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News U13

The revolutionary path of research in NANBIOSIS and advice on Woman’s Day 2024

Our interview series delve into the journeys of 7 female researchers, their challenges, and the call for gender equality in science, inspiring the next generation.

March 8th 2024, NANBIOSIS (Spain)

Kicking off on 11F “International Day of Women and Girls in Science” 2024, and spanning all the way until Woman’s Day 2024, our interview series has aimed to highlight the life, career and opinions of some of the brilliant minds within our network. Today is time to wrap it up, and for this reason we present you a summary of each of them and a chance to take a deeper look.

In these series we delved into the remarkable journeys, research endeavors, and challenges faced by these exceptional women in their pursuit of scientific excellence. From unraveling the mysteries of nanotechnology to pioneering advancements in biosciences, each researcher’s story resonates with perseverance, resilience, and a fervent commitment to breaking barriers. With no doubt their collective message resonates loudly: a call to inspire and empower the next generation of aspiring researchers, regardless of gender, to embark on their own transformative journeys in the world of science and innovation, as well as speaking out on the issues that female researchers still encounter today.

Anna Aviñó speaks about her journey as a researcher and her captivating oligonucleotides.

“Oligonucleotides (…) are recently being approved as new advanced gene therapies for many diseases, including rare and cardiovascular diseases.”

—Dr. Anna Aviñó, scientific coordinator of Unit 29.

Our leading chemist, specialized in nucleic acid chemistry, was the first interview published in these series. She offered us insights into her current projects focused on synthetic and structural studies of oligonucleotides. With a deep understanding of their applications in gene therapies and biosensors, Dr. Aviñó highlighted her contributions to the field and addressed challenges faced as a woman scientist.

Through her expertise and dedication, she advocates for gender equality in science, emphasizing the importance of unbiased education and empowering young women to pursue careers in research.

You can read the full interview here.

Dr. Martín tells us about her innovations in cancer treatment with nanoparticles.

“There are challenging moments during a scientific career (…), but in the end, persistence pays off.”

—Dr. Ana Martín, collaborator scientist in Unit 9.

Ana has a multifaceted background spanning Veterinary Medicine, Biochemistry, and a Ph.D. And in this second part of our series she welcomed us into a world of scientific inquiry and innovation. In this interview, Ana shared her pioneering work in cancer research, utilizing nanoparticles for anti-tumor treatments. Ana also reflected on gender equality in science, the challenges of balancing motherhood with a scientific career, and her aspirations for a more inclusive scientific community.

You can read the full interview here.

Prof. Peña gave us her insightful point of view in overcoming challenges, embracing passion, and cultivating collaborative success towards career estabilization.

“The most important thing in your professional career is to dedicate yourself to something you love (…) that’s incredibly important from a professional point of view.”

—Prof. Estefanía Peña, Scientific Coordinator of Unit 13.

In a captivating interview, Professor Estefanía Peña shared her insights on overcoming challenges, nurturing passion, and fostering collaborative success in achieving career stability. Amidst the bustling R&D environment, Professor Peña’s laboratory serves as a beacon of innovation and determination. With enthusiasm and warmth, she discussed her journey in computational modeling and biomedical engineering, highlighting her experiences, hurdles, and victories. Professor Peña’s story resonates as a testament to perseverance and dedication, offering valuable advice to aspiring researchers on following their passions.

You can read the full interview here.

Our expert in nanocarriers talks about her journey from biotechnology to cancer therapy, an example of passion and perseverance in science.

“I am fortunate to be able to devote myself to something I am passionate about. Research is something I enjoy every day.”

—Dr. María Sancho, Researcher at Unit 9.

Dr. Sancho, our expert in nanocarriers and cancer therapy, shared with us her inspiring journey from biotechnology to groundbreaking research. Set in Zaragoza, Spain, the interview highlighted Maria’s passion and perseverance in pursuing scientific excellence. With warmth and enthusiasm, she discussed her innovative work in developing nanocarriers for targeted drug delivery in cancer treatment. Maria’s story serves as a beacon of inspiration for aspiring scientists, showcasing the transformative power of dedication and curiosity in the pursuit of scientific advancement.

You can read the full interview here.

Dr. Vílchez, our esteemed colloidal chemistry researcher, discusses her focus on water-in-water emulsions and microcoacervates. She highlights gender biases in science and advocates for inclusivity and recognition of women’s contributions.

“I would advise (young women) to pursue their dreams, to show others what they are capable of, and not to let themselves be underestimated.”

—Dr. Susana Vílchez, technical and quality manager of Unit 12.

Dr. Vílchez offered a profound insight into her research endeavors and career trajectory. Specializing in the characterization of colloidal systems such as micelles, vesicles, emulsions, and more, her current focus lies on the intriguing realm of water-in-water emulsions and the formation of microcoacervates, serving as a model for membraneless organelles (MLO) by introducing DNA into these emulsions. During the interview, Dr. Vílchez also shed light on the gender biases prevalent in her field and offered invaluable perspectives on fostering gender equality in science. Through her experiences and unwavering dedication, she inspires young women to pursue their scientific aspirations while advocating for broader inclusivity and recognition of women’s contributions in shaping the scientific landscape.

You can read the full interview here.

Dr. Mincholé discusses cardiac risk assessment, gender challenges in science, and the transformative potential of Digital Twins in healthcare research.

“(I) design and work on a research line that combines computational models with cardiac signals and images. This was done with the aim of stratifying arrhythmic risk and understanding its mechanisms.”

—Dr. Ana Mincholé, researcher at Unit 27.

In this part 6 of our interview series, Dr. Ana Mincholé discussed her groundbreaking work in cardiac risk assessment, gender challenges in science, and the transformative potential of Digital Twins in healthcare research. Dr. Mincholé’s insights offered a glimpse into her innovative approach to integrating computational models with clinical data to advance cardiac care. Her passion for science and dedication to promoting diversity in STEM shine through, underscoring the invaluable contributions of women in the field.

You can read the full interview here.

As a bosus, we have recently published the last of our interviews in our YouTube channel.

In this part VII, we had the pleasure to interview Dr. Eli Prats, a brilliant researches from Unit 8 and a fantastic science communicator. Watch it full here:

About NANBIOSIS:

The goal of NANBIOSIS is to provide comprehensive and integrated advanced solutions for companies and research institutions in biomedical applications. All of this is done through a single-entry point, involving the design and production of biomaterials, nanomaterials, and their nanoconjugates. This includes their characterization from physical-chemical, functional, toxicological, and biological perspectives (preclinical validation).

In order to access our Cutting-Edge Biomedical Solutions, place your request here.

NANBIOSIS has worked with pharmaceutical companies of all sizes in the areas of drug delivery, biomaterials and regenerative medicine. Here are a few of them:

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Women in NANBIOSIS part 3: Professor Fany Peña, her insights in research, parenthood, and persistence

Prof. Peña gives us her insightful point of view in overcoming challenges, embracing passion, and cultivating collaborative success towards career estabilization.

February 2024, Unizar/CIBER-BBN, Zaragoza (Spain)

The echo of our footsteps returns from the high ceilings filled with electrical conduits and gas pipes. An alarm sounds in the distance, while the warmth of the Zen Garden located in the center of the R&D Building reminds us once again that peace and progress will never be at odds.

We continue forward across the maroon floor, towards one of the access gates that separate each wing of the building. After crossing it, and almost without warning, the echo disappears with the slam of the heavy security door behind us. Now, the noise of the machines muffles our voices and footsteps as we walk through one of the many laboratories of the building. The numerous panels and posters, along with the bustling activity, make it clear that this is a place where science is the undisputed protagonist.

Instron MicroTester, one of the many devices available at Unit 13.

With a strangely welcoming feeling, we enter the spacious laboratory of Professor Estefanía Peña. The light in the room is bright, neutral, and aseptic like the complex machines that adorn it. High-precision devices, some venerable with a history of witnessing scientific breakthroughs, and others, the product of cutting-edge engineering, now contributing to new frontiers.

Two people await us in the room: a young technician, quiet and discreet, and his boss, a woman who, despite, or perhaps as a consequence of her undeniably established scientific career, radiates youthfulness, energy, and determination. Both kindly welcome us to their realm, where they rule over the complex machines. The woman quickly grabs the reins of the conversation, filling the room with her overwhelming, yet approachable personality.

Prof. Peña introduces herself: “Fany, just Fany is fine. That’s how everyone calls me.”

The interview begins.

Alright, Fany, tell us a little about yourself and your research group.

“My group focuses on computational modeling of the human body and pathologies. We also design implants and devices to correct pathologies. We work on real-time simulation and Artificial Intelligence.”

What motivated you to choose a career in research?

“Since I was very young, I’ve loved mathematics, physics, experimenting, asking questions like ‘why does the apple fall?’, and also because of the influence of my family.”

Could you share with us a bit about your research area and the projects you’re currently working on?

“My group is quite large and has three main lines of research: artificial intelligence applied to biological engineering, prosthetic design, lenses, muscle fatigue, and, in the case of those closest to me and Dr. Martínez Barca, the mathematical study of cardiovascular pathologies: myocardial infarction, how these lesions affect the heart, atheroma plaque, and devices to try to correct vessel obstruction. Recently, we’ve been working on modeling aneurysms in collaboration with groups from Val d’Hebron Hospital.”

Have you had any Eureka moments in your career? What do you consider to be your greatest achievement or contribution in your field at a professional or personal level?

“Probably my first doctoral thesis. Feeling capable of teaching and mentoring someone was a significant milestone for me. The topic was about carotid stents.”

What have been the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a woman in your research field?

“The biggest challenge has been balancing personal life, especially family life, with work. Especially when you’re young. I’m someone who, when I dedicate time to something, I dedicate it in full. Moreover, the moment when you have to dedicate much more time to a research career starts right after you finish your doctoral thesis until you reach professional stabilization. And that’s usually the period when you start a family. That’s a key moment and the greatest difficulty that, I believe, 99.9% of female researchers face.”

How do you think these barriers can be overcome?

“To be honest, I acknowledge that the role of a mother is almost irreplaceable. However, I believe that society is still not prepared to understand that women, besides being mothers, also want to do other things. It’s not just a problem of task distribution; I think nowadays roles in motherhood and fatherhood are quite shared, especially among young people. I believe it’s more of a social issue, meaning that even in terms of state aid aimed at encouraging motherhood, it’s scarce. Imagine, in other countries it’s inconceivable not to have a daycare or a similar service at the workplace. I think the role of a mother is very important, but…”

…having a daycare at work helps, right?

“It helps quite a bit, yes.”

“The most important thing in your professional career is to dedicate yourself to something you love (…) that’s incredibly important from a professional point of view.”

—Prof. Estefanía Peña, Scientific Coordinator of Unit 13.

What advice would you give to young women considering pursuing a career in science?

“Go for it! The most important thing in your professional career is to dedicate yourself to something you love. I mean, family and your personal life bring the greatest happiness, yes, but I know many people who work in something they don’t like, either because they haven’t found work anywhere else or because they opted to study something easy back then, even if they didn’t like it that much… I believe that working in something you love allows you to do things much better, and that’s incredibly important from a professional point of view. Study and do what you love, and if you love science… go for it!”

And what about all those girls who doubt?

“Yes… the truth is, from the talks I’ve given at schools, the response from girls often is ‘Phew!’ And usually, the female ratios, in my case as an engineering professor, are very, very low. But success rates, the highest grades… there’s no distinction there. It’s a 50/50. That means there’s no added difficulty, beyond the intrinsic difficulty of a science career, which both men and women will feel equally. Probably women will have more advantage since, for whatever reason, we tend to be able to focus more and be, as we use to say in Aragon, ‘more stubborn’. It doesn’t really matter much if subjects are more difficult because when you really like what you do, you don’t mind dedicating more time to it.”

What support have you received throughout your career that has been particularly useful?

“My colleagues, without a doubt. I’ve had people I’ve worked with and continue to work with since I started my thesis. There are people I’m still working with whom I started working with 25 years ago. And I have the utmost confidence that if I’m on maternity leave, nothing will go wrong. Or that if one of my colleagues fails, the rest of us will always be there. That’s extremely important. I don’t think it’s necessary to mention specific names. Science is very collaborative, whether from a teaching or research perspective. I always say ‘tanto monta, monta tanto’.” [Interviewer’s Note: a historical idiomatic expression when both king and queen held equal authority and power in the newly unified kingdom of Aragón].

Very Aragonese phares as well.

“Yes, very Aragonese.”

Thank you very much for your time, Fany.

“Thank you very much, Gabriel.”

This is part of a series of interviews to several female researchers within the context of International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2024 and Woman’s Day 2024. For more interviews, visit our news section here.

Additional information:

The goal of NANBIOSIS is to provide comprehensive and integrated advanced solutions for companies and research institutions in biomedical applications. All of this is done through a single-entry point, involving the design and production of biomaterials, nanomaterials, and their nanoconjugates. This includes their characterization from physical-chemical, functional, toxicological, and biological perspectives (preclinical validation).

In order to access our biomedical Solutions, apply here.

NANBIOSIS has worked with pharmaceutical companies of all sizes in the areas of drug delivery, biomaterials and regenerative medicine. Here are a few of them:

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Applications of data-driven dynamics to oncology and neuromodulation

On the 17th of November, CIBER-BBN group TME lab – NANBIOSIS U13 Tissue & Scaffold Characterization Unit. organises the Conference “Applications of data-driven dynamics to oncology and neuromodulation” by Dr. Michael Ortiz.

Michael Ortiz a Frank and Ora Lee Marble Professor Emeritus of Aronautics and Mechanical Engineering at California Institute of Technology. Prior to his arrival at Caltech in 1995, he was Professor of Engineering at Brown University.

Since 2020 he also holds positions as Research Chair in the Institute of Applied Mathematics, University of Bonn and as Adjunct Professor and Timoshenko Distinguished Fellow in the departments of Mechanical Engineering and Aeronautics and Astronautics of Stanford University. 

As main awards, he has received the

  • Rodney Hill Prize, International Union of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (IUTAM) 2008.
  • Timoshenko Medal, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), 2015.
  • Doctor Honoris Causa, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Spain, 2019.
  • John von Neumann Medal, US Association for Computational Mechanics (USACM), 2019
  • Elected Member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering (NAE). 2013
  • Elected Fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences (AAAS). 2007
  • Corresponding Member, Spanish Academy of Engineering. 1999
  • Doctor “Honoris Causa” from the Polytechnique University of Madrid 2019

The event will take place at 12:00 in the Meeting Room of the Betancourt Building in the Campus Rio Ebro, Zaragoza

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Microchannel capillarity pumping design by Prof. Guillermo Artana

On the 28th of October, we will be receiving the international visit at the  Unversity of Zaragoza from Dr. Guillermo Artana from Laboratorio de Fluidodinámica-Facultad de Ingeniería-Universidad de Buenos Aires. The title of the talk will be “Microchannel capillarity pumping design“.

The invited lecture is programed within the framework of the European project “Heart On chip based on induced pluripotent Stem cell Technology for personalized Medicine (CISTEM)” and counts with European funding: Horizon 2020 – Research and Innovation Framework Programme / H2020-MSCA-RISE-2017, grant agreement No.778354 in wich the University of Zaragoza participates through CIBER-BBN group TME lab NANBIOSIS U13 Tissue & Scaffold Characterization Unit.

The event will take place at 12:00 in the Conference Hall bloque 1, planta 1,edif.I+D+I; Campus Rio Ebro, Zaragoza

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Induced pluripotent stem cells in disease modelling and experimental therapies: cardiovascular perspective

On the 20th of May, we will be receiving an international visit at the  Unversity of Zaragoza from Pr. Józef Dulak from Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland. The title of the talk will be “Induced pluripotent stem cells in disease modelling and experimental therapies: cardiovascular perspective“.

The invited lecture is programed within the framework of the European CISTEM project, in wich the University of Zaragoza participates through CIBER-BBN group TME lab NANBIOSIS U13 Tissue & Scaffold Characterization Unit.

The event will take place at 12:00 in the I3A SEMINAR (2nd floor) of Campus Rio Ebro, of University of Zaragoza

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) are generated by genetic reprogramming of somatic cells and thanks to the ability to differentiate into almost all cells types of the organism they offer the enormous possibilities for investigating disease mechanisms, drug sensitivity and safety and for experimental regenerative approaches.  iPSC thus became the indispensable tools of current medial biotechnology and received additional input thanks to the development of the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing.

In this lecture PR. Józef Dulak will review his research in which iPSC and CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing is applyed for investigating the iPSC-differentiation to cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells and other cell types linked with the disease affecting vascular system, heart and the skeletal muscles. The special attention will be on discussing the potential of iPSC for diabetes and Duchenne muscular dystrophy disease modelling.

Application of iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes offer the chance for effective cell therapy of heart failure and this will be addressed in regard to recently published studies.

  1. Sci Rep. 2015 Feb 26;5:8597. doi: 10.1038/srep08597.
  2. Stepniewski J, et al., Dulak J. Heme oxygenase-1 affects generation and spontaneous cardiac differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells. IUBMB Life. 2018 Feb;70(2):129-142. doi: 10.1002/iub.1711. 2018 Jan 9.
  3. Kachamakova-Trojanowska N, Stepniewski J, Dulak J.  Human iPSCs-derived endothelial cells with mutation in HNF1A as a model of maturity-onset diabetes of the young. Cells. 2019 Nov 14;8(11). pii: E1440. doi: 10.3390/cells8111440.
  4. Stępniewski J, et al. Dulak J.  Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes, in Contrast to Adipose Tissue-Derived Stromal Cells, Efficiently Improve Heart Function in Murine Model of Myocardial Infarction. Biomedicines. 2020 Dec 7;8(12):578. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines8120578.
  5. Jeż M, et al. Dulak J.  Role of Heme-Oxygenase-1 in Biology of Cardiomyocytes Derived from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells. Cells. 2021 Mar 1;10(3):522. doi: 10.3390/cells10030522.
  6. Andrysiak K, Stępniewski J, Dulak J. Human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes, 3D cardiac structures, and heart-on-a-chip as tools for drug research. Pflugers Arch. 2021 Jul;473(7):1061-1085. doi: 10.1007/s00424-021-02536-z. Epub 2021 Feb 24.
  7. Martyniak A, et al, Dulak J. Generation of microRNA-378a-deficient hiPSC as a novel tool to study its role in human cardiomyocytes. J Mol Cell Cardiol. 2021 Jul 28;160:128-141. doi: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2021.07.007.  
  8. Kachamkova-Trojanowska N, Skoczek D, Dulak J,  Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young – new approaches for disease modelling. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Jul 14;22(14):7553. doi: 10.3390/ijms22147553.
  9. Andrysiak K, et al., Dulak J. Generation of DMBi002-A human induced pluripotent stem cell line from patient with Spinal muscular atrophy type 3. Stem Cell Res. 2021 Oct 13;57:102563. doi: 10.1016/j.scr.2021.102563. 
  10. Jelinkova S, Martyniak A, Dulak J, Stępniewski J.   Derivation of human pluripotent stem cell line via CRISPR/Cas9 mediated deletion of exon 3 LAMA2 gene (DMBi001-A-1) Stem Cell Res. 2021 Sep 2;56:102529. doi: 10.1016/j.scr.2021.102529
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The results of POSITION II highlighted by CORDIS: A pan-European alliance for the next generation of smart catheters

In the picture: microencapsulated cardiospheres 10X Captured Brightfield with DM_RGB_Brightfield with DM

The European project POSITION-II has been selected for publication in the ‘Results in Brief’ section of the Community Research and Development Information Service (CORDIS) website. CORDIS is the European Commission’s primary source of results from the projects funded by the EU’s framework programmes for research and innovation (FP1 to Horizon 2020).

The resulting short article has now been published on the CORDIS website in six languages.

The European project POSITION II “A pilot line for the next generation of smart catheters and implants” is an alliance of European leaders, united to improve technology and offer cheaper, easier to use, more efficient and technologically advanced catheters by incorporating sensors and real-time positioning and monitoring systems. This new generation of catheters will improve the treatment of multiple pathologies, through new therapeutic tools such as cell therapy and tissue engineering implemented in the project by the U10 Drug Formulation of the ICTS Nanbiosis, which is integrated in the NanoBioCel group of CIBER-BBN and UPV/EHU.

The following actions have been carried out in NANBIOSIS U10 Drug Formulation during the execution of the project:

– Isolate, expand and characterize cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs). CDCs were  isolated from porcine cardiac tissue, and their  release profile of immunomodulatory factors was determined.

– To optimize the encapsulation conditions of CDCs in alginate microcapsules.

– Evaluate whether the physical and chemical properties of the encapsulated CDCs were suitable for the catheter developed in the project.

– Determine that the secretion profile of trophic factors did not change in CDCs after encapsulation.

– Provide the TME Lab group and NANBIOSIS U13 of CIBER-BBN and the University of Zaragoza with the microcapsules and encapsulated CDCs required for their mechanical characterization and to evaluate the behavior of the capsules in the catheter and in the animals at the NANBIOSIS units of Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery in Extremadura (CCMIJU). Other collaborations during the execution of the project were established with the Fraunhofer EMFT group in Germany and with the Spanish company IberHospitex, manufacturer of the catheters.

Other related news:

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Women Scientists in your neighborhood: Estefanía Peña

The International Day of Women and Girls in Science on February 11 honor women’s significant achievements in science and place a much-needed focus on girls entering Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) careers. We want to take this day to congratulate all the women scientists, especially to our scientists at NANBIOSIS ICTS, some of whom take an active role in the organization of events to celebrate this day, as Estefanía Peña in the initiative “Women Scientists in your neighborhood” form the University of Zaragoza.

Estefanía Peña is the Cientific Coordinator of Unit 13 of Tissue & Scaffold Characterization from the ICTS NANBIOSIS since the creation of the Unit in 2007 by the Network Biomedical Research Center in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine, (CIBER-BBN) and the University of Zaragoza-I3A. Estefanía participates this year in the Campaign “I’m a Scientist, I live in your neighborhood” organised by Scientific Culture Unit of the University of Zaragoza to break stereotypes that present the women scientists as heroines, geeks or with little social life, while the scientists who live in our neighborhoods show the reality of a vibrant and exciting career choice, to vindicate the role of women in science, break the gender gap and offer close references to girls and adolescents.

“My name is Estefanía Peña and I am Professor of Mechanics of Continuous Media and Theory of Structures at the School of Engineering and Architecture. In addition to teaching, I am dedicated to research in the field of Biomedical Engineering at the Engineering Research Institute of Aragon (I3A).

I am delighted to share with you the story of why I ended up being a scientist and dedicated myself to research in Engineering applied to Life Sciences. I was born in Zaragoza and have lived in Zaragoza practically all my life, except for a few short periods in France and England. From a very young age I liked science, but I have always had a split heart between physics and mathematics and literature and history. Since I was little, I also liked teaching, and my classmates know that in exchange for a snack I gave classes to whoever asked me. In the end I opted for mathematics and physics, because I was attracted to knowing when and why things happened, and since then I have dedicated much of my time to continue learning about the world around us and reading books in my spare time. literature and history, the mountains and gardening. I have always had the support of my family and friends who have understood and supported a woman dedicating herself to a field that until a few years ago was traditionally masculine and now is no longer. Just to say that among my colleagues we are equal parts men and women. I have a fantastic family and being a mother has made me value even more the things I do and what I dedicate my time to. That is why I know that dedicating myself to research and teaching is something fantastic and that it fills me with gratitude to know how lucky I am.

I started my Engineering career in the specialty of structures and then the doctorate in Biomechanics, the branch of Engineering that applies the principles of Mechanics to Life Sciences such as Biology, Veterinary Medicine and Medicine. I was especially attracted to this field because I find that applying Engineering to something as warm and rewarding as trying to improve people’s lives every day is an exciting profession, developing diagnostic, treatment and/or surgical techniques, medical instruments and devices and treating to contribute a grain of sand to make this world better. In my work I live surrounded by great people, I love meeting new people, helping to train new scientists and enriching myself with knowledge.

I am delighted to participate in this initiative with my colleagues, all of them fantastic scientists who in their day to day show that science is open to women and that it is a fascinating way to make this world a little better.”

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NANBIOSIS Scientific Women in the International Day of Women and Girls in Science

Today February 11 is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, a day to raise awareness of the gender gap in science and technology.

According to the United Nations, while yet women and girls continue to be excluded from participating fully in science, science and gender equality are vital to achieve the internationally agreed development goals, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Thus, in recent years, the international community has made a great effort to inspire and promote the participation of women and girls in science.

NANBIOSIS wants to acknowledge  the efforts made by scientific women who struggle every day to contribute their bit to Science and highlight their essential role in nowadays research. Especially we want to recognize the work of scientists women involved in NANBIOSIS, whatever is the nature of their contribution: technical, scientific development, management, coordination, direction, etc; just to mention some examples:
Neus Ferrer and Mercedes Márquez in the Scientific Direction and Coordination of Unit 1 Protein Production Platform (PPP)
Pilar Marco and Nuria Pascual in the Management and Scientific Coordination of U2 Custom Antibody Service (CAbS) 
Miriam Royo in the Scientific Direction of U3 Synthesis of Peptides Unit
Nora Ventosa and Nathaly Segovia in the Scientific Direction and Technical Coordination of U6 Biomaterial Processing and Nanostructuring Unit
Isabel Oliveira and Teresa Galán in the Coordination of U7 Nanotecnology Unit
Rosa Villa and Gemma Gabriel in the Management and Scientific Coordination of U8 Micro – Nano Technology Unit
Gema Martínez in the Scientific Coordination of U9 Synthesis of Nanoparticles Unit
Fany Peña in the Scientific Coordination of U13 Tissue & Scaffold Characterization Unit
Mª Luisa González Martín and Margarita Hierro in the of Direction and Scientific Coordination of U16 Tissue & Scaffold Characterization Unit
Gemma Pascual and Isabel Trabado in the Coordination of the U17 Confocal Microscopy Service
Isolda Casanova in the Scientific Coordination of U18 Nanotoxicology Unit
Beatriz Moreno in the Scientific Direction of Unit 19 Clinical tests lab
Ibane Abásolo in the Scientific Coordination of Unit 20 In Vivo Experimental Platformt
Verónica Crisóstomo in the Scientific Direction of Unit 24 Medical Imaging 
Ana Paula Candiota in the Scientific Coordination of Unit 25 Biomedical Applications I 
Maria Luisa García in the Scientific Direction of U28 NanoImaging Unit from Bionand, recently incorporated to NANBIOSIS, Anna Aviñó in the Scientific Coordination of U29 Oligonucleotide Synthesis Platform (OSP) – and

Nerea Argarate in the coordination of NANBIOSIS

Thanks to all of you and your teams!

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The University of Zaragoza, in the elite of the 500 best universities in the world

The Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), known as
Shanghai Ranking, which was made public on August 15, once again places the University of Zaragoza among the elite of the 500 best universities in the world.

This indicator organizes up to 20,000 university centers worldwide. Among the keys that have been able to positively influence the results of the research, according to the Vice Chancellor for Prospect, Sustainability and Infrastructure of the University of Zaragoza, Francisco Serón, are the increase in public campus funding for four years as well as the quality of their Scientists.

The University of Zaragoza houses three of NANBIOSIS Units:

U9 Synthesis of Nanoparticles Unit, led by Jesús Santamaría and Gema Martínez

U13 Tissue & Scaffold Characterization Unit, led by Miguel Ángel Martínez Barca and Fany Peña

U27 High Performance Computing , led by Pablo Laguna

Since 2003, every August, the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), known as “Shanghai Ranking,” is published, one of the international reference studies to compare higher education institutions. The ranking selects the 1,000 best educational institutions from a global point of view, among the 20,000 higher education centers that exist.

It is possibly the most famous and most recognized university analysis that values the quality of institutions in the generation of knowledge. The research community respects the results of these rankings because they are based on objective data and their classification is reproducible.

Source:
https://www.aragondigital.es/2019/08/15/la-uz-en-la-elite-de-las-500-mejores-universidades-del-mundo-segun-el-ranking-de-shanghai/

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Manuel Doblaré, researcher of NANBIOSIS U13, new Chairman of IMDEA Materials Foundation

Manuel Doblaré researcher of the Group Applied Mechanics and Bioengineering AMB and NANBIOSIS U13 Tissue & Scaffold Characterization Unit of CIBER-BBN and I3A presides, from this month, the Board of Trustees of the Imdea Materiales Foundation.

The IMDEA Materials Institute, one of the seven Madrid Institutes for Advanced Studies (IMDEA), is a public research centre founded in 2007 by Madrid’s regional government. The goal of the Institute is to do research at the forefront of Material Science and Engineering, attracting talent from all around the globe, and collaborating with companies in an effort to transfer fundamental and applied knowledge into valuable technology

In an interview by I3A-UZ Manuel Doblaré highlights from IMDEA its great evolution and major strategic lines, with projects lasting three or four years and the balance he has achieved between very powerful basic research and strong collaboration with the industry.

Manuel Doblaré was the founder of the I3A and the forst scientific director of the CIBER-BBN. Today, in addition to chairing the IMDEA Materials Foundation, he is a Fellow of the European Alliance for Engineering and Biomedicine (EAMBES) and the World Biomechanics Council, as well as the director of the Gadea Ciencia Foundation, whose objective is to promote the improvement and advancement of science, technology and innovation in Spain.

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