Nicholas A. Peppas
(The University of Texas at Austin, USA)

Professor Nicholas A. Peppas is a chemical engineer, materials scientist, and nanotechnologist whose research contributions, innovations, inventions have led to 20 chemical/medical/pharmaceutical products.
Peppas is an elected member of the US-National Academy of Engineering, US- National Academy of Medicine, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Academy of Inventors, Academia Europaea, Canadian Engineering Academy, Indian National Engineering Academy, Chinese Academy of Engineering, Korean Academy of Science Technology, National Academy of France, Royal Academy of Spain, Academy of Athens, Greece, Academy of Romanian Scientists, and Academy of Texas. He has served as a Visiting Professor in the Universities of Geneva, Paris-Sud, Santiago de Compostela. Madrid, Lisbon, Parma, Pavia, Napoli, Hecettepe/Ankara, Athens, Berlin, Hebrew University/Jerusalem, Hoshi University/Tokyo, Nanyang University/Singapore, Sichuan University, Peking Medical College. Peppas is a distinguished professor in Chemical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Pediatrics, Surgery and Pharmacy, and a member of the Texas Materials Institute at the University of Texas at Austin. His group has set the fundamentals of flow and transport phenomena in numerous medical problems, based on the principles of Engineering Science. He has numerous books, 1,800 publications and is cited in more than 193,000 references (H=202). Honored by 170 Awards including NAE Founders Award, NAM Adam Yarmolinsky, Pharmaceutical Global Leader Award, and the Biomaterials Global Impact Awards. Peppas holds a D.Eng. from NTU Athens, a ScD. from MIT and is the recipient of 13 honorary doctorates and professorships from France, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Greece, Slovenia, Romania, Israel and China. Editor of Regenerative Biomaterials (Oxford) and President on the International Sigma Xi organization. He actively works to diversify program interests, take an active role towards increasing the number of young members, and actively promote the election and participation of a diverse and inclusive group of scientists.

Andrés J. García
(Andrés J. García, USA)

Andrés J. García is the Executive Director of the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience and Regents’ Professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Dr. García’s research program integrates innovative engineering, materials science, and cell biology concepts and technologies to create cell-instructive biomaterials for regenerative medicine and generate new knowledge in mechanobiology. This cross-disciplinary effort has resulted in new biomaterial platforms that elicit targeted cellular responses and tissue repair in various biomedical applications, innovative technologies to study and exploit cell adhesive interactions, and new mechanistic insights into the interplay of mechanics and cell biology. In addition, his research has generated intellectual property and licensing agreements with start-up and multi-national companies. He is a co-founder of 3 start-up companies (CellectCell, CorAmi Therapeutics, iTolerance). He has received several distinctions, including the NSF CAREER Award; the Young Investigator Award, the Clemson Award for Basic Science, and the Founders Award from the Society for Biomaterials; the International Award from the European Society for Biomaterials; and Georgia Tech’s Outstanding Interdisciplinary Activities Award and the Class of 1934 Distinguished Professor Award. He is an elected Fellow of Biomaterials Science and Engineering (by the International Union of Societies of Biomaterials Science and Engineering), Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. He served as President for the Society for Biomaterials in 2018-2019. He is an elected member of the National Academy of Engineering, the National Academy of Medicine, and the National Academy of Inventors.

Pamela Habibovic
(Maastricht University, Netherlands)

Pamela Habibovic is Professor of Inorganic Biomaterials at Maastricht University, the Netherlands. Since February 2022, she holds the position of Rector of Maastricht University. Habibovic was a founding partner of MERLN Institute for Technology-Inspired Regenerative Medicine, established in 2014, and Chair of MERLN’s Department for Instructive Biomaterials Engineering. Between 2019 and 2022, she was the Scientific Director of MERLN.

Initially trained as a chemical engineer, in 2005, Habibovic obtained a PhD degree from the University of Twente, the Netherlands on the topic of materials for biomedical applications. Following postdoctoral research at Children’s Hospital Boston and McGill University, in 2008, she started her research group at the University of Twente. In 2014, she moved to Maastricht University. The main focus of her research is on synthetic bone graft substitutes, bioinorganics, nanomaterials for theranostics in regenerative medicine and high-throughput approaches in biomaterials research. For her research she received prestigious Veni, Vidi, Aspasia and Gravitation grants of the Dutch Research Council NWO, among other external research funds. She served as the President of the European Society for Biomaterials between 2017 and 2021 and as an Associate Editor of the RSC journal Biomaterials Science between 2019 and 2022. In 2017, she received the Jean Leray Award of the European Society for Biomaterials and in 2021 she was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry. She has published over 100 peer-review articles on the topic of biomaterials and regenerative medicine.

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.

John Fisher
(University of Maryland, USA)

Dr. John P. Fisher is the MPower Professor, Distinguished-Scholar Teacher, Fischell Family Distinguished Professor, and Department Chair in the Fischell Department of Bioengineering at the University of Maryland. Dr. Fisher is also the Director of the Center for Engineering Complex Tissue (CECT), which aims to create a broad community focusing on 3D printing and bioprinting for regenerative medicine applications. As the Director of the Tissue Engineering and Biomaterials Laboratory, Dr. Fisher’s group investigates biomaterials, stem cells, bioprinting, and bioreactors for regenerating lost tissues, particularly bone, cartilage, and cardiovascular tissues. Dr. Fisher’s laboratory has published over 225 articles, book chapters, editorials, and proceedings (16,000+ citations / 72 h-index) and delivered over 400 invited and contributed presentations, with support from NIH, NSF, FDA, NIST, DoD, and other institutions. Dr. Fisher has been elected Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (2012), the Biomedical Engineering Society (2016), the International Academy of Medical and Biological Engineering (2020), and the International Union of Societies for Biomaterials Science and Engineering (2024). In 2023, Dr. Fisher was elected Chair of the Council of Chairs (CoC), an assembly of the 150+ biomedical engineering / bioengineering department chairs throughout the United States and beyond. Dr. Fisher will serve as Chair of the CoC in 2025.

Yunbing Wang
(Sichuan University, China)

Prof. Yunbing Wang is the Director of National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials of China, Dean of College of Biomedical Engineering of Sichuan University. His work has been focused on the research and development study of in-situ cardiovascular tissue repair and regeneration based on bioresorbable polymeric materials and devices with near 300 scientific papers published, more than 400 patents granted/issued, and more than 100 invited presentations made.

His research has been transformed into a variety of commercialized cardiovascular implantable devices and saved thousands of lives worldwide, including the world's first commercialized bioabsorbable occluder for the treatment of congenital heart disease which provides temporary occlusion and induces in situ tissue regeneration, as well as the first commercialized bioabsorbable vascular stent. He developed a self-expanding transcatheter pulmonary valve through collaboration with company with approval both in Europe and China. He was the First prize winner of the 2021 Technology Invention Award of the Ministry of Education of China.

Tetsuji Yamaoka
(National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Research Institute, Japan)

Tetsuji YAMAOKA, Ph.D. FBSE
-President of Japanese Society for Biomaterials
-Professor, Department of Clinical Engineering, Faculty of Health Sciences, Komatsu University,
-Visiting Director, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center Research Institute

EDUCATION
-1991 Ph.D., Polymer Chemistry, Kyoto University, Kyoto, JAPAN, Distribution and Half-life of Polymeric Substances Injected into the Body
-1988 B.S., Polymer Chemistry, Kyoto University, Kyoto, JAPAN

DISTINCTIONS
-1995 Award for Encouragement of Research in Polymer Science, The Society of Polymer Science, Japan
-2002 The Award for Young Investigator of Japanese Society for Biomaterials
-2010 The Award of Japanese Society for Biomaterials
-2011 The Award of the Society of Fiber Science and Technology Japan
-2011 IAAM Medal-2001 (International Association of Advanced Materials)

EXPERIENCE
-2023-present: Professor, Department of Clinical Engineering, Faculty of Health Sciences, Komatsu University
-2004-present: Director/Visiting Director, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Advanced Medical Engineering Center, National Cardiovascular Center Research Institute
-2002-2004: Associate Professor, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto, Japan
-1995-2002: Lecturer, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto, Japan
-1996-1997: Visiting Scientist, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, MA,
-1992-1995: Assistant Professor, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto, Japan
-1991-1992: Research Fellow, National Cardiovascular Center, Osaka, Japan

MEMBERSHIP IN PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY
-President of Japanese Society for Biomaterials
-Fellow of Biomaterials Science and Engineering (FBSE)
-Councilor: The Japanese Society of Gene Design and Delivery, The Society of Life Support Technology, Japanese Society for Artificial Organs, The Japanese Society of Drug Delivery System
Editorial Board: Journal of Artificial Organs
-Member: ACS, SFB, CRS, The Chemical Society of Japan, The Society of Polymer Science Japan, The Society of Fiber Science and Technology Japan, The Japanese Society for Regenerative Medicine

RUNNING SENTENCE
Prof. Tetsuji YAMAOKA is Professor of Department of Clinical Engineering of Komatsu-University (Ishikawa, Japan) and director of Department of Biomedical Engineering of National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center Research Institute (Osaka, Japan). He is president of Japanese Society for Biomaterials (JSB) from 2020, former president of Asian Biomaterials Federation (2019-2021), and Japanese delegate for the International Union of Societies for Biomaterials Science and Engineering (IUS-BSE) (2008-2020). He hosted 40th anniversary annual meeting of JSB in Kobe in 2018, Joint Symposium of JSB and Society for Biomaterials (SFB) in Hawaii, and Asia Biomaterials Congress in conjunction with 43rd annual meeting of JSB in Nagoya in 2021. He has published more than 320 publications, review, books, and patent and received the Award of Japanese Society for Biomaterials (2010), the Award of the Society of Fiber Science and Technology Japan (2011), and so on. His recent research interest is especially focusing on both of the bio-derived and synthetic biodegradable materials, especially acellular tissue as cardiovascular biomaterials.

Molly Stevens
(Imperial College London, United Kingdom)

Prof Molly Stevens FREng FRS is John Black Professor of Bionanoscience at the University of Oxford and also holds part-time professorships at Imperial College London and the Karolinska Institute.
She graduated with a First-Class Honours BPharm degree from Bath University in 1995 and a PhD from the University of Nottingham in 2001. After postdoctoral research in the Langer Lab at MIT, she joined Imperial College London in 2004 as a lecturer and was promoted to Professor in 2008 as one of the youngest Professors ever in the history of the institution.
Molly’s multidisciplinary research balances the investigation of fundamental science with the development of technology to address some of the major healthcare challenges. She is a serial entrepreneur and the founder of several companies in the diagnostics, advanced therapeutics and regenerative medicine space. Her work has been instrumental in elucidating the bio-material interfaces. She has created a broad portfolio of designer biomaterials for applications in disease diagnostics and regenerative medicine. Her substantial body of work influences research groups around the world (>430 publications, h-index 104, >44k citations, 2018, 2021 and 2022 Clarivate Analytics Highly Cited Researcher in Cross-Field research).
Molly holds numerous leadership positions including Director of the UK Regenerative Medicine Platform "Smart Acellular Materials" Hub, Deputy Director of the EPSRC IRC in Early-Warning Sensing Systems for Infectious Diseases and Scientist Trustee of the National Gallery. She is Fellow of the Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering (UK), Foreign Member of the National Academy of Engineering (USA) and International Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Takao Hanawa
(Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan)

Dr. Takao HANAWA is a Council Member of the Science Council of Japan since 2020 and a Fellow of The International Union of Societies for Biomaterials Science and Engineering (IUSBS). He has also positions as Professor of Division of Materials and Manufacturing Science, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University and Professor of Center for Advanced Medical Engineering Research and Development, Kobe University. He was Professor of Department of Metallic Biomaterials, Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan, since 2004 and has retired 2023. He was once presidents of the Japanese Society for Biomaterials and Japanese Society for Dental Materials and Devices. He received his Ph.D. from Hokkaido University at 1989 and Tohoku University at 1998. He has experienced as Assistant Professor in Hokkaido University, Associate Professor in Tokushima University, and Deputy-in-General of Biomaterials Research Center, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS). He has developed new metallic biomaterials such as zirconium alloys showing low magnetic susceptibility to decrease MRI artifact and several surface treatment techniques. Recently micro-arc oxidation process to add dual-function to titanium and nano-topography to accelerate the differentiation of stem cells by femto-second laser. In addition, interface reaction between titanium and living tissues is a life work of him, then near recently principle of the excellent biocompatibility of titanium has been elucidated from the viewpoint of electronic band structure of the passive film. He has published 312 original research papers and 106 review papers. His Scopus h-index is 51 at present.

Diego Mantovani
(Laval University, Canada)

Professor in biomaterials, scientist in regenerative medicine, holder of the Canada Research Chair Tieur I in biomaterials and bioengineering for the innovation in surgery, Diego Mantovani is en expert in nanocoatings, biodegradable metals and 3D cell culture for advanced in vitro tests alternative to in vivo. With his team, he carried out R&D&I projects often in collaboration with companies to unravel how sciences and engineering can improve the patient quality of life of Humans, and to develop new processes for improving the clinical performances of commercial devices, as well as exploring new strategies for tomorrow's clinical therapies. Focus is on cardiac, peripheral, cerebral, dental and parenchymal tissue. The Lab is based at ULaval, in the beatiful nordic city of Quebec, labelled UNESCO treasure, in the French-living part of Canada. He was elected Fellow of the International Union of Societies of Biomaterials since 2012, of the American Society for Materials Intl since 2016, the American Institute of Medical Biological Engineering since 2019, and of the Canadian Academy of Engineering since 2020. He was executive Co-Chair of the 10th World Biomaterials Congress, held in Montréal, Canada, in 2016, May.

Paula T. Hammond
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA)

Professor Paula T. Hammond is Institute Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a member of MIT’s Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research. She was Head of the Department of Chemical Engineering from 2015 to 2023, and is Vice Provost for Faculty as of January 2024.
The core of her work is the use of electrostatics and other complementary interactions to generate functional materials with highly controlled architecture. Her research in nanomedicine encompasses the development of new biomaterials to enable drug delivery from surfaces with spatio-temporal control. She also investigates novel responsive polymer architectures for targeted nanoparticle drug and gene delivery. The newest developments from her lab offer a promising approach to the delivery of proteins and messenger RNA (mRNA) using electrostatic assembly as a means of modifying surfaces, nanoparticles and lipid complexes for targeted systemic delivery, opening potential for vaccines and immunotherapies.


Professor Paula Hammond was elected into the National Academy of Science in 2019, the National Academy of Engineering in 2017, the National Academy of Medicine in 2016, and the 2013 Class of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She is also a member of the National Academy of Inventors. She received the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) Margaret H. Rousseau Pioneer Award for Lifetime Achievement by a Woman Chemical Engineer in 2019 and gave the Materials Research Society (MRS) David Turnbull Lectureship, 2019. Professor Hammond has published over 330 papers, and over 20 patent applications. She is the co-founder and member of the Scientific Advisory Board of LayerBio, Inc., a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of Moderna Therapeutics and a member of the Board of Alector Therapeutics and the Board of Senda Biosciences, a Flagship company. In 2021, Professor Hammond was selected to become a member of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST).
In terms of educational background, Prof. Hammond is from Detroit, Michigan, and received her B.S. in Chemical Engineering from MIT, then worked for two years in industry, moved to Atlanta to get an M.S. in Chemical Engineering at Georgia Tech, before returning to MIT for her PhD. She held the Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowship, and on completing her PhD, was an NSF Postdoctoral Fellow at the Harvard University Chemistry Department before returning to MIT as a faculty member.

Hsing-Wen Sung
(National Tsing Hua University, Chinese Taipei)

Hsing-Wen Sung is a Tsing Hua Distinguished Chair Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University. He received his PhD degree from the Department of Chemical Engineering/Biomedical Engineering Program, Georgia Institute of Technology in May 1988. His research interests are biomaterials, tissue engineering, and drug/gene delivery. Professor Sung has received numerous awards such as Fellow of American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, Fellow of International Union of Societies for Biomaterials Science and Engineering, Academician of Asia Pacific Academy of Materials, Ho Chin Tui Outstanding Research Award, National Science Council Outstanding Research Award, Professor Tsai-The Lai Award, Elsevier 2015 Biomaterials Best Paper Award, and 2016 TERMIS-AP Outstanding Scientist Award. He has been on the Editorial Boards of Journal of Controlled Release and Advanced Healthcare Materials; also, he has been serving as a Handling Editor for Biomaterials. Professor Sung has published 294 scientific papers and received 139 international patents. His published papers have over 31,409 citations with an H-index of approximately 97, according to Google Scholar.

Sung Yun Yang
(Chungnam National University, Korea, Republic of)

Sung Yun Yang received her B.S and M.S. from Ewha Womans University in 1991 and 1993, respectively. After serving in the Chemistry division at KRICT and KIST, in 1995 moved to USA for her doctoral degree in Polymer Chemistry and Engineering at Polytechnic University, New York University currently. In August of 2000, she moved to MIT as a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. She worked in a biotech company for a year and returned to Korea in 2004 starting her professorship at Chungnam National University. Since 2004 she has been with CNU, is now a professor of Organic Materials Engineering. Along with her research and academic activity, she also served as a vice-president of the Center for Women in Science, Engineering and Technology to promote educational opportunity for woman engineers. Prof. Yang’s research interests include functional nanomaterials for energy, environmental sustainability, and biomedical application.

João F. Mano
(The University of Aveiro, Portugal)

João F. Mano is a Full Professor at the Chemistry Department of University of Aveiro, Portugal, and vice-director of the Associate Laboratory CICECO – Aveiro Instituto of Materials, where he is directing the COMPASS Research Group (http://compass.web.ua.pt/). His research interests include the use of advanced biomaterials and cells towards the progress of multidisciplinary concepts to be employed in regenerative and personalised medicine. In particular, he has been applying biomimetic and nano/micro-technology approaches to polymer-based biomaterials and cell-rich systems to develop biomedical devices with improved structural and (multi-)functional properties, or in the engineering of microenvironments to control cell behaviour and organization, to be exploited clinically in advanced therapies or in drug screening. He is the Editor-in-Chief of Materials Today Bio (Elsevier). He has been coordinating or involved in many national and European research projects, including 2 Advanced Grants and 3 Proof-of-Concept Grants from the European Research Council. João F. Mano has received different honours and awards, including two honoris causa doctorates (Univ. of Lorraine and Utrecht Univ.) and was elected fellow of the European Academy of Sciences (FEurASc), Biomaterials Science & Engineering (FBSE) and American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering (FAIMBE).

Abhay Pandit
(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.

Tim Woodfield
(University of Otago, New Zealand)

Prof. Tim B. F. Woodfield, Ph.D. is Professor of Regenerative Medicine in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery & Musculoskeletal Medicine at the University of Otago, New Zealand. He leads the Christchurch Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Engineering (CReaTE) Group and is Director of the University of Otago Centre for Bioengineering & Nanomedicine. His research platform involves development of novel bioinks and bioresins, biofabrication, spheroid bioassembly and additive manufacturing of medical devices applied to regenerative medicine of cartilage and bone, advanced 3D in vitro tissue culture models, and high throughput screening.
He has published over 150 peer reviewed journal articles, book chapters and published conference proceedings and has received a number of awards and fellowships including a prestigious Rutherford Discovery Fellowship from the Royal Society of New Zealand Te Apärangi and the University of Otago Research Gold Medal. He received the 2020 Research Excellence Award from the Australasian Society for Biomaterials & Tissue Engineering (ASBTE), and was awarded Fellow, Biomaterials Science & Engineering (FBSE) in 2020 by the International Union of Societies in Biomaterials Science and Engineering (IUSBSE).
He has attracted over NZ$28 million in competitive research funding as a Principal or Associate Investigator through grants from the Ministry of Business Innovation & Employment, Royal Society of New Zealand Te Apärangi, New Zealand Health Research Council, AO Foundation, as well as the European Commission (EU-FP7).
He is the current President of the International Society for Biofabrication (ISBF) and former President of the Australasian Society for Biomaterials & Tissue Engineering (ASBTE). He sits on the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society Asia Pacific (TERMIS-AP) Council and on the Executive Editorial Board for Biofabrication. He is also an Editorial Board Member for Advanced Healthcare Materials and APL Bioengineering and Associate Editor for Frontiers in Bioengineering & Biotechnology.

Ick Chan Kwon
(Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Korea, Republic of)

Dr. Ick Chan Kwon is a tenured Principal Research Scientist at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), a Professor at Korea University (KU-KIST Graduate School), and an Affiliated Professor at the University of Washington Seattle (Department of Bioengineering). He is also a Presidential Scholar at the KIST-DFCI On-Site-Lab in the Dana Farber Cancer Institute (Department of Cancer Biology). He earned his B.S. and M.S. in Engineering from Seoul National University, as well as his Ph.D. in Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry from the University of Utah. He joined KIST after completing his post-doctoral studies at the University of Utah's Center for Controlled Chemical Delivery, where he began his research on polymeric nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems for antibiotics, anticancer medicines, and gene therapy. By merging molecular imaging and drug delivery systems with smart nano-probes, he also pioneered in the field of Theragnosis research. He was the president of the Korean Society of Molecular Imaging and an editor for the Journal of Controlled Release in Asia (Elsevier). He is a senior member of Korea's National Academy of Engineering and a fellow of the Korean Academy of Science and Technology.

Ana Paula Pego
(i3S / INEB - University of Porto, Portugal)

Ana Paula Pêgo got her Ph.D. in Polymer Chemistry and Biomaterials from the University of Twente, the Netherlands, in 2002. In 2003 she moved to INEB – Instituto de Engenharia Biomédica, where she became a Principal Investigator in 2012. In 2015, INEB joined the i3S – Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (Universidade do Porto), where Ana Paula Pêgo leads the nanoBiomaterials for Targeted Therapies (nBTT) Group.

By using nanomedicine strategies the nBTT Group, aims at providing in situ and in a targeted manner the required signals to promote nervous tissue regeneration. The research on new biomaterials for application in neurosciences includes the development of new polymers for the design of alternative vectors to viruses for efficient nucleic acid delivery, the preparation of nerve grafts for spinal cord injury treatment and the design of brain tissue engineered platforms. Societal and ethical issues that concern Regenerative Medicine and NanoMedicine are also topics in which Ana Paula Pêgo is involved.

She has been appointed the Scientific Director of the Bioimaging Centre for Biomaterials and Regenerative Therapies of INEB and she is an Invited Associate Professor at the Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS) of the University of Porto.

Currently Ana Paula Pêgo is a member of the Board of Directors of i3S, being the Head of Strategy & Creation of Value Unit, serves as an Associate Editor of Biomaterials (Elsevier journal) and is part of the Board of Reviewing Editors of Science (AAAS).

Ana Paula Pêgo served two terms in the European Society for Biomaterials (ESB) Council, being the ESB Council Secretary from 2017-2021 and the ESB President from 2021-2023, being now the ESB past President.