Smart Approaches for Cancer Diagnosis, Therapy, and its Associated Challenges

Professor Paul A. Millner is a leading figure in bionanotechnology at the University of Leeds, currently serving as a Visiting Professor in the School of Biomedical Sciences. He earned his BSc in Biochemistry and PhD in Plant Sciences from Leeds, followed by postdoctoral research at Purdue University and Imperial College London. Initially focused on plant cell signaling, his research transitioned to biotechnology, emphasizing biosensors, biocatalysis and cancer theranostics.

Professor Millner's work centers on integrating biomolecules like enzymes and synthetic receptors (e.g., Affimers) with non-biological surfaces to develop functional devices for diagnostics and environmental applications. His group has pioneered reagentless electrochemical immunosensors and explored nanoparticle-based systems for targeted drug delivery and imaging. Notably, he coordinated EU-funded projects such as ELISHA and SANTS, leading to the establishment of ELISHA Systems Ltd. He has published more than 150 research articles and numerous books and book chapters.

Dr. Arindam Pramanik is an Assistant Professor at the Amity University Noida, and serves as a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Leeds. He earned his PhD in Life Science and Biotechnology from Jadavpur University, focusing on targeted drug delivery using polymeric and metal-based nanoparticles. His postdoctoral research includes prestigious fellowships from India's Department of Science and Technology (DST) and Department of Biotechnology (DBT). As a part of Newton fellowship from royal society at University of Leeds, he contributed to cancer therapeutics, notably developing Affimer-conjugated cubosomes for targeted delivery to colon and breast cancer cells. He has been recognized internationally, earning him the Joe Gray Travel Award by Oregon State University, USA. Dr. Pramanik's research interests encompass cancer biomarkers, gene therapy, and nanostructured drug delivery systems, including liposomal and hydrogel-based platforms. He is leading multiple research projects and has published numerous book/chapters in reputed journals.

Dr. Ajay Kumar is currently working as an assistant professor at Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida, India. Dr. Kumar recently completed his tenure as a visiting scientist from Agriculture Research Organization, Volcani Center, Israel. He has published more than 200 research, review articles, and book chapters in international and national journals. He serves as an associate editor for Frontiers in Microbiology, BMC Microbiology and as guest editor for various journals such as Plants, Microorganisms, and Sustainability. Dr. Kumar has also edited more than 40 books with the leading publishers such as Elsevier, Springer, and Wiley. Dr. Kumar’s research experience is in the field of plant–microbe interactions, postharvest management, cyanobacterial biology, and so on