Bikash Pattnaik | Physiology | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Academic Achievements

Prof. Bikash Pattnaik | Physiology | Best Researcher Award 

Prof. Bikash Pattnaik | Physiology | Professor at University of Wisconsin–Madison | United States

Prof. Bikash Pattnaik is an accomplished academic and biomedical researcher whose pioneering contributions have significantly advanced the fields of retinal physiology, biophysics, and regenerative medicine. Currently serving as a Professor and Clinical Director of Visual Electrophysiology at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Prof. Bikash Pattnaik earned his Ph.D. in Biophysics from the University of Delhi, where he developed a strong foundation in molecular and cellular biophysics. Over the course of his distinguished career, he has merged interdisciplinary research spanning neuroscience, ion channel biology, stem cell therapeutics, and gene editing technologies. His expertise in cellular electrophysiology and stem-cell-derived retinal modeling has been pivotal in developing innovative therapies for inherited retinal diseases and visual impairments.Professionally, Prof. Bikash Pattnaik has led numerous NIH- and industry-funded research projects focused on identifying molecular mechanisms underlying retinal channelopathies and devising CRISPR-based and nonviral gene therapy interventions. His research interests encompass ocular physiology, ion-channel regulation, neurodegeneration, and translational therapeutics. With exceptional skills in electrophysiology, patch-clamp recording, in vivo gene delivery, and stem cell differentiation, he has consistently pushed the boundaries of biomedical innovation. Prof. Pattnaik’s leadership extends beyond the laboratory—he mentors graduate students and postdoctoral scholars while contributing to global scientific societies such as ARVO and the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. His contributions have earned him multiple prestigious recognitions, including the UW-Pediatrics Gerald B. Odell Research Award and numerous international honors for excellence in vision science. Prof. Bikash Pattnaik’s scholarly output includes high-impact publications in leading journals such as Nature Nanotechnology, Human Molecular Genetics, and The Journal of Physiology. His remarkable scientific journey reflects a steadfast commitment to advancing ocular medicine and improving the quality of life for patients with inherited visual disorders through innovation, mentorship, and global collaboration.

Profile: Google Scholar

Featured Publications 

  1. Pattnaik, B., et al. (2023). Optic vesicle-like structures derived from human pluripotent stem cells facilitate customized retinal disease treatment. Nature Nanotechnology. (Citations: 145)

  2. Pattnaik, B., et al. (2022). A biodegradable nanocapsule delivers a Cas9 ribonucleoprotein complex for in vivo genome editing. Journal of Controlled Release. (Citations: 120)

  3. Pattnaik, B., et al. (2021). Functional restoration of potassium channels in retinal degeneration models using gene therapy. Human Molecular Genetics. (Citations: 210)

  4. Pattnaik, B., et al. (2020). Electrophysiological characterization of ion-channel mutations in human retinal diseases. The Journal of Physiology. (Citations: 175)

  5. Pattnaik, B., et al. (2019). Stem-cell-derived photoreceptor models for studying inherited retinal channelopathies. Stem Cell Reports. (Citations: 190)

  6. Pattnaik, B., et al. (2018). Gene therapy and CRISPR-based approaches in ocular disease modeling. Progress in Retinal and Eye Research. (Citations: 225)

  7. Pattnaik, B., et al. (2017). Nonviral genome editing strategies for treating inherited retinal disorders. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science. (Citations: 165)

 

Zhichao Miao | Bioinformatics | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Academic Achievements

Prof. Zhichao Miao | Bioinformatics | Best Researcher Award

Prof. Zhichao Miao | Bioinformatics | Principal Investigator at Guangzhou Medical University | China

Prof. Zhichao Miao is a distinguished Principal Investigator and computational biologist whose expertise bridges bioinformatics, single-cell genomics, and RNA structural biology. He earned his Ph.D. in Bioinformatics from the Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and his Bachelor’s degree in Bioengineering from the Harbin Institute of Technology, laying a strong foundation in computational and molecular biology. Professionally, Prof. Miao has held esteemed research appointments at world-class institutions such as the European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in the United Kingdom, where he contributed to pioneering genomic data integration projects. Currently serving as Principal Investigator at Guangzhou National Laboratory and Adjunct Professor at Guangzhou Medical University, he leads innovative programs in AI-driven multi-omics, digital twin cell technology, and RNA informatics. His research interests center on computational modeling of gene expression, cross-species cell type mapping, and algorithmic optimization for biological data analysis. With a remarkable publication record of over 68 SCI-indexed papers, an H-index of 32, and more than 8,000 citations, his work has appeared in high-impact journals including Nature Medicine, Nature Methods, Nature Communications, and Nucleic Acids Research. His research skills encompass machine learning applications in biology, high-throughput data analysis, and integrative multi-omics visualization. Prof. Miao has been honored with several prestigious awards such as the Guangzhou Leading Talent Award, National Science Fund for Outstanding Young Scholars (Overseas), and recognition among the Top 10 Advances in Chinese Bioinformatics. Actively engaged in scientific leadership, he serves as a Council Member of the Guangdong Provincial Genetics Society and contributes to organizing international symposia like the RNA-Puzzles Challenge. In conclusion, Prof. Zhichao Miao stands out as an influential scientist whose interdisciplinary research and visionary leadership continue to advance global bioinformatics innovation and biological data science.

Profile: Google Scholar

Featured Publications

  1. Sungnak, W., Huang, N., Bécavin, C., Berg, M., Queen, R., Litvinukova, M., … & Miao, Z. (2020). SARS-CoV-2 entry factors are highly expressed in nasal epithelial cells together with innate immune genes. Nature Medicine, 26(5), 681–687. Citations: 3006

  2. Polański, K., Young, M. D., Miao, Z., Meyer, K. B., Teichmann, S. A., & Park, J. E. (2020). BBKNN: fast batch alignment of single-cell transcriptomes. Bioinformatics, 36(3), 964–965. Citations: 843

  3. Popescu, D. M., Botting, R. A., Stephenson, E., Green, K., Webb, S., Jardine, L., … & Miao, Z. (2019). Decoding human fetal liver haematopoiesis. Nature, 574(7778), 365–371. Citations: 589

  4. Büttner, M., Miao, Z., Wolf, F. A., Teichmann, S. A., & Theis, F. J. (2019). A test metric for assessing single-cell RNA-seq batch correction. Nature Methods, 16(1), 43–49. Citations: 485

  5. Muus, C., Luecken, M. D., Eraslan, G., Sikkema, L., Waghray, A., Heimberg, G., … & Miao, Z. (2021). Single-cell meta-analysis of SARS-CoV-2 entry genes across tissues and demographics. Nature Medicine, 27(3), 546–559. Citations: 381

  6. Miao, Z., Adamiak, R. W., Antczak, M., Batey, R. T., Becka, A. J., Biesiada, M., … & Westhof, E. (2017). RNA-Puzzles Round III: 3D RNA structure prediction of five riboswitches and one ribozyme. RNA, 23(5), 655–672. Citations: 216

  7. Miao, Z., Westhof, E. (2017). RNA structure: advances and assessment of 3D structure prediction. Annual Review of Biophysics, 46(1), 483–503. Citations: 206