Speakers

Plenary Lecture

Plenary Speaker

Luisa De Cola, University of Milan

Luisa De Cola is Professor at the University of Milan and a part-time scientist at INT-KIT in Karlsruhe, Germany. Her research focuses on supramolecular assemblies, labels for diagnostics, and nano- and porous structures for biomedical applications. She has published more than 400 papers and filed 40 patents, co-founded the spin-off Bionys in the field of in vitro diagnostics, and is Editor-in-Chief of Chemistry Europe.

Before moving to Milan she held positions at the University of Bologna and full professorships at the University of Amsterdam and the University of Münster, as well as the AXA Chair of Supramolecular and Bio-Material Chemistry at the University of Strasbourg. Her distinctions include the Izatt–Christensen Award, the Natta Gold Medal, the Royal Society of Chemistry Centenary Prize, and the Nitti-Cassas and Ziegler-Natta prizes. She was nominated Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur, and is an elected member of the Leopoldina and the Accademia dei Lincei and a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering.

Invited Scientific Talks

Biomedicine

Nerea Roher Amentia, IBB-UAB

Nerea Roher Amentia is an Associate Professor at the IBB-UAB, specializing in Evolutive Immunology and host-pathogen interactions. Her research uses zebrafish and molecular biology approaches to study pathogen recognition and immune modulation. Her work focuses on vaccine development for animal health and the evolution of immune mechanisms in vertebrates.

Magnetism and Quantum Materials

Pilar Marín Palacios, UCM

Pilar Marín Palacios is Full Professor at UCM and Director of the Institute of Applied Magnetism. Her research focuses on magnetic microwires for radar absorption, sensors, and security applications. She has over 150 publications, ~2,700 citations, 20 patent families, and extensive experience leading European and NATO-funded projects.

Electronic and Optical Properties of Materials

Miquel Royo Valls, ICMAB

Miquel Royo is a Tenured Scientist at ICMAB-CSIC, specializing in electronic structure and computational materials science. His research spans nanosemiconductor optoelectronics, phononic and thermal properties, and flexoelectricity, using advanced DFT-based methods. His recent work focuses on spin-lattice dynamics, with multiple publications in high-impact journals.

Energy, Sustainability and Environment

Alba Garzón Manjón, ICN2

Alba Garzón Manjón is a researcher at ICN2 and Associate Professor at UAB, specializing in nanoscience and materials characterization for sustainable energy. Her research uses advanced microscopy to study materials at the atomic scale under operating conditions. She also contributes to international collaborations and the training of early-career researchers.

Synthesis, Catalysis and Nanofabrication

Inhar Imaz Gabilondo, ICN2

Inhar Imaz Gabilondo is a CSIC Research Scientist at ICN2, where he leads research in supramolecular nanochemistry and materials. His work focuses on the design of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and functional supramolecular architectures for applications in gas storage, catalysis, and beyond. He has published extensively in the field, with over 12,000 citations.

Seminars

Young Women in Science & Leadership

Ana Lechuga-Vieco, IRB Barcelona

Ana Victoria Lechuga-Vieco is a Junior Group Leader at IRB Barcelona, where she leads the Mitochondrial Biology and Tissue Regeneration Lab. Her research focuses on mitochondrial biology, immunometabolism, and tissue regeneration, particularly the role of mitochondria in immune responses and stem cell biology. She established her independent group in 2024 and has received several prestigious awards and fellowships, including an EMBO Postdoctoral Fellowship.

MDPI Publishing: Open Access and Peer Review

MDPI will take part in the 10th JPhD 2026 Doctoral Students' Scientific Meeting at the Institute of Materials Science (ICMAB, CSIC) of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) by hosting an Author Training session. The session will be led by an MDPI editor, providing PhD students with tools and knowledge on open-access academic publishing, as well as strategies to improve the dissemination of their research and enhance its scientific impact. Through this initiative, MDPI demonstrates its support for the training of new researchers and the dissemination of high-quality science from the earliest stages of their academic careers.

Workshops

Mental Health & Stress Management in Academia

Ingeborg Porcar, UTCCB – UAB

Dr Ingeborg Porcar Becker directs the Unit of Trauma, Crisis and Conflicts of Barcelona (UTCCB) at the Faculty of Psychology of the UAB, where she is also an associate professor. A specialist in clinical psychology, she is accredited as an expert in crisis and emergency intervention by the Spanish Psychological Association and as a mediator by the Generalitat de Catalunya, and represents Spain on the EFPA Standing Committee on Crisis and Disaster Psychology.

Roundtable

Academia vs Industry: Two Career Paths After the PhD

A round-table discussion exploring career opportunities beyond the PhD, comparing academic and industrial paths through the personal experiences of researchers who have worked in both environments. The discussion will focus on career transitions, opportunities, challenges, and the skills needed to build a career in academia or industry.

Deyi Wang

IMDEA Materials Institute Academia

De-Yi Wang is a Research Professor at IMDEA Materials Institute (Madrid), where he leads the High Performance Polymer Nanocomposites group, working on fire-safe polymers. He is a member of the European Academy of Sciences and the European Academy of Sciences and Arts.

Ana Lechuga

IRB Barcelona Academia

Ana Victoria Lechuga-Vieco is a Junior Group Leader at IRB Barcelona, where she leads the Mitochondrial Biology and Tissue Regeneration Lab. She established her independent group in 2024, after an EMBO Postdoctoral Fellowship and several other awards.

Nora Ventosa Rull

ICMAB-CSIC · CEO of Delbios Pharmaceuticals Academia & Industry

Nora Ventosa is a Research Professor at ICMAB-CSIC, working on functional nanomaterials for biomedical applications. She is co-founder of Nanomol Technologies, and co-founder and CEO of Delbios Pharmaceuticals.

Fabião Santos

Vecmedical · former ICMAB alumnus Industry

Dr Roberto Fabião Santos Abreu is a materials scientist and biomedical engineer, currently serving as Product & R&D Lead at Vecmedical.