Peter Asaga Mac | Infectious diseases | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Peter Asaga Mac | Infectious diseases | Best Researcher Award 

Senior clinical research fellow | University Hospital Freiburg | Germany

Dr. Peter Asaga Mac is a dedicated researcher at Universitätsklinikum Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, specializing in infectious and zoonotic diseases. His scientific work focuses on understanding the epidemiology, immune response, and transmission dynamics of emerging viral infections, particularly mosquito-borne diseases such as Chikungunya and Dengue. Through a combination of field-based studies, serological analyses, and molecular surveillance, Dr. Mac investigates how co-circulating arboviruses interact within populations and contribute to public health challenges in endemic regions, especially in Africa. His notable publication, “An Undetected Expansion, Spread, and Burden of Chikungunya and Dengue Cocirculating Antibodies in Nigeria” (Zoonotic Diseases, 2024), provides valuable insight into the unnoticed expansion of these viruses and their long-term implications for disease control strategies. Dr. Mac’s research is characterized by its translational value—bridging scientific discovery with actionable health interventions to improve epidemic preparedness and response. His collaborations with international scientists strengthen global efforts to monitor zoonotic threats and develop more resilient surveillance systems. Despite being an early-career researcher, his contributions are gaining recognition within the academic community. With 3 publications, 14 citations  and an h-index of 2, Dr. Mac’s growing academic footprint reflects his potential to make lasting contributions to infectious disease research, particularly in the areas of viral immunology, epidemiological modeling, and global health resilience. His commitment to evidence-based solutions continues to shape a better understanding of emerging diseases and their impact on human health worldwide.

Profiles: Scopus | ORCID | Google Scholar

Featured Publications

1. Chackalackal, D. J., Al-Aghbari, A. A. A., Jang, S. Y., Ramirez, T. R., Vincent, J., Joshi, A., et al. (2021). The Covid-19 pandemic in low- and middle-income countries: Who carries the burden? Review of mass media and publications from six countries. Pathogens and Global Health, 115(3), 178–187.
Cited by: 49

2. Mac, P. A., Suleiman, A. C., & Airiohuodion, P. E. (2019). High prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection among pregnant women attending antenatal care in Central Nigeria. Journal of Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology, 5(1), 068.
Cited by: 34

3. Mac, P. A., Asheadzi, H. F., Gideon, A., Thaker, P., & Airiohuodion, P. (2019). Prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum among Nigerians in Abuja and Central States: A comparative analysis of sensitivity and specificity using rapid diagnostic test and microscopy. International Journal of Tropical Diseases, 1, 014.
Cited by: 22

4. Mac, P. A., Kroeger, A., & Airiohuodion, P. E. (2019). Needs assessment of emergency medical and rescue services in Abuja/Nigeria and environs. BMC Emergency Medicine, 19(78), 8.
Cited by: 21

5. Mac, P. A., Airiohuodion, P. E., Yako, A. B., et al. (2022). The seroprevalence and hidden burden of chikungunya endemicity and malaria mono- and coinfection in Nigeria. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(15), 8896.
Cited by: 19

Lianfen Qian | Pandemic Preparedness | Best Researcher Award

United States

Prof. Lianfen Qian | Pandemic Preparedness | Best Researcher Award

Professor | The University of Arizona | United States

Dr. Lianfen Qian is a distinguished biostatistician and Professor of Practice at the University of Arizona, with extensive expertise in developing and applying statistical methodologies to biomedical, environmental, and genomic research. She earned her B.S. and M.S. in Mathematics and Statistics from Zhejiang University, China, and her Ph.D. in Statistics from Michigan State University. Dr. Qian’s research focuses on survival analysis, longitudinal data modeling, semi-competing risks, and structural change detection. Her work has been widely published in leading journals such as Biometrika, Computational Statistics & Data Analysis, and Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology. A seasoned educator and mentor, she has guided numerous Ph.D. and M.S. students, with one of her mentees earning first place in the 2015 ASA/CAUSE Undergraduate Research Project Competition. She has also served in leadership roles for the American Statistical Association’s South Florida Chapter and contributed as an NSF panelist. Dr. Qian’s career includes academic appointments at Florida Atlantic University and Lynn University, along with her leadership of Mathematics and Data Science, LLC. Her numerous honors include the ASA Award for Outstanding Chapter Service, NSF travel and research awards, and recognition in Who’s Who in America. She has collaborated on research projects funded by the NSF, NCI, and DoD, and continues to contribute to advancing data-driven research and interdisciplinary science. (Document: Lianfen Qian,

Profiles: Scopus | ORCID | Google Scholar

Featured Publications

1. Heilmayer, O., Digialleonardo, J., Qian, L., & Roesijadi, G. (2008). Stress tolerance of a subtropical Crassostrea virginica population to the combined effects of temperature and salinity. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 79(1), 179–185. Cited by 100.

2. Wang, S., Qian, L., & Carroll, R. J. (2010). Generalized empirical likelihood methods for analyzing longitudinal data. Biometrika, 97(1), 79–93. Cited by 78.

3. Koul, H. L., Qian, L., & Surgailis, D. (2003). Asymptotics of M-estimators in two-phase linear regression models. Stochastic Processes and Their Applications, 103(1), 123–154. Cited by 72.

4. Gan, W., Bragg, F., Walters, R. G., Millwood, I. Y., Lin, K., Chen, Y., Guo, Y., … (2019). Genetic predisposition to type 2 diabetes and risk of subclinical atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases among 160,000 Chinese adults. Diabetes, 68(11), 2155–2164. Cited by 71.

5. Xu, Y., Chen, B., Qian, W., & Li, H. (2013). Properties of pure n-butylammonium nitrate ionic liquid and its binary mixtures with alcohols at T = 293.15 to 313.15 K. The Journal of Chemical Thermodynamics, 58, 449–459. Cited by 70.