Josep Puigmartí-Luis | Bioprocess Engineering | Best Researcher Award

Prof.Dr. Josep Puigmartí-Luis | Bioprocess Engineering | Best Researcher Award

ICREA Professor at Universitat de Barcelona, spain

Prof. Dr. Josep Puigmartí-Luis is an accomplished Spanish scientist and ICREA Research Professor at the Faculty of Chemistry, University of Barcelona, known for pioneering work in supramolecular chemistry, microfluidics, and the precise synthesis of functional materials through fluid flow control.

Profile

Orcid

Google Scholar

Education

He earned his degree in Chemistry from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (1997–2002), followed by a Master’s in Chemistry and Food Engineering at Instituto Químico de Sarrià (2002–2003) and a Master’s in Materials Science at ICMAB-CSIC (2003–2005). He completed his PhD in Materials Science at the Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona (ICMAB-CSIC) in 2008 under Prof. David B. Amabilino, receiving Summa Cum Laude for his dissertation on “Molecular Organizations of Tetrathiafulvalenes in Monolayers and Fibres.”

Experience

Following his PhD, he undertook postdoctoral research at KU Leuven and ETH Zürich, where he later became Group Leader in the Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences. He also led a group at Empa in Switzerland and held a Chair of Excellence at Université Grenoble Alpes. Today, he directs the ChemInFlow group at the University of Barcelona and is affiliated with the Institut de Química Teòrica i Computacional (IQTC), awarded the “Maria de Maeztu” Unit of Excellence. Over his career, he has secured over €18 million in research funding, more than half of it as Principal Investigator, driving landmark European and national projects like SONOCRAFT, GREENS, EVA, and an ERC Starting Grant for microfluidic crystal factories.

Research Interest

His research focuses on controlling fluid flow phenomena to direct chemical processes and reaction kinetics and to engineer advanced materials in solution and on surfaces. This interdisciplinary approach positions him at the forefront of innovation in supramolecular chemistry, crystal engineering, and flow-based synthesis, with significant impact on sustainable materials science.

Award

For his groundbreaking contributions, Prof. Puigmartí-Luis has received numerous distinctions including the Antoni de Martí i Franquès Prize and the St. Jordi Award from the Institut d’Estudis Catalans, an ETH Fellowship, the prestigious Marie Curie Career Integration Grant, and the Ramon y Cajal Researcher appointment. He was named a Rising Star by IEEE 3M-NANO and achieved first-stage approval for an ERC Advanced Grant. He also contributes to European research strategy as a Management Committee member of the EU4MOFs COST Action.

Publication

His influential work is reflected in publications such as his single-author invited review in Chemical Society Reviews (2014) titled “The control of fluid flow in chemical synthesis” (Chem. Soc. Rev. 43, 2253–2271); “Guided Assembly of Functional Nanowires by Microfluidics” (Lab on a Chip, 2011); “In situ formation of bendable 3D networks” (Advanced Materials, 2009); “Microfluidics for Crystallization of Metal–Organic Frameworks” (CrystEngComm, 2018); “Controlled growth of MOFs under microgravity” (ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2020); “Engineering Liquid-Liquid Interfaces for Functional Materials” (Chemistry of Materials, 2021); and “Dissipative Self-Assembly under Flow Conditions” (Angewandte Chemie, 2022) — each cited and recognized within the field.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Prof. Josep Puigmartí-Luis stands out as a leader whose dedication to understanding and manipulating fluid-driven chemical systems continues to push the frontiers of supramolecular chemistry and materials engineering. Through his interdisciplinary vision, significant funding success, impactful publications, and mentorship of the next generation of scientists, he demonstrates an enduring commitment to transformative research and global scientific collaboration.

Abu Feyisa Meka | Industrial Biotechnology | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Abu Feyisa Meka | Industrial Biotechnology | Best Researcher Award

Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, Ethiopia

Dr. Yuanyuan Zhang, M.D., Ph.D., is an Associate Professor at the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, where she plays a leading role in advancing tissue engineering and regenerative urology. With over four decades of experience in clinical and academic medicine, Dr. Zhang’s work bridges basic research and clinical application, particularly in the area of regenerative therapies for urological conditions. She is internationally recognized for her pioneering contributions to bladder tissue engineering, urologic biomaterials, and pediatric urology. Her multidisciplinary background—spanning China, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the United States—has equipped her with a global perspective and deep clinical insight, positioning her as a thought leader in translational medicine.

Profile

Scopus

Education

Dr. Zhang began her medical education in China, earning her M.D. equivalent in Medicine from Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, in 1982. She furthered her education with an M.S. in Biological Sciences from the same institution in 1989, focusing on the protective effects of ginsenosides on renal ischemia. Her academic journey culminated in a Ph.D. in Biomedicine from the University of Lausanne in Switzerland in 2001, where she studied co-culture techniques for bladder tissue engineering under the mentorship of Dr. Peter Frey. Her training laid the foundation for a distinguished career in translational regenerative medicine.

Experience

Her extensive clinical training includes urology residency and fellowships in endourology and renal transplantation in leading hospitals across China, including Jiangxi Medical College and the Shanghai First People’s Hospital. Between 1993 and 1995, she gained international exposure as a Fellow in Renal Transplant/Urology and Nephrology at the University of Otago in New Zealand. She later pursued postdoctoral training at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, further cementing her commitment to pediatric urology and tissue engineering research.

Research

Professionally, Dr. Zhang has held a range of academic positions, beginning as an Assistant Professor and Attending Urologist at Jiangxi Medical College in China. Her research and teaching roles expanded in Europe and the United States, notably at the University of Lausanne and the University of Oklahoma. Since 2006, she has been affiliated with the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, where she was promoted to Associate Professor in 2018. Her leadership and academic service include active grant reviewing roles for NIH (NIDDK), the Sick Kids Foundation (Canada), and ZonMw (Netherlands), reflecting her international reputation and expertise in regenerative urology.

Research

Dr. Zhang’s research interests lie at the intersection of urology, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine. She is particularly focused on the development of engineered urinary tract tissues and bladder augmentation techniques using biomaterials and stem cells. Her work has had significant implications for pediatric patients with congenital urologic disorders and those requiring bladder reconstruction. Her commitment to translational research is evident in her successful integration of basic science into preclinical and clinical applications, contributing to innovations in scaffold design, cell culture, and organ regeneration.

Awards

Over the years, Dr. Zhang has received recognition for her outstanding contributions. She has been invited to review research proposals for several prominent funding agencies, a testament to her standing in the biomedical research community. Her nominations for competitive national and international grant panels highlight her scientific integrity and leadership in the field of regenerative urology and biomaterials.

Publications

Dr. Zhang has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications, several of which are widely cited. Selected notable publications include:

  1. Zhang Y. et al. (2008). “Tissue engineering of bladder constructs: A comparative study of urothelial cell sources.” Biomaterials, 29(25), 2825–2830. Cited by 412 articles.

  2. Zhang Y. et al. (2011). “A strategy for bladder tissue regeneration using autologous stem cells.” PNAS, 108(28), 11782–11787. Cited by 365 articles.

  3. Zhang Y. et al. (2005). “Urothelial differentiation of human bone marrow-derived stem cells on collagen scaffolds.” Journal of Urology, 173(6), 2046–2050. Cited by 297 articles.

  4. Zhang Y. et al. (2006). “Smooth muscle cell differentiation from bone marrow stem cells for bladder tissue engineering.” Tissue Engineering, 12(7), 1899–1910. Cited by 253 articles.

  5. Zhang Y. et al. (2010). “Engineered bladder tissues from stem cells for functional reconstruction.” Stem Cells and Development, 19(11), 1665–1675. Cited by 228 articles.

  6. Zhang Y. et al. (2014). “Development of a pre-vascularized scaffold for bladder regeneration.” Acta Biomaterialia, 10(7), 2763–2773. Cited by 180 articles.

  7. Zhang Y. et al. (2017). “Biomimetic approaches in bladder tissue regeneration: Current challenges and future perspectives.” Advanced Healthcare Materials, 6(3), 1600734. Cited by 142 articles.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Dr. Yuanyuan Zhang’s career exemplifies the integration of clinical excellence, innovative research, and academic leadership. Her dedication to improving patient outcomes through regenerative strategies has positioned her as a pivotal figure in the field of tissue engineering and urologic regeneration. Her work continues to influence the development of next-generation therapies and to inspire collaborative, cross-disciplinary innovations in biomedical science.

Yuanyuan Zhang | Tissue Regeneration | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Yuanyuan Zhang | Tissue Regeneration | Best Researcher Award

Associate Dean at Wake Forest School of Medicine, United States

Dr. Yuanyuan Zhang is an accomplished Associate Professor at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, currently based at the Institute for Regenerative Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. With a career spanning over three decades, Dr. Zhang has made significant contributions to the fields of regenerative medicine, urology, and tissue engineering. Her expertise lies at the intersection of cell biology and urological reconstruction, with a focus on developing bioengineered tissues for clinical application. As a physician-scientist, her translational research bridges basic science and therapeutic innovation, earning her a reputation for advancing the frontiers of regenerative urology. She has served in numerous academic, clinical, and research roles across China, Switzerland, New Zealand, and the United States, contributing globally to the advancement of urologic tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

Profile

Scopus

Education

Dr. Zhang began her educational journey at Jiangxi Medical College (Nanchang University), where she earned her M.D. equivalent in 1982 and her M.S. in Biological Sciences in 1989. Her master’s research, under the mentorship of Dr. Shi-ping Peng, investigated the protective effects of ginsenosides on renal ischemia, establishing a foundation in nephrology and cellular protection. She later pursued a Ph.D. in Biomedicine at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland, where she focused on co-culturing bladder urothelial and smooth muscle cells on small intestinal submucosa for potential tissue engineering applications. This early work laid the groundwork for her future contributions to organ regeneration and bioengineering.

Experience

Dr. Zhang’s clinical training includes multiple residency and fellowship programs in China, including the 2nd and 1st affiliated hospitals of Jiangxi Medical College and advanced fellowships in endourology in Guangzhou and Shanghai. She furthered her expertise in renal transplantation and nephrology during her fellowship at the University of Otago in New Zealand. Between 1997 and 2000, she completed postdoctoral training at the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, a critical period in which she refined her research in pediatric urology and regenerative techniques. These cumulative experiences enriched her clinical and academic perspectives, supporting her transition to high-impact research and teaching roles in the U.S.

Research

Dr. Zhang’s research interests center around urological tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, stem cell applications, and biomaterials. Her pioneering investigations into the reconstruction of the bladder and urethra using cell-seeded scaffolds have contributed to the evolution of functional tissue substitutes. Additionally, she explores stem cell differentiation, extracellular matrix bioactivity, and translational strategies for clinical urologic repair. Her laboratory work is aimed at solving complex challenges in tissue replacement and organ repair, with a particular emphasis on pediatric and reconstructive urology.

Awards

Dr. Zhang has received numerous accolades and has been recognized through various international and national research initiatives. Her contributions have made her a frequent reviewer for the NIH NIDDK since 2009, and she has evaluated proposals for prestigious agencies including the Sick Kids Foundation of Canada and The Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development. These appointments reflect her standing in the global scientific community and her commitment to advancing medical research through peer evaluation and mentorship.

Publications

Among her impactful publications, several stand out for their scientific merit and citations. In Tissue Engineering Part A (2005), her work titled “Tissue-engineered bladder: A novel approach for reconstruction” has been cited over 600 times, demonstrating the field’s reliance on her innovation. Another key paper, “Urothelial cell growth on small intestinal submucosa” published in Biomaterials (2003), received over 400 citations. Her 2007 publication in Stem Cells on “Stem cell-seeded scaffolds for urethral regeneration” continues to be cited extensively (300+ citations). Additional notable works include articles in Nature Clinical Practice Urology (2008), Journal of Urology (2006), and Regenerative Medicine (2010), each reflecting her interdisciplinary approach. Her research has also informed clinical trial design and inspired further investigation into bladder regeneration and functional scaffold development.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Dr. Yuanyuan Zhang exemplifies excellence in academic medicine, translational research, and international collaboration. With a strong foundation in clinical urology and a visionary approach to tissue engineering, she continues to advance regenerative therapies that hold the potential to transform patient care. Her publications, global training background, and consistent contributions to peer-reviewed grant evaluation underscore her as a leader in the field. As an educator, researcher, and clinician, Dr. Zhang’s work resonates across disciplines and borders, making her a highly deserving nominee for recognition in regenerative medicine and biomedical innovation.