Nadia Nadejda Berkova | Microbiology | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Nadia Nadejda Berkova | Microbiology | Best Researcher Award

Research Director, INRAE-National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment, France

Dr. Nadia Nadejda Berkova is an internationally recognized microbiologist whose research focuses on the molecular mechanisms by which pathogenic bacteria, particularly Staphylococcus aureus, interact with host cells and modulate immune responses. Her work has extensively explored bacterial virulence factors, including cyclomodulins, lipoproteins, phenol-soluble modulins, and staphylococcal enterotoxins, elucidating their roles in altering host cell cycle progression, immune signaling, and infection dynamics. By combining cellular microbiology, molecular biology, and immunological approaches, Dr. Nadia Nadejda Berkova has advanced the understanding of bacterial strategies for subverting host defenses and promoting infection. Her laboratory employs innovative methodologies, integrating in vitro cellular models, murine in vivo systems, and advanced molecular and biochemical techniques to dissect host–pathogen interactions at the cellular and molecular levels. She has made seminal contributions in demonstrating how bacterial extracellular vesicles and specific virulence factors elicit immunostimulatory or immunomodulatory responses, with implications for infectious disease pathogenesis, immune regulation, and potential therapeutic interventions. Dr. Nadia Nadejda Berkova’s research has resulted in a substantial body of highly cited publications in top-tier journals such as Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology and Infection and Immunity. Notable studies include investigations into the immunostimulatory effects of S. aureus extracellular vesicles, the modulation of interleukin expression by phenol-soluble modulins in bovine epithelial cells, and the impact of Lpl lipoproteins on HeLa cell cycle progression. Her work has provided critical insights into bacterial manipulation of eukaryotic cell cycles and host immune responses, contributing to the broader understanding of microbial pathogenicity. Through her research, Dr. Nadia Nadejda Berkova has significantly influenced the field of microbiology by uncovering novel mechanisms of host–pathogen interactions, shaping current perspectives on bacterial virulence, and fostering the development of innovative strategies to combat infectious diseases. Her findings continue to guide both basic research and translational approaches aimed at mitigating bacterial infections.

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Featured Publications

1. Berkova, N., Guedon, E., Le Loir, Y., & Otto, M. (2025). Host DNA damage and cellular fate in bacterial infections, with a focus on Staphylococcus aureus. FEMS Microbiology Reviews, fuaf052.

2. Chaumond, E., Peron, S., Daniel, N., Le Gouar, Y., Guédon, É., Williams, D. L., Le Loir, Y., Jan, G., & Berkova, N. (2023). Development of innate immune memory by non-immune cells during Staphylococcus aureus infection depends on reactive oxygen species. Frontiers in Immunology, 14, 1138539.

3. Nicolas, A., Deplanche, M., Commere, P. H., Diot, A., Genthon, C., Marques da Silva, W., Azevedo, V., Germon, P., Jamme, H., Guédon, E., Le Loir, Y., Laurent, F., Bierne, H., & Berkova, N. (2022). Transcriptome architecture of osteoblastic cells infected with Staphylococcus aureus reveals strong inflammatory responses and signatures of metabolic and epigenetic dysregulation. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, 12, 854242.

4. Leite, E. L., Oliveira, A. F. Jr., Carmo, F. L. R. D., Berkova, N., Barh, D., Ghosh, P., & Azevedo, V. (2020). Bacteriocins as an alternative in the treatment of infections by Staphylococcus aureus. Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências, 92(Suppl. 2), e20201216.

5. Lima Leite, E., Gautron, A., Deplanche, M., Nicolas, A., Ossemond, J., Nguyen, M. T., do Carmo, F. L. R., Gilot, D., Azevedo, V., Götz, F., Le Loir, Y., Otto, M., & Berkova, N. (2020). Involvement of caspase-1 in inflammasomes activation and bacterial clearance in S. aureus-infected osteoblast-like MG-63 cells. Cellular Microbiology, 22(8), e13204.

6. Imanishi, I., Nicolas, A., Barbosa Caetano, A. C., de Paula Castro, T. L., Tartaglia, N. R., Mariutti, R., Guédon, E., Even, S., Berkova, N., Arni, R. K., Seyffert, N., Azevedo, V., Nishifuji, K., & Le Loir, Y. (2020). Author correction: Exfoliative toxin E, a new Staphylococcus aureus virulence factor with host-specific activity. Scientific Reports, 10(1), 2460.

7. Imanishi, I., Nicolas, A., Caetano, A. B., Castro, T. L. P., Tartaglia, N. R., Mariutti, R., Guédon, E., Even, S., Berkova, N., Arni, R. K., Seyffert, N., Azevedo, V., Nishifuji, K., & Le Loir, Y. (2019). Exfoliative toxin E, a new Staphylococcus aureus virulence factor with host-specific activity. Scientific Reports, 9(1), 16336.

8. Deplanche, M., Mouhali, N., Nguyen, M. T., Cauty, C., Ezan, F., Diot, A., Raulin, L., Dutertre, S., Langouet, S., Legembre, P., Taieb, F., Otto, M., Laurent, F., Götz, F., Le Loir, Y., & Berkova, N. (2019). Staphylococcus aureus induces DNA damage in host cell. Scientific Reports, 9(1), 7694.

9. Tartaglia, N. R., Breyne, K., Meyer, E., Cauty, C., Jardin, J., Chrétien, D., Dupont, A., Demeyere, K., Berkova, N., Azevedo, V., Guédon, E., & Le Loir, Y. (2018). Staphylococcus aureus extracellular vesicles elicit an immunostimulatory response in vivo on the murine mammary gland. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, 8, 277.

Abouzar Babaei | Microbiology | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Abouzar Babaei | Microbiology | Best Researcher Award

Assistant Professor of Medical Virology, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Iran

Dr. Abouzar Babaei is an Assistant Professor of Medical Virology at Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Iran, specializing in translational virology, stem cell therapy, and oncolytic virus-based cancer research. He earned his Ph.D. in Medical Virology from Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran (2020), with a dissertation evaluating the efficacy of combination therapy using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) loaded with oncolytic Reovirus, Irinotecan, and Napabucasin (BBI608) in colorectal cancer mouse models, following an MSc in Medical Virology from Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (2016) focused on the prevalence and phylogenetic characterization of human metapneumovirus, and a BSc and Associate Degree in Veterinary Laboratory Sciences from Tabriz University (2011, 2009). His primary research interests include stem cell-based cancer therapies, oncolytic viruses, antiviral strategies, and virology, with emerging work on nanoparticle-mediated anticancer and antiviral applications. Dr. Abouzar Babaei has extensive laboratory and translational research experience, including MSC extraction and characterization, tumor model development in BALB/c mice, molecular assays (PCR, real-time PCR), virus propagation and titration, hemagglutination and ELISA assays, and in vitro functional studies. His key contributions encompass pioneering MSC-oncolytic virus combination therapies, evaluating copper oxide nanoparticles for anticancer and antiviral effects, and systematic studies of viral prevalence in clinical populations. He has been recognized as Top PhD Student (2018, TMU), Top MSc Student (2015, SUMS), and Top Student in the PhD Board Exam (2018, TMU). He is an active member of the Iranian Society of Medical Virology and the Tarbiat Modares Virology Student Association, contributing to peer-reviewed publications and international collaborations. Dr. Abouzar Babaei has 22 publications, 282 citations, and an h-index of 10. His work advances translational medicine by integrating cutting-edge virology and stem cell technologies to develop novel cancer and antiviral therapies, bridging laboratory research with clinical applications, and promoting global biomedical innovation with societal impact.

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Featured Publications

1. Aghbash, P. S., Hemmat, N., Nahand, J. S., Shamekh, A., Memar, M. Y., Babaei, A., … & [additional authors]. (2021). The role of Th17 cells in viral infections. International Immunopharmacology, 91, 107331.

2. Babaei, A., Mousavi, S. M., Ghasemi, M., Pirbonyeh, N., Soleimani, M., & Moattari, A. (2021). Gold nanoparticles show potential in vitro antiviral and anticancer activity. Life Sciences, 284, 119652.

3. Babaei, A., Pouremamali, A., Rafiee, N., Sohrabi, H., Mokhtarzadeh, A., … & [additional authors]. (2022). Genosensors as an alternative diagnostic sensing approaches for specific detection of virus species: A review of common techniques and outcomes. TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 155, 116686.

4. Babaei, A., Soleimanjahi, H., Soleimani, M., & Arefian, E. (2021). Mesenchymal stem cells loaded with oncolytic reovirus enhances antitumor activity in mice models of colorectal cancer. Biochemical Pharmacology, 190, 114644.

5. Afrakhteh, H., Joharinia, N., Momen, A., Dowran, R., Babaei, A., Namdari, P., … & [additional authors]. (2021). Relative frequency of hepatitis B virus, human papilloma virus, Epstein-Barr virus, and herpes simplex viruses in the semen of fertile and infertile men in Shiraz, Iran: A comparative study. International Journal of Reproductive BioMedicine, 19(8), 699–710.