Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy;
Tullia Maraldi graduated and obtained her PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Bologna with a study on reactive oxygen species as second messanegers in the regulation of laukemia progression. In 2005, during the stay in the Molecular Signalling Laboratory directed by Dr. Martin Bootman in The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK, she studied the interplay between calcium signalling and ROS-dependent induction of death. Since 2007 she has worked on the biological characteristics of human stem cells isolated from human amniotic fluid (hAFSC) for the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia as Researcher and now as Associate Professor in Histology. Her current research interests are focused on investigating the role of redox balance in stem cell fate. She is particularly interested in the regenerative potential and immunomodulatory properties due to paracrine factors released as soluble secreted molecules and extracellular vesicles. She is also investigating the aging phenomenon occurring during in vitro expansion of hAFSC, focusing on the characterization of individual properties, such as the disposition to premature aging linked to a redox imbalance.

Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Italy;
Valentina Russo graduated in Veterinary Medicine (cum laude), University Federico II Naples. Actually, she is an Associate Professor of Veterinary Anatomy habilitated for Full Professor position at the University of Teramo. Valentina is vice-coordinator of the PhD programme in Cellular and Molecular Biotechnologies. Her research interests are mainly focused on amniotic epithelial stem cells and their application in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering especially for tendon therapy. She is Editor of two books and has edited several chapter books, has published 113 publications of which over 60 full papers published on peer reviewed international scientific journals. Valentina has been part of numerous European and national/regional projects as PI/member, actually she is PI for the University of Teramo of the funded H2020-MSCA-ITN-EJD- 955685 project Perspectives For Future Innovation in Tendon repair (P4 FIT).