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.
Sabeena Farvin K. Habeebullah, Kuwait
She is a researcher at the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), holding a PhD in Fisheries Science (Post-Harvest Technology) with expertise in biochemistry. Her research centers on marine bioprospecting, including the isolation, structural characterization, and functional evaluation of bioactive compounds from marine algae and diverse marine organisms. Her work supports the development of high-value marine-derived products for biotechnology, nutraceutical, and pharmaceutical applications.
Viktoriia Komarysta, Ukraine, Spain
Viktoriia Komarysta is a biotechnologist and phycologist from V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, Ukraine, currently working as a Distinguished Professor at the University of Valladolid, Spain. She has expertise in microalgal and cyanobacterial research, focusing on the cultivation and processing of microalgae for natural pigment production and the factors affecting carotenoid biosynthesis. Viktoriia has contributed to international research collaborations and is a co-inventor on patents related to algal biomass processing and carotenoid extraction. More.
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.
Zrinka Ljubešić, Croatia
Zrinka Ljubešić is a biological oceanographer at Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb. She focuses her research to taxonomy and ecology of marine phytoplankton using highly interdisciplinary approach incorporating traditional taxonomy, molecular methods, marine chemistry, physic and bio-optics. More
Donata Overlinge, Lithuania
Donata Overlinge is a PhD student in Ecology and Environmental Science, at the Marine Research Institute, University of Klaipeda. The main research topics are secondary metabolites produced by cyanobacteria, and their biotechnological application, also water quality assesment based on cyanotoxins. More
Eylem Atak, Slovenia
She is a PhD student at Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School (IPS). She is interested in obtaining bioactive substances from plants and marine organisms.
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.
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.
