Distinguished Speakers

Dr. Kamal Dua

Associate Professor, Discipline of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Australia. He is a leading researcher with dual PhDs in Pharmaceutical Sciences and Immunology & Microbiology. Dr. Dua’s work integrates advanced drug delivery systems with immunological approaches, focusing on respiratory and infectious diseases. With over 190 peer-reviewed publications, 70+ book chapters, and recognition among the world’s top 2% scientists (Stanford, 2024), he is also listed in Australia’s Top 250 Researchers for 2025 in Pharmacology. His contributions have earned him multiple national and international awards.

Dr. Nitin Chitranshi

Senior Lecturer, School of Science and Technology, University of New England (UNE), Australia. He is a renowned neuroscientist with expertise in pharmaceutical sciences, neurodegeneration, and computational biology. His research focuses on diseases like Alzheimer’s, glaucoma, and MS, with notable work on viral vector gene therapy. Dr. Chitranshi has over 70 peer-reviewed publications and has held visiting roles at Cambridge, Miami, and Vienna. He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and the Linnean Society of London and has received awards including the Dean's Award for Excellence from Macquarie University.

Dr. Amit K. Tiwari

Professor and Associate Dean of Research & Graduate Studies, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), USA. He is a distinguished cancer pharmacologist and board-certified toxicologist leading the Cancer and Systems Therapeutics program at UAMS. Dr. Tiwari focuses on overcoming multidrug resistance in cancer and exploring non-apoptotic cell death pathways like necroptosis and autophagy. He has authored over 220 peer-reviewed papers, holds several patents, and leads multiple funded projects. He has mentored 75+ trainees and serves on editorial boards and grant panels globally.

Dr. Mohd-Ali Shahbazi

Assistant Professor, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), The Netherlands He is a pharmaceutical scientist with expertise in nanomedicine, drug delivery, and tissue engineering. His research includes nano-based systems for wound healing, bone repair, and cancer immunotherapy. With over 190 publications and multiple awards, including the USERN laureate (2020), he is an active mentor and serves on editorial boards of scientific journals.

Dr. Vandana B. Patravale

Professor of Pharmaceutics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT), Mumbai, India. Dr. Patravale is internationally acclaimed for her work in nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems, with 33+ years of academic and research experience. Her innovations span novel formulations for malaria, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and medical devices like drug-eluting stents. She has over 200 publications, 29 patents, and has authored two books. A Fellow of INSA and INAE, she is a Gates Foundation grantee and was ranked among the top 2% most-cited scientists by Stanford University. She serves on global advisory panels and mentors postgraduate and PhD students.

Dr. Vandana Gulati

Senior Lecturer, School of Science and Technology, University of New England (UNE), Australia. She is an expert in pharmacognosy and natural product chemistry. Her PhD from Swinburne University focused on Australian Indigenous plants for managing type 2 diabetes and obesity. She previously worked in the Indian Pharmaceutical industry, specializing in natural product-based drug discovery. Her research centers on phytochemicals, anti-diabetic compounds, and therapeutic applications of plant-based medicines. Dr. Gulati has published several peer-reviewed studies and actively engages in national and international collaborations. At UNE, she teaches human physiology, biochemistry, and nutrition and has received recognition for excellence in education and research.

Dr. Gabriele De Rubis

Associate Lecturer, Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Australia He is an Associate Lecturer in the Discipline of Pharmacy at UTS, Australia. He holds a PhD in Pharmacy from UTS and degrees in Biotechnology and Genetic Sciences from Italy. His research focuses on advanced drug delivery systems for respiratory inflammatory diseases and lung cancer, particularly using phytoceuticals and nucleic acid-based therapeutics. Dr. De Rubis also works on molecular oncology, exosome biology, and cancer biomarker discovery. With experience in industry-based preclinical drug testing and animal disease models under ISO and GLP standards, he contributes actively to interdisciplinary projects in cancer and nanotechnology. At UTS, he teaches in the Master of Pharmacy program and coordinates microcredential courses related to pharmaceutical and biological sciences.

Dr. Trudi Collet

Senior Lecturer in Pharmacy, Faculty of Health, School of Clinical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Australia She is a biochemist and senior lecturer at QUT, Australia, specializing in biodiscovery and the therapeutic potential of Australian native plants. She leads the Innovative Medicines Group and the Indigenous Medicines Group at QUT. Her research bridges traditional knowledge with modern drug discovery, focusing on novel treatments for global infections and diseases. Dr. Collet’s team has identified plant compounds effective against the Zika virus and developed a broad-spectrum antibiotic targeting WHO-listed priority pathogens. She holds a PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from QUT and is actively engaged in interdisciplinary research spanning medicinal plants, antibiotic resistance, Flaviviridae viruses, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Dr. John I. D’Souza

Principal, Bombay Institute of Pharmacy & Research, Dombivli, and Tatyasaheb Kore College of Pharmacy, Warananagar, Maharashtra, India He is a senior academician and researcher with over 25 years of experience in pharmaceutics and drug delivery. He holds a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, M.Pharm with distinction, and an MBA in Higher Education Management from Shivaji University. His expertise includes novel drug delivery systems and herbal product development. Dr. D’Souza has published extensively, guided numerous PG and Ph.D. students, and actively contributes to academic development. He serves as Vice President of CRS–Indian Chapter, Chairman of IPA Education Division (Maharashtra), and Member, Board of Studies, Shivaji University.

Dr. Keshav Raj Paudel

Lecturer, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Australia He is a researcher in respiratory pharmacology at UTS, Australia. His work explores inflammation-related disorders caused by pollutants like bushfire smoke and microplastics, with a focus on chronic respiratory diseases. He is involved in government and industry-funded projects and is developing phytochemical-loaded nanoformulations for targeted drug delivery. Dr. Paudel holds an M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Oriental Medicine (Pharmacology) from Mokpo National University, South Korea, and completed a postdoc at UTHealth, Houston. He has received competitive research grants and serves as an editor for several academic journals.

Dr. Sachin Kumar Singh

Professor & Head, Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Analysis, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lovely Professional University (LPU), Punjab, India. He specializes in pharmaceutics and nanomedicine, focusing on advanced drug delivery systems and bioanalytical method development. With 350+ publications, 18 patents (4 granted), and over 3500 citations (h-index: 31), he is among Stanford University's World’s Top 2% Scientists (2021, 2024). He has received several national awards, including the SERB-DST Grant, Dr. B.C. Deb Memorial Award, and Bharat Shiksha Ratan. He also supervises PhD/M.Pharm students and serves as a reviewer and editor for leading journals.

Dr. Mahendran Sekar

Associate Professor, School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia. He is a pharmacist and researcher in drug discovery, natural products, phytopharmacology, and nanomedicine. He has over 130 publications and has mentored 25+ undergraduate and 10 postgraduate students. His research has earned him national and international accolades, including gold medals at ITEX and innovation awards. He also holds patents in Malaysia and reviews for multiple scientific journals.