Mr. YoungSoo Cho | Polymer Science | Best Researcher Award

Mr. YoungSoo Cho | Kyunghee University | South Korea

Mr. YoungSoo Cho is a dedicated packaging engineer and researcher with over three years of specialized experience in eco-friendly packaging development and product innovation. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Yonsei University, Wonju Campus, where he built a strong analytical foundation that now supports his technical approach to packaging design and optimization. Currently based in South Korea, Mr. Cho has served in key roles at Soft Pack Co., Ltd., and Thermo Lab Korea, where he led multiple national projects focused on sustainable materials, quality control, and certification management. His professional expertise includes R&D in paper-based packaging, injection-molded valve development, and biodegradable coating materials. Proficient in ISO and FSC certification management, QC protocol development, and testing supervision, he has significantly contributed to improving process efficiency and product reliability in packaging operations. Mr. Cho’s qualifications include certification as a Packaging Engineer and intermediate proficiency in AutoCAD, enhancing his design and production capabilities. His TOEIC score of 810 reflects strong English communication skills, complementing his technical expertise in cross-functional collaboration. With a reputation for persistence, responsibility, and innovation, he has successfully managed government-funded research projects, developed new product lines, and introduced eco-conscious solutions for consumer packaging. Combining scientific precision with creative engineering, Mr. Cho continues to advance the field of sustainable packaging through his commitment to research, innovation, and environmental responsibility. His ability to integrate technical skill, regulatory compliance, and sustainable design principles marks him as a promising professional contributing to the next generation of environmentally friendly packaging solutions.

Profile: Orcid

Featured Publication

Kim, G. H., Cho, Y. S., Shin, G. H., & Kim, J. T. (2025). Effect of silane surface treatments on the interfacial shear strength between cotton yarn and poly(lactic acid) resin. Materials, 18(19), 4582.

Dr. Walmik Karbhari Gaikwad | Polymer Science | Best Industrial Research Award

Dr. Walmik Karbhari Gaikwad | Inventprise Inc. Redmond WA USA | United States

Dr. Walmik Karbhari Gaikwad is an accomplished biopharmaceutical scientist and manufacturing leader with over 18 years of combined experience in research, development, and large-scale production of vaccines and biotherapeutics. He currently serves as Manufacturing Manager at Inventprise Inc., Redmond, Washington, where he oversees cGMP-compliant production of proteins, conjugates, and drug substances for vaccines, ensuring regulatory adherence and process efficiency. Previously, he held a long tenure at Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd., where he played a key role in developing and optimizing multivalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine processes, achieving significant cost reduction and scalability improvements. Dr. Gaikwad holds a Ph.D. in Chemical and Biotechnology from Savitribai Phule Pune University, with research focused on conjugation processes for Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 2 polysaccharides, and earlier earned his M.Tech. in Biotechnology and B.Tech. in Chemical Sciences. He is an inventor of two international patents and has authored 4 peer-reviewed documents, with 22 citations across 14 documents and an h-index of 3, reflecting the growing impact of his scholarly contributions. His research publications in journals such as Carbohydrate Polymers and Carbohydrate Research explore advanced methods for simultaneous purification, partial depolymerization, and antigenicity preservation of pneumococcal polysaccharides. Recognized with a Best Presentation Award at the International Conference on Industrial Biotechnology, he is also an editorial board member and peer reviewer for multiple journals, actively contributing to scientific integrity. His expertise spans process development, upstream and downstream bioprocessing, technology transfer, QbD, GLP/cGMP compliance, regulatory audits, and cross-functional leadership. Dr. Gaikwad is passionate about applying his research and industrial knowledge to advance vaccine accessibility, improve bioprocess efficiency, and mentor the next generation of biopharmaceutical professionals.

Profiles: Scopus | Orcid | Google Scholar | Linkedin | ResearchGate

Featured Publications

Gaikwad, W. K., Kodam, K. M., Dhere, R. M., Jana, S. K., Gautam, M., Mallya, A. D., et al. (2021). Simultaneous purification and depolymerization of Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 2 capsular polysaccharides by trifluoroacetic acid. Carbohydrate Polymers, 261, 117859.

Gaikwad, W. K., Jana, S. K., Dhere, R. M., Ravenscroft, N., & Kodam, K. M. (2022). Purification of capsular polysaccharides isolated from S. pneumoniae serotype 2 by hydrogen peroxide and endonuclease. Carbohydrate Polymers, 294, 119783.

Gaikwad, W. K., Dhere, R. M., Jana, S. K., Mallya, A. D., Soni, D. J., Gholap, M., et al. (2023). Effect of trifluoroacetic acid on the antigenicity of capsular polysaccharides obtained from various Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes. Carbohydrate Polymers, 320, 121204.

Gaikwad, W. K., Jana, S. K., Dhere, R. M., Ravenscroft, N., & Kodam, K. M. (2022). Partial depolymerization of capsular polysaccharides isolated from Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 2 by various methods. Carbohydrate Research, 512, 108503.

Dhere, R. M., Jana, S. K., & Gaikwad, W. K. (2023). Methods for simultaneous fragmentation and purification of bacterial polysaccharides. European Patent EP4150104A1.