Yin Xiao
(Griffith University, Australia)

Prof. Yin Xiao is a distinguished professor of dentistry, oral health, and medicine at Griffith University, an adjunct professor of medical engineering at the Queensland University of Technology, and an honorary professor at the University of Queensland. He was a dental specialist (BDSc 1986 and MDSc 1991 from Wuhan University) and a research scientist (PhD 2000 from the University of Queensland). He is the Founder and the Director of the Australia-China Centre for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (ACCTERM), established in 2013, and the Joint Research Centre of Functional Biomaterials for Tissue and Organ Replacement. His work predominantly focuses on bone, biomaterials, stem cells, dentistry, and tissue regeneration. He has authored more than 360 journal papers, three books, and 23 book chapters. His H index is 86 (GS), and his work has been cited more than 31,000 times. He was named one of the top 250 researchers in Australia and the field leader in Biomedical Technology in 2019 and 2021 by Australian Research Magazine. He is an awardee of Outstanding Scientist by the TERMIS-AP Society (2022) and one of the world’s top 2% scientists in the AD Scientific Index.

Roberta Maia Sabino
(University of Wyoming, USA)

My research focuses on the development of multifunctional materials for biomedical applications, particularly in the cardiovascular and orthopedic fields. This encompasses the design of novel nanostructured and biomimetic surfaces to enhance cellular and subcellular functions. Through these designs, we aim to improve the blood compatibility and biocompatibility of materials, while also promoting osteogenic activity and reducing the risk of bacterial infection. Furthermore, we are exploring the development of biomaterials that not only enhance interaction with the surrounding tissue but also have the capability to sense their local environment. My overarching goal is to elucidate the mechanisms behind tissue-biomaterial interaction and leverage this knowledge to create implants with superior performance, thereby preventing device failure.

Yong Taik Lim
(Sungkyunkwan University, Korea, Republic of)

Yong Taik Lim is a professor in the Department of Nano Engineering, SKKU Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology and the School of Chemical Engineering at Sungkyunkwan University, South Korea. After he received his Ph.D. degree from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) in 2002, he joined John V. Franginoni's laboratory at Harvard Medical School as a postdoctoral research fellow. Currently, he is focusing on the development of immunomodulatory materials through immunobioengineering for enhanced cancer immunotherapy as well as the control of infectious diseases.

Jee-Heon Jeong
(Sungkyunkwan University, Korea, Republic of)

Currently serving as an Associate Professor at Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, I hold editorial roles as an Editorial Board Member for the Journal of Controlled Release and the International Journal of Stem Cells, and as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation. My research endeavors focus on enhancing the therapeutic efficiency of cell-based medicines through the utilization of drug delivery and tissue engineering technologies.

Sebastien Perrier
(University of Warwick, United Kingdom)

Professor Sébastien Perrier graduated from the Ecole National Supèrieure de Chimie de Montpellier, France, in 1998. He undertook his PhD at the University of Warwick, England, in polymer chemistry, and spent one year as a postdoctoral fellow at the Centre for Advances Macromolecular Design (University of New South Wales), Australia. He started his academic career at Leeds in 2002 as a lecturer, then moved to the University of Sydney in 2007, as director of the Key Centre for Polymers & Colloids. In October 2013, Sébastien was appointed as the Monash-Warwick Alliance Chair in Polymer Chemistry, a joint appointment between the Department of Chemistry at the University of Warwick, UK, and the Faculty of Pharmacy at Monash University, Australia. Sébastien’s team focuses on the use of macromolecular engineering to design functional nanostructured materials, with applications ranging from material science to nanotechnology and nanomedicine. He has published over 300 articles, which have received over 20,000 citations (h-index 71), and supervised to date 57 PhD students and 31 postdocs. He has held a wide range of active roles in his discipline through involvements in professional and technical societies, including Macro Group UK, Australian RACI Polymer division, IUPAC committee, chairing of international conferences and through membership of editorial boards of international peer reviewed journals from RSC, ACS and Wiley. He is currently an Associate Editor of the RSC journal Polymer Chemistry, one of the top journals in the field of Polymer Science. His awards include the Macro Group UK Young Researcher Award (2006), the Rennie Memorial Medal (2009), the RACI Applied Research Award (2012), a Future Fellowship (2012), the Australian Academy of Science Le Fèvre Memorial Prize (2013), the Wolfson Merit Award (Royal Society, 2014), the Biomacromolecules / Macromolecules Young Investigator Award (ACS, 2014), the IUPAC / Samsung Young Polymer Scientist Award (IUPAC, 2014) and the Macro Group UK Medal (Macro Group UK, 2018).

Zhengwei Mao
(Zhejiang University, China)

Dr. Zhengwei Mao is an Associate Professor (2010-2018) and then a Professor (since 2019) in the Department of Polymer Science and Engineering at Zhejiang University. He received a Ph.D. at Zhejiang University in the field of Materials Science and had a postdoc experience at Max Planck Institute of Colloids and interfaces, Germany. Dr. Mao’s research is focused on polymeric biomaterials, and seeks to control microstructure of materials for the purpose to manipulating the responses of cells and tissues, with the application for cancer therapy and tissue regeneration. Dr. Mao has published more than 150 papers in peer-review journals such as Nat Nano, Nat Comm, Sci Adv, Adv Mater, J Am Chem Soc, Angew Chem Int Ed, Biomaterials, ACS Nano, Nano Letters and so on. The publications were cited for over 9,500 times and H index is 52. His research has received international attention and “young investigator award” from Chinese Association of Biomaterials. He now serves as one of the editors of Acta Biomaterialia.

Xiaojun Cai
(Wenzhou Medical University, China)

Xiaojun Cai, Ph.D., Principal Investigator and Ph.D. Supervisor of Wenzhou Medical University; He has long been engaged in the controlled delivery of gas transmitters, exploring their potential applications in antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and other fields; He has published more than 30 papers in Advanced Materials, Materials Today, Adv. Funct. Mater, Biomaterials, Small, and other Journals; He has more than 10 Chinese invention patents and has led a number of national, provincial and ministerial scientific research projects; He has been selected as a high-level health innovation talent in Zhejiang Province, a high-level top talent in Zhejiang Province, and a leading talent in colleges and universities.

Catherine Le Visage
(Nantes University, France)

Catherine Le Visage is a Research Director and the Deputy Director of the Regenerative Medicine and Skeleton lab in Nantes, France (www.rmes.univ-nantes.fr). She was trained as a Pharmacist, received her Ph.D. in Paris then performed a post-doc at the Johns Hopkins University (USA). She then joined the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research in a tenured position.
In the "Skeletal Physiopathology and Joint Regenerative Medicine" team headed by Prof J. Guicheux, her most recent works as a group leader have focused on innovative hydrogels as i) carriers of cells or bioactive molecules in the context of IVD disease and osteoarthritis and ii) biofabrication tools for the development of in vitro models.
She is an elected member of the TERMIS-EU Council, an elected member of the French Academy of Pharmacy, an Associate Editor for Biomaterials (Elsevier), a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of "ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces" and a reviewer for national and international funding agencies.
She has co-authored 81 publications (h-index 34) and 11 patents and has given 70 invited lectures/seminars at national and international conferences. WoS profile: E-5460-2011

Sing Yian Chew
(Nanyang Technological University, Singapore)

Dr. Sing Yian CHEW is a Professor at the School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine and the School of Materials Science and Engineering at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. She is known for her contributions in designing biomimetic scaffolds to understand and control cell fate. Dr. Chew’s most significant contribution is in the field of scaffold-mediated delivery of gene-silencing and biomimicking physical signals for neural tissue regeneration and remyelination. Specifically, her lab engineers bio-functional platforms for long-term delivery of biologics. These scaffolding constructs may be used for understanding and directing neural tissue regeneration after traumatic injuries, stem cell fate and host-implant integration. Since joining NTU, Dr. Chew has continued to embark on scientific learning and exchanges by serving as visiting scholar/professor at Johns Hopkins University, University of Edinburgh, INSERM (U698 and U791); University of Paris 13; University of Nantes; Jinan University in Guangzhou, China; Wyss Institute at Harvard. She is an Associate Editor at ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. She also serves as the editorial board member of Biomaterials, Experimental Neurology, Tissue Engineering, Journal of Biomedical Materials Research, Part A, Drug Delivery and Translational Research, Journal of Tissue Engineering.

Hee Seok Yang
(Dankook University, Korea, Republic of)

I have a broad background in micro/nanofabrication, biomaterials, and tissue engineering, with specific training and expertise in key research areas for this application. Since 2013, I have been an assistant professor in the Department of Nanobiomedical Science at Dankook University.

Kisuk Yang
(Incheon National University, Korea, Republic of)

Prof. Kisuk Yang is an Assistant Professor (2021 ~ ) in the Division of Bioengineering at Incheon National University. He received his Ph.D. from Yonsei University under the supervision of Prof. Seung-Woo Cho in 2016 and completed his postdoctoral training in Prof. Jeff Karp’s lab at BWH, Harvard medical school and Broad institute (MIT and Harvard) (2017 ~ 2021).

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Prof.KisukYang works in the fields of stem cell, medical device, and tissue engineering. His laboratory focuses on the design and testing of bioengineered tissues, which are composed of mainly stem cell derived cells (e.g., neural cells, pancreatic cells, and osteogenic cells) and tissue-specific extracellular matrix scaffolds. The overall goal is to develop new strategies to assemble and test bioengineered constructs capable of restoring tissue function.

Hyung Joon Cha
(Pohang University of Science and Technology, Korea, Republic of)

Hyung Joon Cha received his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Seoul National University in 1995. From 1996 to 1998, he was a Postdoctoral Associate at the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute, USA and the Assistant Research Professor at the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park in 1998-1999. He joined POSTECH in 1999.

His area of interest includes biomolecules-based biomaterials, tissue and biomedical engineering, drug delivery systems, and biosensors. He has published ~250 peer-reviewed research papers and holds more than 100-registrated patents.

Currently, he is the Dean of Engineering and SeAH Chair Professor of POSTECH and the Director of Biomaterials Research Institute (Previously, Marine BioMaterials Research Center) funded by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Korea through recognition of his prominent works on mussel-derived adhesive biomaterials for biomedical and healthcare applications. He is also the co-founder and co-CEO/CTO of Nature Gluetech Co., Ltd for technology commercialization of mussel adhesive protein as an innovative medical bioadhesive.

His work has been recognized by many awards, including a Korea Engineering Award of the Korean President, Inventor of The Year Award, a 2020 Future 100 Best Technologies and Researchers Award, a 2012 National R&D 100 Best Researcher Award, and a Song-Gok Science and Technology Award.

He is currently a Fellow of the Korean Academy of Science and Technology (KAST), a Fellow of the National Academy of Engineering of Korea (NAEK), the President of the Korean Society for Marine Biotechnology (KSMB), and the President of the Korea Marine Biotechnology Industry Organization (K-MarineBIO).

Tiago H. Silva
(University of Minho, Portugal)

Tiago H. Silva is Principal Researcher (tenured) at 3B’s Research Group, I3Bs – Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, from University of Minho (Portugal), member of ICVS/3B’s Associated Laboratory, being coordinator of research on Marine Inspired Biomaterials. He is also member of the General Council of the University of Minho and of the Unit Council and Scientific Council of I3Bs.
He his graduated in Chemistry (2001) and PhD in Chemistry (2006), both by Faculty of Sciences – University of Porto (Portugal) working in surface modification by electrostatic layer-by-layer self-assembly of polyelectrolyte multilayers, with a visiting period at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL, Switzerland).
He has about 17 years of experience in valorization of marine resources and by-products and his research focus on the cross-talk between blue and red biotechnologies, by aiming the development of marine inspired biomaterials for regenerative medicine strategies, mainly focusing bone and cartilage tissue engineering and advanced therapies for cancer and diabetes. His team has established methodologies for the production of marine collagens, squid chitosan, fucoidans, calcium phosphates and biosilica from marine resources and derived by-products and their processing (freeze-drying, photocrosslinking, ionic and thermal gelation, polymer complexation, 3D printing and bioprinting, among others) envisioning biomedical application. Marine biomimetics is also being explored, looking into particular features and phenomena of marine sponges and other marine invertebrates as inspiration for the design of innovative biomedical applications and smart materials. A focus is given to functional properties, enrolled in collagen aggregation and hierarchical morphologies.
He is currently Board Member of the European Society for Marine Biotechnology and actively participating in several working groups and other forums on the topic.

Hyung Joon Cha
(Pohang University of Science and Technology, Korea, Republic of)

Hyung Joon Cha received his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Seoul National University in 1995. From 1996 to 1998, he was a Postdoctoral Associate at the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute, USA and the Assistant Research Professor at the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park in 1998-1999. He joined POSTECH in 1999.

His area of interest includes biomolecules-based biomaterials, tissue and biomedical engineering, drug delivery systems, and biosensors. He has published ~250 peer-reviewed research papers and holds more than 100-registrated patents.

Currently, he is the Dean of Engineering and SeAH Chair Professor of POSTECH and the Director of Biomaterials Research Institute (Previously, Marine BioMaterials Research Center) funded by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Korea through recognition of his prominent works on mussel-derived adhesive biomaterials for biomedical and healthcare applications. He is also the co-founder and co-CEO/CTO of Nature Gluetech Co., Ltd for technology commercialization of mussel adhesive protein as an innovative medical bioadhesive.

His work has been recognized by many awards, including a Korea Engineering Award of the Korean President, Inventor of The Year Award, a 2020 Future 100 Best Technologies and Researchers Award, a 2012 National R&D 100 Best Researcher Award, and a Song-Gok Science and Technology Award.

He is currently a Fellow of the Korean Academy of Science and Technology (KAST), a Fellow of the National Academy of Engineering of Korea (NAEK), the President of the Korean Society for Marine Biotechnology (KSMB), and the President of the Korea Marine Biotechnology Industry Organization (K-MarineBIO).

Tiago H. Silva
(University of Minho, Portugal)

Tiago H. Silva is Principal Researcher (tenured) at 3B’s Research Group, I3Bs – Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, from University of Minho (Portugal), member of ICVS/3B’s Associated Laboratory, being coordinator of research on Marine Inspired Biomaterials. He is also member of the General Council of the University of Minho and of the Unit Council and Scientific Council of I3Bs.
He his graduated in Chemistry (2001) and PhD in Chemistry (2006), both by Faculty of Sciences – University of Porto (Portugal) working in surface modification by electrostatic layer-by-layer self-assembly of polyelectrolyte multilayers, with a visiting period at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL, Switzerland).
He has about 17 years of experience in valorization of marine resources and by-products and his research focus on the cross-talk between blue and red biotechnologies, by aiming the development of marine inspired biomaterials for regenerative medicine strategies, mainly focusing bone and cartilage tissue engineering and advanced therapies for cancer and diabetes. His team has established methodologies for the production of marine collagens, squid chitosan, fucoidans, calcium phosphates and biosilica from marine resources and derived by-products and their processing (freeze-drying, photocrosslinking, ionic and thermal gelation, polymer complexation, 3D printing and bioprinting, among others) envisioning biomedical application. Marine biomimetics is also being explored, looking into particular features and phenomena of marine sponges and other marine invertebrates as inspiration for the design of innovative biomedical applications and smart materials. A focus is given to functional properties, enrolled in collagen aggregation and hierarchical morphologies.
He is currently Board Member of the European Society for Marine Biotechnology and actively participating in several working groups and other forums on the topic.

Hafez Jafari
(Polymer Chemistry and Biomaterials Group, Department of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, CMAC - Centre of Macromolecular Chemistry, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281, 9000 Ghent, Belgium, Belgium)

Hafez is currently a BOF Postdoctoral Fellow at the Polymer Chemistry and Biomaterials Group at Ghent University, Belgium. He obtained his Master’s Degree in Polymer Engineering from the University of Tehran in 2018. His research during this period was at the forefront of bone tissue engineering, notably in the development of phospho-calcified cellulose nanowhiskers to promote osteogenic differentiation in human mesenchymal stem cells. He expanded his expertise at the Université libre de Bruxelles, where he pursued a Ph.D. within the BioMatter group. His doctoral research culminated in the design of three-dimensional anti-infectious hydrogels with dual functionalities—adhesiveness and therapeutic effects, tailored specifically for skin wound healing applications. After earning his Ph.D., Hafez was awarded the BOF postdoctoral fellowship. His current project is ambitiously centered on the development of enzyme-based hydrogels for diabetic wound healing integrating multiple therapeutic modalities, including photothermal therapy (PTT), enhanced adhesiveness, hypoxia and hyperglycemia alleviation, diagnosis and sensing, and robust anti-bacterial properties, setting a new standard in the field of medical biomaterials.

Yoshihiro Ito
(RIKEN, Japan)

Yoshihiro Ito received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in polymer chemistry at Kyoto University and was awarded a doctorate in engineering from the same university in 1987. After assistant and associate professor at Kyoto University, professor of the University of Tokushima, now, he is a Chief Scientist and Director of the Nano Medical Engineering Laboratory at the RIKEN Institute (from 2004) and a Team Leader of RIKEN CEMS (from 2013). His research focuses on biomaterial science, regenerative medical engineering, combinatorial bioengineering, functional polymers, and soft nanotechnology, and biochips.

Pengchao Zhao
(South China University of Technology, China)

Dr. Zhao received his Ph.D. from the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2019, and afterward, he conducted postdoctoral research at the Chinese University of Hong Kong under the supervision of Prof. Liming Bian and Prof. Gang Li. Dr. Zhao joined the South China University of Technology in January 2023 and was appointed as a professor and doctoral supervisor. Dr. Zhao is mainly engaged in the design of new liquid-liquid phase separation systems (Coacervates) of biomedical polymers. Dr. Zhao has authored or co-authored over 20 academic papers, including Nat. Commun., Adv. Mater., J. Am. Chem. Soc., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., Mater. Today, Adv. Funct. Mater., and other internationally renowned journals.

Sangamesh Kumbar
(University of Connecticut Health, USA)

Dr. Sangamesh Gurappa Kumbar, Ph.D., is a distinguished academic and researcher in the field of orthopedic surgery at the University of Connecticut Health (UConn Health). He holds a core faculty position in the Biomedical Engineering Department and boasts a joint appointment in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering within the UConn School of Engineering. Recognized for his exceptional contributions to the field, Dr. Kumbar is an elected member of the prestigious Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering.

Dr. Kumbar's academic journey began with a strong foundation in polymer science, culminating in a Ph.D. in this field. He subsequently served as a Tenured Scientist at the National Chemical Laboratory in Pune, India, before embarking on his international research career.

His tenure at the University of Virginia included roles as a Research Associate and Assistant Professor Research, where he honed his expertise in the realms of biomaterials and micro-nanostructured matrices. In 2008, he embarked on his independent career at UConn Health, where he has since become a prominent figure in the field of biomaterials and tissue engineering.

Dr. Kumbar's research endeavors revolve around the synthesis and characterization of innovative polymeric biomaterials and micro-nanostructured matrices. These materials find application in diverse areas, including tissue engineering and drug delivery. His pioneering work has garnered recognition and extensive citations in top-tier biomaterials journals, underscoring the impact of his contributions.

In addition to his groundbreaking research, Dr. Kumbar is a dedicated educator. He imparts his knowledge to students through multiple specialized courses aligned with his area of expertise. Furthermore, he serves as a mentor to budding scholars and postdoctoral fellows, nurturing the next generation of researchers.

Dr. Kumbar's commitment to advancing the field extends to his editorial roles. He serves as an Associate Editor of "Bioactive Materials" and sits on the editorial boards of several other prominent journals in the field. Furthermore, he has co-edited three influential textbooks, namely "Natural and Synthetic Biomedical Polymers," "Bio-Instructive Scaffolds for Musculoskeletal Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine," and "Artificial Protein and Peptide Nanofibers," further cementing his status as a thought leader in biomaterials.

Beyond his academic and research roles, Dr. Kumbar remains actively engaged with professional organizations such as the Society for Biomaterials (SFB), Materials Research Society (MRS), Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS), and Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES). He volunteers his time and expertise in scholarly, educational, and mentorship activities, making lasting contributions to the field. Dr. Sangamesh Gurappa Kumbar's multifaceted contributions have significantly enriched the landscape of biomaterials and tissue engineering, and he continues to be a driving force in these domains

Syam Nukavarapu
(University of Connecticut, USA)

Syam Nukavarapu, Ph.D., is a Castleman Professor in Engineering Innovation at the Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut (UConn). He holds joint appointments in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, UConn, and the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, UConn Health. Dr. Nukavarapu leads the Tissue Engineering Science and Technology Laboratory (TEST Lab) at UConn, and his research interests include biomaterials, engineered grafts, and tissue engineering. Dr. Nukavarapu has authored over eighty original articles, book chapters, and invited opinion articles/reviews. He co-edited a textbook on tissue engineering, MRS symposium proceedings on bioinspired materials and structures, and a special issue on the topic of “Future of Biomaterials.” He serves on the editorial boards of major journals in the field, including Biomaterials, Bioactive Materials, and Tissue Engineering. Dr. Nukavarapu received a distinguished engineering educator award and has been an elected member of the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering.

Gulden Camci-Unal
(UMASS Lowell, USA)

Dr. Gulden Camci-Unal is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Her current research interests include the development of unconventional biomaterials such as eggshell microparticle-reinforced scaffolds, paper-based cell culture platforms, plant-derived scaffolds, and origami-inspired tissue engineered products. She also works on developing multicellular and compartmentalized tissue mimetics for regenerative engineering, hydrogel-based platforms for personalized medicine, bioactive scaffolds for template-guided biomineralization, oxygen-generating biomaterials for tissue repair, stem cell delivery approaches, and paper-based biosensors for low-cost and rapid detection of bacterial and viral diseases including Covid-19. Her research has been supported by the NIH, NSF, US Army, ONR, Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP), American Heart Association (AHA), and Phase 1 and Phase 2 SBIR and STTR grants. Dr. Camci-Unal’s research and teaching achievements include the Robert and Gail Ward Endowed Professorship (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023), University of Massachusetts Lowell Teaching Excellence Award, Iowa State University Teaching Excellence Award, Runner-Up for the Massachusetts Medical Device Development Center (M2D2) $200K Challenge (2019, 2020), Wakonse Fellowship, Chevron-Phillips Award, Procter&Gamble Fellowship, and finalist for BioFlux Innovation Award. Her research has resulted in 94+ papers, 88+ conference abstracts, and 10+ patent applications so far. She is an Associate Editor for Bioactive Materials, and an Editorial Board member of Scientific Reports (Nature Publishing Group), PLoS One, Gels, Regenerative Engineering and Translational Medicine, International Journal of Bioprinting, and Micromachines.

Michael Monaghan
(Trinity College Dublin, Ireland)

Michael Monaghan is Professor in Biomedical Engineering at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. His group’s primary research areas are in electroconductive biomaterials, cardiac tissue regeneration, and real-time imaging of metabolism in differentiation and disease. He leads a number of interdisciplinary projects between other academic groups and industry ranging from immunometabolism, evaluation of fibrosis, and induced pluripotent stem cell derivitisation of cardiac organoids and resident immune cell populations.

His expertise and leadership of FLIM microscopy has been recognised through publication of studies in several internationally renowned journals and awarding of a Horizon Europe MSCA-doctoral network (2021) based on FLIM excellence where he is the lead coordinator. Most recently, he is the 2023 recipient of the TERMIS Robert Brown Early Career Investigator Award (2023), a European Research Council Consolidator Awardee (2023) and Science Foundation Ireland Frontier for the Future Laureate (2024).

Kwideok Park
(Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Korea, Republic of)

Dr. Kwideok Park is the principal research scientist at Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Republic of Korea. He received his PhD in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Iowa in 2001. His major research interest is extracellular matrix (ECM) engineering, where it harnesses human cells-derived, decellularized ECM (hdECM) as a new class of pro-regenerative material. He has spent more than 12 years in this field and published many scientific articles. Currently, his hdECM has progressed into various types of formulations, such as hydrogel, patch, sponge and powder for translational approach. He has published more than 100 peer-reviewed papers and wrote several book chapters. Dr. Park is currently a vice president of Korean Society for Biomaterials and Korean Tissue Engineering Regenerative Medicine. He also serves as an editorial board member of Biomaterials Research and Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine.

Jennifer H. Shin
(Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Korea, Republic of)

Dr. Jennifer H. Shin is a professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). She earned her Bachelor of Science (1998), Master of Science (2000), and Doctor of Philosophy (2004) degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Her research focuses on the emerging interdisciplinary field of mechanobiology, and she uses quantitative experimental and analytical tools to investigate the links between pathophysiological responses and physical stresses at the cellular level. Dr. Shin has demonstrated her commitment to academic excellence through her involvement in several academic societies across the fields of mechanical engineering and biomedical engineering in Korea. She has served as a board member for seven of these societies and has also been an organizing committee member for several international conferences.

Viola Vogel
(ETH Zürich, Switzerland)

Viola Vogel is Professor in the Department of Health Sciences and Technology (D-HEST) and is directing the Laboratory of Applied Mechanobiology at ETH Zurich, Switzerland. She holds a PhD in Physics from the University of Frankfurt (1987) based on her research conducted at the Max-Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry in Göttingen (1980-88). After her postdoctoral studies in the Department of Physics at UC Berkeley in nonlinear optics, she started her academic career at the University of Washington Seattle in Bioengineering (1990-2004) and was the founding Director of the Center for Nanotechnology (1997-2003). When moving to ETH Zurich in 2004, she initially joined the Department of Materials, and then co-founded (2012) the Department Health Sciences and Technology (D-HEST), in which she later served as Vice Chair (2016-2018) and then Chair (2018-2020). To enhance translational aspects, she became an Einstein Visiting Fellow at Charité Berlin in 2018. As most knowledge in Biology and Medicine is based on equilibrium structures of proteins, even today, she co-founded the ETH start-up Company Tandem Therapeutics in 2023 with the goal to exploit emerging knowledge in Mechanobiology for medical applications, with a focus in regenerative medicine.

With her background in Physics and Bioengineering, she pioneered the rapidly growing field of Molecular Mechanobiology and its medical applications, as she discovered many structural mechanisms how mechanical forces can turn proteins into mechano-chemical switches. Such mechanisms are exploited by bacteria, as well as by mammalian cells and tissues to sense and respond to mechanical forces and material properties, and if abnormal, can cause various diseases. She showed further how bacteria, platelets, immune and stem cells are functionally tuned by mechanobiological factors, and how this impacts our abilities to fight infections, as well as blood coagulation and tissue growth processes.

Her work was internationally recognized by numerous awards, major lectureships, services for international organizations and Institutions (Gordon Research Conferences Organization, Wyss Institute Boston, Human Frontiers Science Program, British Marshall Fund, Humboldt Foundation, Max-Planck Society, LMU Munich, etc), the U.S. government (including the PCAST committee that finalized the National Nanotechnology Initiative, the National Research Council and NASA), scientific advisory boards in Germany, France, Netherlands, U.S.A., Singapore, and the U.K.. She was awarded the Otto-Hahn Medal (1989), the Julius Springer Prize for Applied Physics (2006), the International Solvay Chair in Chemistry (Brussels 2012), and received an ERC Advanced Grant (2008), as well as an Honorary Doctoral Degree from Tampere University (2012). She was a member of the Global Agenda Council of the World Economic Forum, serves on the Jury of the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering (since 2015) and was elected into the Leopoldina (2018), the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences (2019), as well as the US National Academy of Engineering (2020) and the National Academy of Sciences (2021) and most recently into the Royal Academy of Engineering UK (2023).

Dong-Hwee Kim
(Korea University, Korea, Republic of)

Dong-Hwee Kim is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Integrative Energy Engineering and KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology at Korea University. Before joining Korea University as a tenuretrack faculty member, he was a postdoctoral research fellow of the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University and the Institute for NanoBioTechnology and Physical Sciences-Oncology Center at Johns Hopkins University.
He graduated from Korea University with a B.S. in Chemical and Biological Engineering and Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology with an M.S. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. He received a Ph.D. degree in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from Johns Hopkins University in 2013. His research focuses on multilevel cellular mechanics, physics
of cancer, and cellular mechanosensation and mechanotransduction as well as disease biophysics.

Castro Johnbosco
(University of Twente, Netherlands)

Doctoral Student University of Twente
Driving material science towards Mechanobiology and Regenerative medicine

Jian Yang
(Westlake University, China)

Dr. Jian Yang is currently a Chair Professor in Biomaterials and Regenerative Engineering, the chair of Biomedical Engineering Program, and an Associate Vice President at the Westlake University. Prior to Westlake, he was a Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Lloyd Huck Chair in Regenerative Engineering at the Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Yang is known for his pioneering contribution on citrate chemistry and biology for the development and applications of citrate-based biomaterials. He was a recipient of NSF CAREER Award (2010), Outstanding Young Engineering Faculty Award at UTA (2011), PSEAS Outstanding Research Award at Penn State (2018), and BMES Wallace H. Coulter Award for Healthcare Innovation Award (2023). Dr. Yang is an elected Fellow of American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE, 2016), the National Academy of Inventors (NAI, 2018), the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES, 2020), the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS, 2021), and the International Academy of Medical and Biological Engineering (IAMBE, 2023). Dr. Yang is the Co-Editor-in-Chief of “Bioactive Materials”, and an Associate Editor of “Science Advances”. Dr. Yang is a co-founder and the Past-President of Chinese Association for Biomaterials (CAB) and the recipient of 2023 CAB Distinguished Leadership and Service Award. Dr. Yang co-founded a medical device company, Aleo BME, Inc. and is also serving on the Scientific Advisory Board of Acuitive Technologies, LLC.

Sangamesh Kumbar
(University of Connecticut, USA)

Dr. Sangamesh Gurappa Kumbar, Ph.D., is a distinguished academic and researcher in the field of orthopedic surgery at the University of Connecticut Health (UConn Health). He holds a core faculty position in the Biomedical Engineering Department and boasts a joint appointment in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering within the UConn School of Engineering. Recognized for his exceptional contributions to the field, Dr. Kumbar is an elected member of the prestigious Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering.

Dr. Kumbar's academic journey began with a strong foundation in polymer science, culminating in a Ph.D. in this field. He subsequently served as a Tenured Scientist at the National Chemical Laboratory in Pune, India, before embarking on his international research career.

His tenure at the University of Virginia included roles as a Research Associate and Assistant Professor Research, where he honed his expertise in the realms of biomaterials and micro-nanostructured matrices. In 2008, he embarked on his independent career at UConn Health, where he has since become a prominent figure in the field of biomaterials and tissue engineering.

Dr. Kumbar's research endeavors revolve around the synthesis and characterization of innovative polymeric biomaterials and micro-nanostructured matrices. These materials find application in diverse areas, including tissue engineering and drug delivery. His pioneering work has garnered recognition and extensive citations in top-tier biomaterials journals, underscoring the impact of his contributions.

In addition to his groundbreaking research, Dr. Kumbar is a dedicated educator. He imparts his knowledge to students through multiple specialized courses aligned with his area of expertise. Furthermore, he serves as a mentor to budding scholars and postdoctoral fellows, nurturing the next generation of researchers.

Dr. Kumbar's commitment to advancing the field extends to his editorial roles. He serves as an Associate Editor of "Bioactive Materials" and sits on the editorial boards of several other prominent journals in the field. Furthermore, he has co-edited three influential textbooks, namely "Natural and Synthetic Biomedical Polymers," "Bio-Instructive Scaffolds for Musculoskeletal Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine," and "Artificial Protein and Peptide Nanofibers," further cementing his status as a thought leader in biomaterials.

Beyond his academic and research roles, Dr. Kumbar remains actively engaged with professional organizations such as the Society for Biomaterials (SFB), Materials Research Society (MRS), Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS), and Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES). He volunteers his time and expertise in scholarly, educational, and mentorship activities, making lasting contributions to the field. Dr. Sangamesh Gurappa Kumbar's multifaceted contributions have significantly enriched the landscape of biomaterials and tissue engineering, and he continues to be a driving force in these domains

Jung Seung Lee
(Sungkyunkwan University, Korea, Republic of)

I am a bioengineer having a research goal to identify current therapeutic limitations and to find solutions of them through biomaterials development for translational medicine. I majored in biotechnology and received my PhD in 2017 from the Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea, where I studied under the supervision of Prof. Seung-Woo Cho. My previous works were focused on the development of novel functional biomaterials for improving efficacy of stem cell therapeutics and tissue regeneration.

Lia Rimondini
(University of Eastern Piedmont, Italy)

Full Professor of Applied Medical Sciences and Technologies and Director of the Department of Health Sciences of the Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy.
She is an expert in tissue engineering and in R&D of biomaterials and medical devices with anti-infective properties for regenerative medicine. She integrates technological knowledge with regulatory aspects and clinical practice with particular attention to dentistry and orthopedics. She is principal investigator and coordinator of several international research projects in the above-mentioned topics.

Abhay Pandit
(CURAM SFI Research Centre for Medical Devices; University of Galway, Ireland)

Professor Abhay Pandit, spanning over 32 years, has made significant contributions to biomaterials and medical device translation. After spending seven successful years in the industry, Prof. Pandit transitioned to academia, where he has dedicated the past 25 years to his work.

A notable achievement in Prof. Pandit's career is the establishment of CÚRAM, the Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) Centre for Research in Medical Devices at the University of Galway in Ireland. Serving as a thriving hub for more than 1000 researchers, CÚRAM brings together experts from diverse disciplines including biomaterials, biomechanics, regenerative medicine, glycobiology, drug delivery, and medical implant design. Through collaborations with industry partners, the center actively fosters innovation and facilitates the translation of research into practical applications.

Prof. Pandit derives his inspiration from comprehending fundamental pathological processes influenced by glycomodulation. This understanding enables him to develop superior biomaterial substrates for materials design, with a particular focus on degenerative or chronic conditions associated with the cardiovascular, neural, and intervertebral disc domains.

Prof. Pandit has accumulated over €175 million in research contracts from industry and government funding agencies. His work has resulted in the filing of 28 patents, while 14 other patent applications are currently pending. Furthermore, Prof. Pandit has successfully licensed several technologies to medical device companies, amplifying the practical impact of his research.

Prof. Pandit's research contributions are well-documented through his publication record. He has authored more than 345 manuscripts, which have been featured in esteemed publications such as Science Advances, Nature Communication, Science Translational Medicine, PNAS, Advanced Materials, Journal of American Chemical Society, Advanced Functional Materials, Biomaterials, and Molecular Therapy. Additionally, he has presented over 715 papers at national and international conferences, further disseminating his findings and insights to the scientific community.

Prof. Pandit actively engages in editorial activities. He holds a position on the Executive Editorial Board of the Tissue Engineering journal and is the Senior Associate Editor for the Biomaterials journal. Additionally, he chairs the EU Chapter of the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Society, showcasing his leadership and influence within the discipline.

Prof. Pandit's contributions have garnered him prestigious awards, including the George Winter Award 2022 from the European Society for Biomaterials and the Chandra P Sharma Award from the Society for Biomaterials and Artificial Organs India. Furthermore, he has been honored as a Fellow of AIMBE, TERMIS, IAE, and IUSBSE, reflecting his standing in the scientific community.

Andrea Cochis
(University of Eastern Piedmont, Italy)

Andrea Cochis, PhD, is Associate Professor of Applied Medical Technology and Methodology in the Department of Health Sciences belonging to the School of Medicine of the University of Piemonte Orientale UPO, Novara, Italy. AC holds a master degree in Molecular Biotechnologies from the University of Turin and a PhD in Biotechnology for Human Health obtained from the UPO University. His main research is aimed at biomaterials, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine with particular attention to the development of innovative technologies based on complex experimental models such as 3D tissues, platforms involving bioreactors and cell cultures with particular reference to Orthopedics (bone and cartilage). He is also interested in microbiology, with a specific focus on antibacterial biomaterials preventing implants’ infections as well as he is expert in complex bacteria-cells co-culture models resembling the race for the surface occurring on the surface of the implanted biomaterials. He has expertise in systems biology, molecular biology, advanced 3D models and biomedical platforms aimed at tissue regeneration. He is author of >90 articles in indexed international journals, he is co-inventor of 2 patents related to innovative materials for tissue engineering and he is currently participating in 6 projects funded by the European Commission under the Horizon scheme and 2 National projects funded by the Italian Ministry for Education and University.

Jose Carlos Rodríguez-Cabello
(University of Valladolid, Spain)

Prof. J. Carlos Rodríguez-Cabello (1963). Carlos got, first, a degree in chemistry (Biochemistry) and, later a second degree in physics (Condensed Matter), both at the University of Valladolid in Spain, where he also obtained his doctoral degree. He is full professor in the Condensed Matter Physics department of the University of Valladolid and the head of the Bioforge Lab, a research group founded in 1996 and devoted to the development of recombinamers in a pioneering effort on the use of genetic engineering and other biotechnologies for the creation of advanced materials. His interests move from studying basic knowledge on self-organization and the interplay between order and disorder in protein-like systems to applications of those materials in fields such as regenerative medicine, nanomedicine and nanotechnology. Complexity and multi(bio)functionality are the characteristics of the systems developed by his group. Carlos has published about 250 papers in indexed journals and is inventor on 15 patent applications, 5 of them transferred and under exploitation. He is also cofounder of two startups; Technical Proteins Nanobiotechnology SL., of which he is the current CEO, and CellDrive 3D S.L. (as Chief Scientific Adviser)

Anthony Weiss
(University of Sydney, Australia)

Professor Tony Weiss is the President of TERMIS, and McCaughey Chair in Biochemistry, Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biotechnology, Director of the Charles Perkins Centre’s Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine Laboratory and NHMRC Leadership Fellow at the University of Sydney. His research on the elastic protein tropoelastin underpins novel applications in wound repair. He is a serial inventor on 172 granted patents in 23 families, and founded Elastagen which was sold in one of the largest national healthcare transactions. He was awarded the Order of Australia, and is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technology & Engineering, Royal Society of Chemistry, Royal Australian Chemical Institute, Royal Society of NSW, American Institute for Medical & Biological Engineering, and the US National Academy of Inventors. He is a highly decorated innovator, with multiple innovation medals from the RACI, ATSE’s Clunies Ross Medal, the Eureka Prize for Innovation in Medical Research, NSW Premier’s Prize for Science & Engineering Leadership in Innovation, and the top innovation prize in Australia: the Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation.

Alvaro Mata
(University of Nottingham, United Kingdom)

Alvaro Mata is Professor in Biomedical Engineering and Biomaterials in the School of Pharmacy and the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering at the University of Nottingham. He holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Kansas, a Master's Degree from the University of Strathclyde, and a Doctor of Engineering Degree from Cleveland State University working with Prof. Shuvo Roy at the Cleveland Clinic. He conducted his postdoctoral training with Prof. Samuel Stupp at Northwestern University. His group focuses on bioinspired and biocooperative strategies to build functional biomaterials with biomolecules. His work has led to eight patents or patent applications; publications in journals including Nature Chemistry, Nature Communications, and Science Advances, and recognitions such as a Welcome Trust Frontiers Innovation Award, a Ramon y Cajal Fellowship, and an ERC Staring Grant. He is President of the Mineralized Tissue Group of the International Association of Dental Research and Co-chair of the Manufacturing, Commercial and Regulatory Committee of the UK Regenerative Medicine Platform (UKRMP2) - Smart Materials Hub.

Yafang Chen
(Sichuan university, China)

My name is Yafang Chen, and I am affiliated with the School of Biomedical Engineering at Sichuan University. Currently, I hold a position as a postdoctoral researcher.
My primary research endeavors have been concentrated on a series of projects centered on the regeneration and repair of articular cartilage/bone/skin. My research has placed special emphasis on the design, synthesis, and application of functional biomaterials within the interdisciplinary domain of medicine. In this capacity, I have taken charge of one National Natural Science Foundation project, secured funding for two postdoctoral projects and received funding for projects in Sichuan Province, as well as for horizontal projects. As a principal investigator, I have also extended to involvement in several "Thirteenth Five-Year Plan" national key research and development projects, National Natural Science Foundation projects, and key research and development initiatives under the aegis of the Sichuan Provincial Science and Technology Department.
Over the past five years, I have published more than 20 SCI papers, with seven research papers as first author/corresponding author in journals such as Biomaterials, Carbohydrate Polymers, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. I have filed six domestic and international invention patents, two of which have been successfully granted at the national level. Additionally, I have had the privilege of presenting my research findings at numerous domestic and international academic conferences.