Pioneering Precision in Cancer Treatment Through 3D Bioprinting

Dr. Anand Krishnan, Principal Investigator in Chemical Pathology, Office of the Dean, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, South Africa. He leads the Precision Medicine Integrative Nano Diagnostics (P-MIND) laboratories, which focus on the biological functions of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in synthetic biology. His research encompasses cell surface protein modification, biomarker discovery through EVs derived from liquid biopsies, and the role of circulating biomarkers in disease development and stem cell biology. Dr. Krishnan has authored over 150 articles and edited eight books published by Elsevier, Springer, and Wiley. He received the National Research Foundation (NRF) rating for Next Generation Researchers in South Africa. In the latest list published by Stanford University, Dr. Krishnan was named among the Top 2% of the most influential scientists worldwide. He is an active member of the International Society of Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV), the African Organisation for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC), and the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR). Recently, he has been serving as an editor for the eLife journal, focusing on the Africa region.

Professor Mamello Sekhoacha is an Associate Professor of Pharmacology at the University of the Free State and a former Specialist Scientist at the South African Medical Research Council. She earned her Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the University of Cape Town in 2008 and holds a BSc in Biochemistry and Microbiology, an honors degree in Pharmacology, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration. Additionally, she is a qualified Clinical Research Associate (CRA) with expertise in Ethics and Governance and Executive Leadership in Academia.

With over 18 years in pharmacology research, Prof. Sekhoacha focuses on drug discovery and the scientific development of medicinal plants for treating ailments like cancer and HIV. Her research addresses challenges in chemoresistance and toxicity, exploring personalized chemotherapy and targeted drug delivery systems. She has published extensively in pharmacology and biomedical sciences and has held leadership roles in national health research ethics, including chairing the National Health Research Ethics Council.

Prof. Parks Makhoahle is a distinguished member of the Golden Key International Honour Society. He earned his BSc in Microbiology and Biotechnology, B.Med.Sc Hons, and M.MedSc in Medical Microbiology and Virology from the University of Free State, along with a D.H.Sc in Biomedical Technology and a PGDIPHE from the Central University of Technology. Currently, he is pursuing a second doctorate in educational studies and serves as the interim Director of the Centre for Quality of Health and Living. His research focuses on the anti-cancer properties of natural products, genotoxicity, and preventing mycotoxin-induced carcinogenicity, collaborating with UFS, NHLS, and WHO-Lesotho. With over 30 peer-reviewed publications and a book chapter, he supervises nine master's students and two PhD candidates. A registered medical biological scientist, he is also a reviewer for NRF and a recipient of the multi-Vice-Chancellor’s Awards, contributing to the establishment of CUT’s advanced Biochemistry and Tissue Culture facility.

Arun Kumar Singh is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacy at University School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Rayat Bahra University V.P.O. Sahauran , India. He completed his M.Pharm in Pharmaceutics from Galgotias University, Greater Noida. His research interests include nano-formulation, blockchain, IoT, machine learning, artificial intelligence, big data analytics, cancer biology, and neuroscience. He has contributed to academic books and book chapters and has published review articles in the areas of pharmaceutical sciences and healthcare technology. His work focuses on interdisciplinary approaches integrating pharmaceutical research with emerging digital and computational technologies.