Bio
Dr. Antonella Battisti is a Chemistry graduate with a PhD in Chemical Sciences. She is a researcher at CNR Nanoscience Institute (Italy) and a Professor of Polymers for Bioindustry at the University of Pisa (Italy). Her research interests include the following: - Sensors and biosensors: Development of new molecules, techniques, and platforms for the detection of physicochemical, biological, and environmental parameters; study of biologically active sensing elements able to produce responses that can be converted into readable signals through the action of a transducer; and exploration of suitable platforms for the implementation of sensing devices. - Smart materials and biomaterials: Development and improvement of novel materials for the realization of responsive devices towards external stimuli such as mechanical stress, moisture, light, temperature, pH, or chemical compounds for the evolution of industrial products (e.g., smart packaging) or renewable energy strategies, and characterization of biocompatible and bioactive materials for applications in the biomedical field.

Bio
Dr. Chiara Sanmartin is a Food Biotechnology graduate with a PhD in Food Science. She is an Associate Professor of Food Science and Technology at the University of Pisa (Italy), Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment (DiSAAA-a). She is also Vice Chair of the Master’s Degree Programs in Food Biosafety and Quality and in Plant and Microbial Biotechnology. Her research interests include the following: - Food processing and preservation technologies: Optimization of conventional and emerging processing techniques, with particular attention to process monitoring, quality control, and integration of innovative analytical tools. - Food characterization and advanced analytical approaches: Physicochemical and sensory characterization of agri-food products, including the use of instrumental and data-driven methods to support quality assessment and decision-making. - Applications of sensing and smart technologies in food systems: Contribution to the development and application of sensor-based approaches for food quality, safety, and sustainability evaluation along the agri-food chain.

Bio
Prof. Andrea Bellincontro is an Agricultural Engineering graduate with a PhD in Agricultural & Environmental Sciences. He is an Associate Professor in Food Science and Technology at the University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy. His research interests related to the topic of the organized webinar include the application of sensors and non-destructive technologies, both commercially available and prototypes, to investigate quality attributes and determine food products (mainly fruits and vegetables), as well as to monitor their processing and elaboration procedures. In particular, his research interests are focused on the application and investigation of optically characterized sensors, like Vis–NIR, NIR, and MIR spectroscopy, aimed at detecting internal attributes based on the vibrational response of molecules, or on other physical characteristics, like in the case of E-Nose devices that detect the volatile patterns or aroma profiles of analyzed food matrices.

Bio
Alessandro Tonacci, PhD, is a Senior Researcher at the Institute of Clinical Physiology of the National Research Council of Italy (IFC-CNR). He holds a master's degree in Biomedical Engineering (2010) and was awarded a PhD in Automation, Robotics and Bioengineering from the University of Pisa (2015). He also holds a level II master’s in “Machine learning and big data in precision medicine and biomedical research” (University of Padua, 2021). Since 2011, he has worked at the IFC-CNR, where, from 2020, he has served as a full-time researcher and, from 2023, a Senior Researcher. He is involved in studying sensory aspects of health and diseases with a technological perspective, using intelligent, minimally obtrusive systems for acquiring and analyzing biomedical variables. He is currently a member of the Consumer Technology Society of the IEEE, where he also serves as a Chair for the “Consumer Healthcare and Wellbeing” Technical Committee.