Ibane Abasolo obtained degrees in Biochemistry and Biology from the University of Navarra in 1997 and 1998, respectively. During her doctorate in the laboratories of Dr. Alfonso Calvo (CIMA, Pamplona) and Prof. Zhou Wang (Northwestern University, Chicago, USA), she studied the role of a peptide hormone, adrenomedullin, in the prostate cancer. Dr. Abasolo continued her postdoctoral training in the group of Prof. F.X. Real (IMIM, Barcelona), where she focused on the study of key factors on the progression of pancreatic cancer and the development of the cerebellum. During this time, she gained extensive experience in experimental mouse models, including all steps from the generation of new transgenic models, to the molecular and cellular characterization of existing ones. Later, Dr. Abasolo moved to the High Technology Institute (PRBB, Barcelona), where she was trained in molecular imaging techniques such as microPET, SPECT and CT.

Dr. Abasolo has been part of the CIBER-BBN since 2007, when she joined the group led by Dr. Schwartz at the Vall d’Hebron Hospital, where she launched the Functional Validation and Preclinical Research Area (FVPR) of the CIBBIM -Nanomedicine as a technological platform from which industry or academic groups can advance in the preclinical development of its compounds. In fact, FVPR is part of Unit 20 and the Singular Scientific Technical Infrastructure (ICTS) Nanbiosis and is certified with ISO9001: 2015.

As a researcher, Dr. Abasolo currently collaborates in 4 European projects (NoCanTher, EvoNano, Safe-Med-Tech and Mimic-Key) and leads many other national projects, focused on improving the treatment of lysosomal storage disorders (PI18 / 00871 from ISCIII and ExoProd funded by FIPSE) or in the study of the role of tumor stem cells in cancer progression (NanoDireCT, RETOS-Collaboration project). At CIBER-BBN, Dr. Abasolo directly coordinates 3 intramural projects and a recently awarded valorization project (ADVERT).

Francesca Granucci obtained the PhD in Pharmacology and toxicology in 1996. She then performed the Post doc at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute – Boston. From 1997 to 2001 she worked as researcher at the Italian National Research in Milan and from 2001 to 2006 she worked as researcher at the University of Milano-Bicocca. In 2006 she obtained a position as Associate Professor and in 2016 as Full Professor at the University of Milano-Bicocca. She has pioneered systems biology approaches to study complex dynamic processes, such as host-pathogen interactions, the process of dendritic cell maturation and the role of dendritic cells in activating and controlling NK cell functions. More recently she focused her research activity on signalling events downstream of CD14/TLR4 within cells of the mammalian innate immune system and she identified some of the key functions played by the NFATc family of transcription factors activated in dendritic cells in response to PRR agonists.

Yurii K. Gun’ko received his MSc and Ph.D. degrees in Chemistry from Moscow State University in 1987 and 1990, respectively. He then worked as a lecturer at the Belarus Institute of Technology, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Sussex (UK), and the Universities of Göttingen and Magdeburg (Germany). In 1999, he was appointed as a Lecturer in Inorganic Chemistry at Trinity College Dublin, later promoted to Associate Professor, and finally appointed to the 1922 Chair in 2014. His main research interests and activities are in the areas of quantum dots, chiral nanomaterials, plasmonic and magnetic nanostructures for potential biomedical applications. Professor Gun'ko has over 268 peer reviewed journal publications, 10 peer reviewed conference proceedings and written one book and 11 book chapters to date.

Keynote Tak title: Engineering Chirality at the Nanoscale for Bio-Selective Interactions

Dr. Panseri has been trained on different topics in internationally renowned institutes such as University of Milano Bicocca and San Raffaele Scientific Institute (Stem Cell Research Institute) in Italy, Brain Research Institute of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH) and University of Zurich, Columbia University (Dep. of Biomedical Engineering, New York). Her research activity has always been characterized by a multi and interdisciplinary approach, at the interfaces between nanotechnology and regenerative medicine. Her interests are focused on novel approaches in tissue engineering and nanomedicine, and she had acquired expertise in 3D stem cell culture with several nanobiomaterials and in vivo regenerative medicine. She was awarded the SIBS award for “Best PhD Thesis of 2009 in Biological Field”.

In 2010 she moved to the Institute of Science and Technology for Ceramics, National Research Council of Italy. She set up the first Cell/Biomaterial Interaction Lab of the Institute that she still manages. In the last years she has been involved as key personnel in several Eu projects (SCREENED - H2020‐SC1‐BHC-27‐2018‐825745. BioTechMA ‐ 2014‐1‐IT02‐KA203‐003482. MAGISTER ‐ NMP3‐LA‐2008‐214685. OPHIS ‐ FP7‐NMP‐2009‐SMALL‐3‐246373. SMILEY ‐ NMP4‐SL‐2012‐310637).

She is co-inventor of 2 patents, she has been trained in BioEntrepreneurship (Advanced short course on BioBusiness - Swiss University in Lugano; Business Planning Bootcamp - EIT RawMaterials, Anacapri), and in 2013 she was awarded “Best Research Ideas” for the Market Competition (Second Prize): “Magnetic Bioactive and Biodegradable Micro‐Nano beads” at MiMe International Conference. Author of more than 60 papers published in international peer‐reviewed journals, 12 book chapters, H‐index 21, co‐editor of the eBook 'Biomimetic approaches for tissue healing'. Guest Editor of several Special Issues in peer‐reviewed journals.

Lucia Gemma Delogu, Ph.D., is the head of the ImmuneNano-Lab at the Department of Biomedical Sciences of the University of Padua (UNIPD Padua, Italy) www.delogulab.eu. After acquiring her experience in Immunology and Material Science at the University of Southern California (Los Angeles, USA) and at Sanford-Burnham Institute (San Diego, USA), she served as Assistant Professor at the University of Sassari (Italy) and as Visiting Professor at the Technische Universität Dresden (TUD; Dresden, Germany).

Dr. Delogu has been the Scientific Coordinator of two interdisciplinary EU projects, under HORIZON2020, including a RISE project on nanomedicine and immune interactions of nanomaterials, involving more than 10 leading Institutions and high-profile international scientists on nanotechnology and nanomedicine. In this field, she has received several awards, including the “Marie S. Curie Individual Fellow” at TUD under HORIZON2020 from the European Commission, the “200 Young Best Talents of Italy 2011” from the Italian Ministry of Youth, and “Bedside to Bench & Back Award” from the National Institutes of Health, USA. Since 2020, Dr. Delogu is in charge of the Italian chapter and a member of the road map working group of the Advanced Material Global Pandemic & Future Preparedness Taskforce (AMPT) www.amptnetwork.com/. She introduced the “NanoImmunity-by-design” concept, for the design of nanomaterials based not solely on their physicochemical characteristics but also on their immunomodulatory characteristics.

She pioneered the use of systems immunology approach by high-dimensional single-cell strategies in the context of nanomaterial applications. Her research focuses on the biological interactions of nanomaterials and nanoparticles, with a particular focus on their immunomodulation properties, biomedical applications and toxicological profile.

Riccarda Antiochia is Associate Professor at Sapienza University of Rome (Italy). She received a MSc degree in Chemistry with honors in 1992 and a MSc degree in Pharmacy with honors in 2009 both at Sapienza University of Rome. In 1994 received the Diploma of Imperial College at Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London and in 1996 received a Ph.D. in Chemical Sciences at Sapienza University of Rome. She was awarded of the national scientific qualifications as Full Professor for the scientific sectors CHIM/01, Analytical Chemistry, in 2018, and MED/46, Applied Medical Technologies, in 2019.

She is a Member of the Steering Committee of CNIS, Research Center for Biotechnology applied to Engineering of Sapienza University of Rome from 2011. She is author of 90 papers on international peer-reviewed scientific journals, 3 book chapters and 1 monography.

Her scientific activity is focused on the fields of biotechnology, nanotechnology and analytical chemistry. The main area of research is the design, development and application of electrochemical biosensors for biomedical, food and environmental analysis. More recently, she is involved in the characterization of new nanostructured materials for electrode modification in second- and third-generation electrochemical biosensors, biofuel cells and microneedles-based biosensors development.