Eugenia Messina | Industrial Biotechnology | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Biotechnology Scientist

Dr. Eugenia Messina | Industrial Biotechnology | Best Researcher Award

Research Fellow at University of Bari Aldo Moro | Italy

Dr. Eugenia Messina is a distinguished researcher in biotechnology and microbial metabolic engineering, currently serving as a Research Fellow at the Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies, and Environment, University of Bari “Aldo Moro,” Italy. Her research focuses on the metabolic and genetic engineering of Yarrowia lipolytica and other non-conventional yeasts for the sustainable synthesis of industrially relevant compounds and the bioconversion of plastic-derived monomers. She has made significant contributions to the development of microbial platforms for plastic upcycling, biochemical characterization of mitochondrial transporters, and metabolic pathways related to fatty acid and isocitric acid production. Messina has authored 8 scientific documents indexed in Scopus, which have collectively received 110 citations from 108 documents, reflecting an h-index of 6-demonstrating the growing influence and recognition of her research. Her publications include papers in Bioresource Technology, Pharmaceutics, Microbial Cell Factories, Frontiers in Microbiology, Metabolic Engineering, FEBS Letters, and Biochemical Journal, along with a European patent on the metabolic engineering of Yarrowia lipolytica for isocitric acid production. She has been recognized with the HERITAGE 2024 Award from the Biotechnology Group of the Italian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (SIB), as well as multiple travel grants and presentation awards. Through interdisciplinary research and innovative approaches in bioengineering, Messina’s work contributes to advancing circular bioeconomy strategies, microbial biotechnology, and sustainable bioprocess development.

Profile: Scopus | ORCID

Featured Publications

Brito, D. S., Agrimi, G., Charton, L., Brilhaus, D., Bitetto, M. G., Lana-Costa, J., Messina, E., Nascimento, C. P., Feitosa-Araújo, E., Pires, M. V., Pérez-Díaz, J. L., Obata, T., Porcelli, V., Palmieri, L., Araújo, W. L., Weber, A. P. M., Linka, N., Fernie, A. R., Palmieri, F., & Nunes-Nesi, A. (2020). Biochemical and functional characterization of a mitochondrial citrate carrier in Arabidopsis thaliana. Biochemical Journal, 477(9), 1759–1777.

Yuzbasheva, E. Y., Scarcia, P., Yuzbashev, T. V., Messina, E., Kosikhina, I. M., Palmieri, L., Shutov, A. V., Taratynova, M. O., Amaro, R. L., Palmieri, F., Sineoky, S. P., & Agrimi, G. (2021). Engineering Yarrowia lipolytica for the selective and high-level production of isocitric acid through manipulation of mitochondrial dicarboxylate-tricarboxylate carriers. Metabolic Engineering, 65, 156–166.

Messina, E., de Souza, C. P., Cappella, C., Barile, S. N., Scarcia, P., Pisano, I., Palmieri, L., Nicaud, J. M., & Agrimi, G. (2023). Genetic inactivation of the carnitine/acetyl-carnitine mitochondrial carrier of Yarrowia lipolytica leads to enhanced odd-chain fatty acid production. Microbial Cell Factories, 22(1), 128.

Castellani, S., Iaconisi, G. N., Tripaldi, F., Porcelli, V., Trapani, A., Messina, E., Guerra, L., Di Franco, C., Maruccio, G., Monteduro, A. G., Corbo, F., Di Gioia, S., Trapani, G., & Conese, M. (2024). Dopamine and citicoline co-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles as multifunctional nanomedicines for Parkinson’s disease treatment by intranasal administration. Pharmaceutics, 16(8), 1048.

Messina, E., Zbigniew, L., Barile, S., Moroz, P., Scarcia, P., Palmieri, L., Pisano, I., & Agrimi, G. (2025). Acetate co-feeding increases ethylene glycol assimilation and glycolic acid production in Yarrowia lipolytica. Bioresource Technology. (Accepted October 2025).

Abu Feyisa Meka | Industrial Biotechnology | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Biotechnology Scientist

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.