Nour-eddine Lazar | Material Synthesis and Engineering | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Nour-eddine Lazar | Material Synthesis and Engineering | Best Researcher Award

Research Engineer at University Mohammed VI Polytechnic, Morocco

Dr. Nour-eddine Lazar is a materials scientist specializing in ferroelectric materials, photocatalysis, microbial fuel cells, and environmental chemistry. He earned his Ph.D. in Material Sciences and Environment (2019–2024) from ENSAM – Mohammed V University in Rabat, where his thesis focused on the performance of ferroelectric materials as photocatalysts in microbial fuel cells. He previously completed a Master’s degree in Materials Chemistry (2016–2018) at the Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V University, working on ammonium sulphate fabrication as fertilizer and the valorisation of rare earth elements in phosphogypsum, followed by a Bachelor’s degree in General Chemistry (2013–2016) focused on physics, chemistry, and leachate treatment using natural adsorbents. Since April 2025, he has been conducting an internship at the University of Hassan II in Mohammedia on fertilizer formulation and analysis, after previously completing over 240 hours of practical teaching at both the University of Hassan II in Mohammedia and ENSAM Rabat. His research experience includes a COST Action project at the Technical University of Liberec, Czech Republic (2024), optimizing microbial fuel cell performance through advanced modified electrodes, and a Virtual Mobility internship between Sapienza University of Rome and Mohammed V University (2024) focused on modeling and experimentation of microbial fuel cells with varied volumes. Earlier, he completed internships at OCP Jorf Lasfar (2018), studying rare earth balance in ammonium sulphate manufacture, and at the National School of Mines in Rabat (2016), working on leachate treatment using natural adsorbents. He has presented his work at numerous international conferences, including MCSS Rabat (2021), 7JSNES Casablanca (2022), SPIN El Jadida (2022), ICAISSD Rabat (2022), and the Green Deal Implementation Conference in Poland (2023). Dr. Lazar has been recognized with multiple awards and grants, including 2nd place in an environmental competition (2022), an STSM COST Action Horizon grant (2024), and a Virtual Mobility COST grant (2024). He has authored 9 scientific documents, accumulated 139 citations from 107 citing documents, and holds an h-index of 7, reflecting his growing influence in materials chemistry, environmental technologies, and sustainable energy research.

Profiles: Scopus | Orcid 

Featured Publications

Allali, F., Kara, K., Elmazouzi, S., Lazar, N., Tajounte, L., Touach, N., Benzaouak, A., Lotfi, E. M., Lahmar, A., & Liotta, L. F. (2025). Effect of incorporation of Mg on LiTa0.6Nb0.4O3 photocatalytic performance in air-cathode MFCs for bioenergy production and wastewater treatment. Nanomaterials, 15(24), 1837.

Lazar, N.-E., Mazkad, D., Moussadik, A., El Habib Hitar, M., Benzaouak, A., Touach, N., Nicolle, J., Cagnon, B., Yalcinkaya, F., Riadi, Y., & others. (2024). High-performance ferroelectric photocatalysts for rapid dye degradation: ZrO₂-doped LiTa0.5Nb0.5O₃ under solar UV light. Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology.

Moussadik, A., Mazkad, D., Lazar, N.-E., Benzaouak, A., Abrouki, Y., Kacimi, M., Halim, M., Tielens, F., & El Hamidi, A. (2024). Self-grown Ag₂O nanoparticles on Ag-NASICON material for efficient visible light photocatalysis. Optical Materials, 146, 114803. h

Benkaddour, S., El Ouahabi, I., Essoufy, M., Hiyane, H., Lazar, N., Saufi, H., Slimani, R., Shalaby, N. F., Riadi, Y., & Abdel-Gawad, S. A. (2024). Biosorption of Basic Yellow 28 dye onto watermelon seeds. Part II: Modeling and optimization by response surface methodology. Green Chemistry Letters and Reviews.

Lazar, N., Mazkad, D., Kharti, H., Yalcinkaya, F., Pietrelli, A., Ferrara, V., Touach, N., Benzaouak, A., El Mahi, M., & Lotfi, E. M. (2024). Maximizing power generation in single-chamber microbial fuel cells: The role of LiTa0.5Nb0.5O₃/g-C₃N₄ photocatalyst. Materials for Renewable and Sustainable Energy.

Mazkad, D., El Idrissi, A., Marrane, S. E., Lazar, N., El Ouardi, M., Dardari, O., Channab, B.-E., Layachi, O. A., Farsad, S., & Baqais, A., et al. (2024). An innovative diatomite–polypyrrole composite for highly efficient Cr(VI) removal through optimized adsorption via surface response methodology. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 671, 133172.

Moussadik, A., Lazar, N.-E., Mazkad, D., Siro Brigiano, F., Baert, K., Hauffman, T., Benzaouak, A., Abrouki, Y., Kacimi, M., & Tielens, F., et al. (2023). Investigation of electronic and photocatalytic properties of AgTi₂(PO₄)₃ NASICON-type phosphate: Combining experimental data and DFT calculations. Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry, 434, 114289.

Mahadi Hasan | Materials Chemistry | Best Researcher Award 

Mr. Mahadi Hasan | Materials Chemistry | Best Researcher Award 

Mr. Mahadi Hasan | University of South Dakota | United States

Mr. Mahadi Hasan completed his BS and MS from the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh, and worked as a lecturer for five years before relocating to the United States for a second master’s degree. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the Materials Chemistry program at the University of South Dakota. His research focuses on the targeted delivery of anticancer drugs using smart nano-cargo of mineral particles, emphasizing synthesis modification and surface functionalization of nanomaterials. He developed a method for delivering veratridine into colorectal cancer cells using casein-coated carboxylated mesoporous silica nanoparticles and discovered a spongelike morphology of calcium citrate particles and calcium carbonate submicroparticles (400–700 nm), which are advantageous for drug delivery applications. He has also developed an undergraduate laboratory experiment modeling drug discovery and targeted delivery using calcium-based particles. His completed and ongoing projects include mesoporous silica nanoparticle-based targeted drug delivery against colorectal cancer, PEGylated MSNs and calcium carbonate submicroparticles as drug carriers, calcium carbonate nanoparticles as mineral sunscreen against skin cancer, and hydroxyapatite nanorods for gene transfer in plants. He has published 1 SCI-indexed article in Cancers (2025) on liver-specific nanoparticle-mediated delivery and MMP-triggered release of veratridine to target metastatic colorectal cancer, collaborating with Professor Dr. Khosrow Rezvani. He is an ACS member since 2022 and works at the intersection of organic chemistry, materials chemistry, nanotechnology, drug delivery, and biomedical sciences. His research contributes significantly to oncology by creating mineral particle-based gated drug delivery systems, advancing both fundamental knowledge and practical therapeutics. His work has 1 publication, with citations accumulating and an h-index of 1, reflecting his growing influence in nanomedicine and targeted therapeutics. Through interdisciplinary collaboration, he is moving toward commercialization of his technology, highlighting the translational impact of his work. His innovations provide practical solutions for colorectal cancer treatment while educating the next generation of chemists and biomedical scientists. His contributions span drug delivery, nanomaterial synthesis, particle morphology engineering, biomedical applications, and translational therapeutics. By integrating chemistry and biomedical sciences, he advances health innovation and sustainable therapeutic strategies. His research has established a platform for further exploration of mineral particle-based nanomedicine. His work demonstrates a unique combination of creativity, scientific rigor, and translational potential in cancer therapeutics, materials chemistry, and nanotechnology. He continues to collaborate with biomedical scientists to optimize nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems for oncology. His developments in mineral particle engineering offer novel approaches for targeted, efficient, and controlled drug delivery. The focus on spongelike calcium citrate and submicroparticles ensures high payload capacity, biocompatibility, and therapeutic efficacy. He emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches that bridge chemistry, materials science, and biomedical applications. His contributions are fostering a new generation of mineral-based nanomedicine platforms with significant health impact.

Profile: Orcid 

Featured Publications

Hasan, M., Eikanger, M., Sane, S., Wijewardhane, K. S. K., Slunecka, J. L., Freeling, J., Rezvani, K., & Sereda, G. (2025). Liver-specific nanoparticle-mediated delivery and MMP-triggered release of veratridine to effectively target metastatic colorectal cancer. Cancers, 17(19), 3253.

Hasan, M., Eikanger, M., Sane, S., Wijewardhane, K. S. K., Slunecka, J., Freeling, J., Rezvani, K., & Sereda, G. (2025). Liver-specific nanoparticle-mediated delivery and MMP-triggered release of veratridine, a potent pro-apoptotic molecule, to effectively target metastatic colorectal cancer [Preprint]. Preprints.