Ana Rotter, Slovenia

She is a microbiologist with a PhD in statistics. She is the director of Ocean4Biotech and also employed at the National Institute of Biology in Slovenia. Her research includes the development of novel value chains from marine side streams, the discovery and use of biotechnologically relevant microorganisms and circular economy. She is a mentor and gender equality practicioner. More.

Renata Denaro, Italy

She is a researcher at the Water Research Institute of the National Research Council (CNR) and a lecturer in Environmental Microbiology and Marine Microbial Biotechnology at Tor Vergata University in Rome. She holds a degree in Biological Sciences and a Ph.D. in Biochemical and Biomolecular Sciences, with expertise in marine bioremediation and biotechnology. 

Chiara Lauritano, Italy

She is a senior researcher at the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn. Her main research interests are in marine biology, functional genomics and marine biotechnology. Currently, she is testing the bioactivity (e. g. antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, anti-diabetes) of marine organisms, mainly microalgae, to isolate biologically active compounds for human health applications. 

Ernesta Grigalionyte-Bembič, Slovenia

She is a professional associate at National Institute of Biology and PhD student in management programme at the University of Primorska (Slovenia).  Her activities are focused on the management of EU funded projects.

Mercedes Cueto, Spain

She holds a PhD in natural product chemistry. She works at the Institute of Natural Products and Agrobiology of the CSIC (Spanish National Research Council). Her research interest are marine natural products from macro and micro-organisms, purification, structural elucidation, bioactivity and chemical transformations. More

Ana R. Díaz-Marrero, Spain

Has a PhD in Chemical Sciences at the University of La Laguna (Canary Islands), expert in the field of marine natural products chemistry: structure, chemotaxonomic studies and biomedical applications. Interests: discovery of new bioactive molecules produced by marine-sourced microorganisms. More

Giovanna Romano, Italy

Dr. Romano is senior researcher at the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn (Italy). She is interested in the identification and exploitation of diatom-derived compounds for the development of new products for pharmaceutical, cosmeceutical and nutraceutical applications. She is also interested in studying pathways involved in the biosynthesis of valuable molecules. Dr. Romano is partner in the SZN-CNR spin-off company BioSEArch srl. More information.

Inga Matijošytė, Lithuania

She is a chemist with a PhD in biochemistry and biocatalysis at the Life Sciences Center Vilnius University in Lithuania. Her research focuses on the discovery and engineering of biocatalysts for potential industrial application and development of efficient biocatalytic routes for producing the added value products. More

Manolis Mandalakis, Greece

He is a chemist at the Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture in Greece. His research is focused on “Bioanalysis and Marine Biotechnology”, including targeted analysis of biomolecules, metabolic phenotyping and biotechnological valorization of marine bioresources. More

Lada Lukić Bilela, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Molecular biologist, full professor in Faculty of Science, University of Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Her research includes mitochondrial genomics and evolution of marine and freshwater sponges. She is also passionate biospeleologist, interested in bioactive compounds and biopotential of subterranean microbial biofilms, cave-dwellers and marine invertebrates. More.

Rósa Jónsdóttir, Iceland

Rósa Jónsdóttir, MSc in Food Science is a research group leader at MATIS, Icelandic Food and Biotech R&D. Her main expertise is in utilisation of macro algae, bioactive ingredients, functional ingredients and flavour chemistry. Rósa is one founder and former owner of the company Marinox ehf. and one founder of UNA skincare ehf. were the focus was on utilisation of seaweed in food, nutraceuticals and cosmetics.  More

Luen Zidar, Slovenia

She is a research associate at the National Institute of Biology, Msc of Molecular and Functional Biology (Biotechnical Faculty University of Ljubljana). Her activities are focused on project work on marine biotechnology, circular bioeconomy and laboratory research in the field of marine biotechnology.