palma, L. M. P., Vaisbich, M. H., Barbosa, A. M. P., … (2023). A comprehensive model for assessing and classifying patients with thrombotic microangiopathy: The TMA-INSIGHT score. Thrombosis Journal, 21(1), 119. Cited by: 5

  • Santos, G. P. A., Sesso, R., Lugon, J. R., Neves, P. D. M. de M., Barbosa, A. M. P., … (2024). Geographic inequities in hemodialysis access: A call to reassess dialysis facility locations in Brazil. Journal of Nephrology, 37(9), 2601–2608. Cited by: 4