Bio
Loredana Tammaro is a research scientist at the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA). She is graduated in Chemistry and gained the PhD degree in Chemical Engineering from University of Salerno (Italy) concerned the preparation and characterization of novel nanostructured materials based on layered inorganic compounds and biopolymers. Since December 2014 she is permanent researcher at ENEA, actually working at the Laboratory of Nanomaterials and Devices, involved in different national/international projects. Her research activity is mainly focused on the preparation and physico-chemical characterization of polymeric composites and nano-structured materials. Special attention is paid to innovative and sustainable materials tailored for several applications: from food packaging to antibacterial nanostructured coatings, from optoelectronics to additive manufacturing, from recovery to recycling.

Talk
Electrospun polymeric membranes were loaded with quercetin as drug delivery platforms for tissue injury repair. Viability assays performed with human keratinocyte cell line proved that the membranes can be employed in the scratch closure assay.

Bio
Dr Gianluca Viscusi graduated in Chemical Engineering in 2016 with full honours at the Department of Industrial Engineering of the University of Salerno. After spending a few years in the private sector working as a process engineer, he took part in the Research and Innovation Staff Exchange of Graphene 3D project as a visiting researcher at Sichuan University (Chengdu, China) and Mackenzie Presbyterian University (San Paolo, Brazil). In 2021, he got his PhD, in Industrial Engineering, which concerned the design, production and characterization of novel materials obtained from sustainable polymers and hemp fibres. Currently, he is a Fellow Researcher and Assistant teacher of Fundamentals of Chemistry. His main research topics concern: the synthesis of novel adsorbents for water remediation applications, design, fabrication and characterization of physical properties of natural fibres reinforced polymeric and cementitious systems, production of nanocomposites and micro-composites obtained through electrospinning technique as sustainable systems for tissue engineering, application of mechanochemistry to design advanced smart materials.

Talk
With rampant population growth and our insatiable appetite for non-renewable resources, waste generation is skyrocketing. Landfills and oceans overflow with materials of varying lifespans - some eventually decompose, while others linger for centuries. Our research aims to address this by repurposing a readily available waste stream: sugarcane bagasse. Specifically, we focus on extracting cellulose from this agricultural residue and transforming it into an emulsifier for oil spills in seawater. By replacing commercial cellulose with this recycled alternative, we demonstrate a promising, sustainable approach to oil spill cleanup for water treatment. The prepared cellulose effectively disperses oil spills for an impressive 10 months, preventing coalescence and facilitating easier removal.

Bio
- PhD in organic Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Helwan University, 2020. Title of the thesis: Preparation, characterization and applications of carbon allotropes derived from agricultural wastes. - Dr. Tohamy has experience in cellulose chemistry and technology, recycling of agricultural wastes, sustainability, kinetics, thermal analysis, hydrogels, nanomaterials, amphiphilic polymers, carbon based materials, graphene oxide, carbon nanotubes, carbon quantum dots, grafting, drug delivery, water treatment, adsorption, detection of waste contaminants, pH/thermo-responsive hydrogels, sensors and pharmaceutical applications at National Research Center (NRC), Cellulose and Paper department, since 2012.

Talk
This research outlines a multidisciplinary approach that integrates nanotechnology and biotechnology to develop advanced materials. These materials have dual applications in active food packaging, with a specific emphasis on pathogen inactivation, and in the biomedical field, particularly for the treatment of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections. The integration of metal nanoparticles into polyhydroxyalkanoates introduces a biocompatible and potentially antimicrobial dimension to these materials.

Bio
Dr. Lorena Castro-Mayorga is PhD in Biotechnology, Master's degree in Industrial and Agri-food Biotechnology and Biological Engineer. With a background in microbiology and bioprocess, she applies nanotechnology and biotechnology to synthesize, scale up, and formulate bioactive compounds. Currently, she is affiliated with the Department of Bioproducts at Agrosavia (Colombian Corporation for Agricultural Research), where her work focuses on the development of biofungicides, biofertilizers, and agro-industrial products.