ASSOCIATE EDITOR

 Dr. Jitendra Kumar Pandey is a Professor and the Founder Director of the Himalayan Institute for Learning and Leadership (HILL) at UPES, Dehradun. Recognized among the top 2% scientists worldwide by Stanford University, Dr. Pandey brings expertise in sustainable technologies, environmental engineering, water purification, and polymer nanocomposites.

He has led numerous interdisciplinary research projects funded by prestigious agencies including the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), and the Indo-French Centre for the Promotion of Advanced Research (IFCPAR).

Dr. Pandey’s research primarily targets sustainable and practical solutions for critical environmental challenges, especially in fragile mountain ecosystems such as the Himalayas. His work spans water purification technologies, renewable energy integration, and development of polymer nanocomposites aimed at improving environmental health and resilience.

He has published extensively in reputed international journals and is actively involved in mentoring Ph.D. scholars across multiple scientific and engineering disciplines. Under his leadership, HILL has become a hub for innovation, promoting grassroots development and sustainable practices tailored to the unique needs of Himalayan communities.

In addition to his research, Dr. Pandey plays an active role in curriculum development and teaching at undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral levels. His commitment to bridging academic research with real-world applications continues to drive positive environmental and social impact in the region.

 Prof. Dhruv Kumar is a Professor and Cluster Head at the Allied Health Sciences, School of Health Sciences and Technology, UPES, Dehradun. Listed as a top 2% world’s most influential scientist in the area of Oncology and cancer Biology. His academic journey includes a B.Sc. in Chemistry from Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi, and M.Sc. in Bioinformatics with Distinction from the University of Allahabad (AU), Prayagraj. Dr. Dhruv Kumar further distinguished himself by completing his Ph.D. in Cellular, Molecular, and Industrial Biology from the University of Bologna (UNIBO), Italy, under the highly prestigious fellowship of the Ministry of Human Resource and Development (MHRD), Indo-Italian Government fellowship. Following the completion of his Ph.D., he embarked on a five-year Postdoctoral training at the School of Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, USA. Dr. Kumar's research has been dedicated to several cancer types, including Prostate, Pancreatic, Brain, Breast, and Head and Neck Cancer, with a primary focus on unraveling the molecular mechanisms regulating Autophagy and Apoptosis in Cancer Stem Cells. Currently, his laboratory is actively exploring the Autophagy-Metabolic axis in various cancer cells, such as head and neck, oral, breast, and brain, along with investigating the tumor microenvironment for the development of innovative therapeutic approaches. Notably, his research group has made significant contributions to Drug Designing and Drug Repurposing for COVID-19. Dr. Dhruv Kumar's scholarly contributions are evident in his extensive publication record, with articles featured in prestigious journals such as Cancer Research, Cancer Letters, Molecular Cancer, Oncogenesis, Seminars in Cancer Biology, JAMA Otolaryngology, Nature Scientific Reports, and many more. Presently, Dr. Kumar is actively engaged in numerous government-funded projects and is mentoring eight Ph.D. students in the areas of Cancer and Infertility. Beyond his research endeavors, he plays a vital role in teaching courses at the undergraduate (UG), postgraduate (PG), and Ph.D. levels, covering subjects related to Cancer Biology, Stem Cell Biology, Molecular Medicine, and Bioinformatics.