Prof. Dr. Zhifei Li | Environmental Science | Best Researcher Award

Prof. Dr. Zhifei Li | Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou | China

Zhifei Li is a distinguished researcher known for advancing aquaculture science, environmental engineering, and sustainable fisheries. His work spans freshwater pond healthy aquaculture, industrial recirculating aquaculture systems, ecological treatment of aquaculture tailwater, and large-water-area ecological fisheries. He has taken on significant scientific and advisory responsibilities within research institutions, engineering technology centers, and regional environmental governance bodies. His contributions are recognized through leadership roles in aquaculture pollution remediation, rural science and technology service, and expert consultation for large-scale aquaculture improvement initiatives. Zhifei Li has led numerous national and provincial research programs, including foundational research projects, key R&D initiatives, and regional technological innovation schemes. He has also collaborated on multiple multidisciplinary projects involving biofilm regulation, quorum sensing mechanisms, engineered bacteria, and low-temperature wastewater treatment systems for aquaculture. His research emphasizes practical and scalable solutions for improving water quality, enhancing aquaculture system efficiency, and promoting ecological fisheries development. Scientifically, his contributions are well-documented. He has authored 120 research documents, accumulating 1,756 citations from 1,362 citing documents, and holds an h-index of 23, reflecting strong academic influence. His publication record includes articles in recognized international journals, as well as contributions to several academic books. His innovation output features multiple authorized invention patents, software copyrights, and ongoing patented technologies with domestic and international relevance. Zhifei Li is also active in consultancy and industry-linked projects, providing technical solutions to aquaculture enterprises and environmental management programs. His collaborations extend to engineered microbial systems for wastewater treatment and biofilm regulation. Professionally, he serves in important roles within committees related to aquaculture environment and wastewater treatment and contributes to the development of future researchers as a supervisor in advanced academic programs.

Profile: Scopus | Orcid

Featured Publications

Li, J., Ma, J., Li, Z., Xie, J., Zhang, Y., Yu, M., Xia, Y., Gong, W., Zhang, K., Wang, G., et al. (2025). C4-HSL drives rapid biofilm formation in low-temperature aquaculture effluent: Strengthening structural stability of biofilm and improving nitrogen removal efficiency. Environmental Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2025.122408

Zhang, W., Ji, M., Wang, B., Xie, J., Wang, G., Gong, W., Li, H., Xia, Y., Zhang, K., Li, Z., et al. (2025). Comparative analysis of muscle metabolomics and gut microbiome provides new insights into the high fat intolerance mechanism of juvenile grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella). Aquaculture Reports. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aqrep.2025.102864

Zhang, K., Luo, Y.-M., Xie, J., Gong, W.-B., Li, Z.-F., Xia, Y., Xie, W.-P., Tian, J.-J., Li, H.-Y., Wang, G.-J., et al. (2025). Effect of complex carbon sources on the vertical distribution and exchange flux of nitrogen nutrient at the sediment–water interface. SSRN. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5098069

Tian, J., Wang, B., Ji, M., Gong, W., Li, H., Xia, Y., Zhang, K., Li, Z., Xie, W., Wang, G., et al. (2025). Effects of berberine combined with Pennisetum sinese Roxb meal on growth, hepatic lipid metabolism, and intestinal health of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella). Aquaculture Reports. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aqrep.2025.102702

Wang, Z., Xie, J., Wang, G., Li, Z., Zhang, K., He, Z., Tian, J., Xie, W., Li, H., & Xia, Y., et al. (2025). Effects of Clostridium butyricum or Chinese herbal preparation on hepatic antioxidant capacity, immune function, and gut microbiota of bullfrog tadpoles and froglets (丁酸梭菌或中草药制剂对牛蛙蝌蚪和幼蛙肝脏抗氧化能力、免疫功能及肠道菌群的影响). Chinese Journal of Animal Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.12418/CJAN2025.438

Dr. Nicola Cantasano | Environmental Science | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Nicola Cantasano | National Research Council of Italy | Italy

Dr. Nicola Cantasano’s research integrates marine biology, astrobiology, and freshwater ecosystem monitoring, focusing on developing innovative methodologies to measure, map, and interpret complex ecological systems on Earth and beyond. His work spans both marine and planetary environments, uniting biological and geological perspectives to enhance understanding of life’s signatures in diverse contexts. In marine science, he has made significant contributions to the taxonomy of seaweeds, monitoring of Posidonia oceanica meadows, and the management of beach-cast seagrasses, which are vital for Mediterranean coastal stability and biodiversity. His studies have also explored the surveillance of invasive algal species such as Caulerpa racemosa, contributing to regional environmental management and conservation strategies. Through the development of water mapping and ecological assessment methods, including the Indice di Funzionalità Fluviale (I.F.F.), he has advanced tools for evaluating the ecological status of fluvial systems, particularly within the Calabrian region. Dr. Cantasano’s research extends into astrobiology, where he investigates potential biosignatures on Mars by analyzing digital imagery from NASA missions. He explores analogies between terrestrial stromatolites—layered microbial structures formed by cyanobacteria—and Martian organosedimentary formations, proposing biogenic interpretations of textures observed in Martian rocks. This work contributes to the broader understanding of planetary habitability and the possible existence of ancient microbial life on Mars. His extensive publications cover topics such as marine and freshwater ecosystem management, coastal zone conservation, nutrient dynamics, and biogeochemical assessments. He has published in leading journals including Ocean & Coastal Management, International Journal of Astrobiology, Plant Biosystems, and Rendiconti Lincei. By bridging marine ecology and planetary science, his research provides innovative frameworks for sustainable ecosystem management on Earth and supports the scientific quest for life beyond it.

Featured Publications

Cantasano, N. (2025). Ecological and fluvial corridor of the Verri Stream as a connecting step in the Natura 2000 network along the Calabria coastal region, Italy. Environments, 12(11), 426. https://doi.org/10.3390/environments12110426

Cantasano, N., Di Martino, V., & Pellicone, G. (2024). The invasion of Caulerpa cylindracea Sonder 1845 in the Calabria coastal seas. Coasts, 4(1), 3. https://doi.org/10.3390/coasts4010003

Ietto, F., Pellicone, G., & Cantasano, N. (2023). Silting process and loss of Posidonia oceanica meadows in the Tyrrhenian waters of Calabria (Southern Italy). Sustainability, 15(17), 13102. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151713102

Ietto, F., Pellicone, G., & Cantasano, N. (2023, May 25). Silting process and loss of Posidonia oceanica meadows in the Tyrrhenian Calabria waters (Southern Italy). Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202305.1751.v1

Cantasano, N. (2022). Marine pollution by microplastics in the Mediterranean Sea. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 10(7), 858. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10070858

Bentaallah, M. E. A., Taibi, N. E., & Cantasano, N. (2021). Additional new records of Caulerpa cylindracea Sonder 1845 along the West Algerian coasts. Indian Journal of Geo-Marine Sciences, 50(1), 97–103.*

Cantasano, N., Caloiero, T., Pellicone, G., Aristodemo, F., De Marco, A., & Tagarelli, G. (2021). Can ICZM contribute to the mitigation of erosion and of human activities threatening the natural and cultural heritage of the coastal landscape of Calabria? Sustainability, 13(3), 1122. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13031122