Dr. Ruslan Álvarez Diduk obtained his PhD in chemistry at the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (México) in 2014. From 2015 to date, he works as a postdoctoral researcher in the Nanobioelectronics and Biosensors group (Prof. Merkoçi). His research focuses on the development of novel nanostructured biosensors using both optical and electrochemical platforms, which are based on point-of-care and low-cost systems. He is also involved in exploring new and novel routes for nanoparticle synthesis, graphene reduction and laser patterning, and the development of readout platforms including smartphone based biosensing

Chemist and molecular biologist with over four years of laboratory experience. My main interest and research area is the development and evaluation of biosensors. During these years I have gained experience in the cloning, expression, purification and virological/immunological evaluation of vaccine candidates against Sars-Cov-2, Dengue and Zika viruses at CIGB, Cuba, and in the last period I have developed a biosensor to monitor the efficacy of a treatment against neuroblastoma at ICN2, Spain. During the second year of my career at the University of Havana, I was associated with the Department of General Chemistry and also with the Applied Electrochemical-Inorganic Research Group of the Department of Chemistry-Physics of the Faculty of Chemistry of the University, where I worked on the synthesis and characterization of iron oxide nanoparticles.

Dr. Maria Guix received her PhD in Chemistry, M.S. degree in Nanotechnology and B.Sc. degree in Chemistry from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB). During her PhD she worked in the Prof. Merkoçi’s group at Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), working on the integration of nanomaterials in biosensing platforms. As a PhD candidate, she did two short internships related to the development of catalytic nanomotors, first in EMPA (Switzerland) and then in the University of California San Diego (USA) under the supervision of Prof. Joseph Wang. She later joined Prof. Oliver Schmidt’s group as a postdoctoral researcher at IFW Dresden, developing biocompatible micromotors for biomedical applications. Afterwards, she moved to Purdue University to work on the automation of magnetic microrobots for safe manipulation tasks by using visual-based control methods. She was a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) for 4 years under the supervision of Prof. Samuel Sánchez’ group, focusing her research line in the development of advanced functional living robots. She recently moved to the University of Barcelona at Prof. Josep Puigmartí group as Ramon y Cajal senior researcher.

Gabriel Maroli holds degrees in Chemical Engineering and Electronics Engineering from the National Technological University of Buenos Aires (UTN-BA), Argentina. For six years he was an assistant in the pilot plant of the chemical department. After a period in industry at Mercedes Benz, he started his PhD in Flexible and Printed Electronics at the UTN-BA in 2019. Since 2021, he is a PhD student in the Nanobioelectronics and Biosensors group at the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Spain, where he is doing a double PhD in the development of electronic devices for biosensing, with a special focus on smartphone-based biosensing, battery-free sensors and wireless readout.

Sibel A. Ozkan is currently working as a Full Professor of Analytical Chemistry at Ankara University, Faculty of Pharmacy. She is the active member of European Chemical Society-DAC member on behalf of Turkish Chemical Society. She is the member of European Pharmacopoeia-EDQM- Chromatography Section. She is the member of PortASAP: - European network for the promotion of portable, affordable and simple analytical platform: Core group of Cost Action CA 16215. Working Group 4. She has published more than 385 original and review papers and Editor of 9 scientific books from HNB Publishing (2012), Springer (2015), Bentham (5 Volumes, 2018-2019), Elsevier (2019), CRC (2022) and more than 50 book chapters in different years (for Elsevier and Springer). She received Ankara University Encouragement Award (2003), Turkish Pharmacists Association-Scientific Award (2008), Supervisor of The Best PhD Thesis Award (Health Sciences) in Turkey from High Council of Education of Turkey in 2017, Ton Duc Thang University Woman in Science 2019 Award (Vietnam) and Ankara University Science Award (2021). She is the Editor of the Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis (SCI) and Regional Editor (Europa) of Current Pharmaceutical Analysis (SCI). In addition, she is an Editorial Board member of Talanta (SCI), Chromatographia (SCI), Biosensors&Bioelectronics X and other journals.

Dr Piper did his undergraduate degree in Medicinal and Biological Chemistry at the University of Edinburgh. He stayed at the University of Edinburgh for his PhD where he developed nanoelectrode arrays for Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). He has held postdoctoral positions at the University of Oxford developing biosensors for Parkinson´s disease, at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), in Stockholm, developing wearable textile biosensors; and at the Karolinska Institute working on covid-19. He currently works as a senior postdoctoral researcher in the Merkoci group at the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2) where he is involved in various biosensor development projects

Dr. Daniel Quesada-González is a postdoctoral researcher at Nanobioelectronics and Biosensors group, in the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Spain. He has a MSc in Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials and a PhD in Chemistry, both from the Autonomous University of Barcelona. His main expertise is focused in the development of paper-based biosensors for diagnostic and environmental applications, a topic in which he has written 5 high-impact reviews in the recent years. Besides his academic career, Daniel worked as the Head of Product Development in the start-up Paperdrop Diagnostics during more than four years, broadening his point of view also towards the market and clinical needs.

Associate professor (Medical School) (November 2020- Continues)
Doctor of Molecular Microbiology (Ph.D.) – (September 2009 – June 2012)
Department of Biology, University of Van–Van, Turkey
• Dissertation Title: Molecular Characterization of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Enteritidis (S. enteritidis).
Master of Arts (M.Sc.), Molecular Biology and Genetics – Excellent with highest honors – (September 2007 – June 2009)
Faculty of Science and Art, Ataturk University in Erzurum, Turkey
• Dissertation Title: Molecular characterization of thermophilic bacteria isolated from Van City Ercis Town Hasanabdal hot spring.
Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.), Biology – Excellent with highest honors – (September 2002 – June 2006)
Faculty of Science and Art, Van Yuzuncu Yıl University in Van, Turkey
Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.), Biology, Anadolu University in Eskişehir, Turkey (September 2000- June 2002)
Faculty of Science and Art, Van Yuzuncu Yıl University in Van, Turkey