Confirmed Speakers

	Thomas Ambrosi | UC Davis, California Dr. Ambrosi’s research aims to delineate skeletal stem cell (SSC) diversity and niche composition in mice and humans to eventually identify novel molecular targets of endogenous stem cell communication, specifically between skeletal and hematopoietic lineages. Previous and ongoing work has comprehensively investigated SSC biology during mouse and human development as well as how alterations in the SSC compartment drive aging and oncogenic malignancies by cell-autonomous processes and multi-stem cell system crosstalk. His long-term goal is to develop strategies to prevent and reverse SSC-based bone and hematopoietic aging and malignancies
	David Hoey | Trinity College Dublin Dr. David Hoey is an Associate Professor at Trinity College Dublin and the Director of the Discipline of Biomedical Engineering. He leads a multidisciplinary research group focused on musculoskeletal mechanobiology and materials for regeneration, particularly in relation to bone formation and osteoporosis. His work involves developing novel mechanotherapeutics, biomaterials, and bioprinting technologies for orthopedic applications, and he has received significant funding for his research, including two European Research Council awards. Additionally, he is involved in commercial projects aimed at developing innovative biomaterials for musculoskeletal and vascular repair.
	Aline Lueckgen | Senior Editor at Nature Communications Aline Lueckgen is a senior editor on the biotechnology team at Nature Communications. After pursuing a Bachelor's degree in bioengineering from Rice University and a Master's degree from EPFL, she completed her PhD at the Technical University in Berlin with a project on the degradation behavior of alginate-based hydrogels for bone regeneration applications. Her editorial job is based in Berlin, and involves handling manuscripts on diverse topics, including tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, drug delivery, and biomedical devices.
	Alvaro Mata | University of Nottingham Dr. Alvaro Mata is holds a interdisciplinary group at University of Nottingam. Their research interests include material complex materials, structural biology, biofabrication, and engineering to develop bioinspired approaches to design and fabricate innovative materials and devices for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. The main goal is to understand cell-matrix interactions using biological and engineering approaches, in order to develop materials that recapitulate the functionality of natural tissues. Alvaro is also very interested in translation, including 8 patents and patent applications and being Chief Scientific Officer of two start-up companies.
	Amanda Wichert | Lecturer, Trainer, Educator This year’s Nikolaus Lecture will be held by Amanda Wichert talking about Imposter Syndrome: Imposter syndrome – that feeling of self-doubt, secretly worried that you’re not measuring up, and dreading that you’re just a conversation away from someone finding out that you’re not really an expert – is a widespread phenomenon among academics and (early career) researchers that can be a limiting factor in achievement and a major source of stress at work. Imposter syndrome is everywhere, although it disproportionally affects those from backgrounds underrepresented in academia. In this interactive talk, we’ll develop an awareness of imposter syndrome and learn strategies to deal with the challenges that it brings in order to open up space for new collaborations and connections and enable researchers to engage more fully in doing great science. We’ll learn what imposter syndrome is (and isn’t), where it might come from, and how it can affect our work and lives. We’ll explore methods to help manage it, concrete steps that you can take to gain confidence in your work, and learn how to support yourself and your colleagues and peers in developing an approach to work and research that supports and fosters setting realistic expectations, recognizing achievements, and celebrating successes. This talk is interactive – you’ll have the opportunity to share and discuss your experiences with others and to engage with and explore new techniques.
	Lisbet Geris | University of Liége, Belgium​ Liesbet Geris is a Collen-Francqui Research Professor in Biomechanics and Computational Tissue Engineering at the universities of Liège and KU Leuven in Belgium. Her research focuses on multi-scale and multi-physics modeling of biological processes, particularly non-healing fractures, cell-based treatment strategies, and tissue engineering manufacturing processes. She coordinates the Prometheus platform for Skeletal Tissue Engineering, which involves over 50 researchers. Liesbet has received two prestigious ERC grants and multiple young investigator and research awards. As the executive director of the Virtual Physiological Human Institute, she advocates for the use of in silico modeling in healthcare and delivers public lectures on interdisciplinary research, women in academia, and digital healthcare.
	Simon Haas | Max Delbrück Center/Berlin Institute of Health, Germany​ Simon Haas and his team focus on the use of innovative multimodal single cell and spatially resolved technologies to investigate the complex causes of hematological cancers and their interaction with the immune system. Their research focuses on the development of advanced precision diagnostic and prognostic tools using high-resolution single-cell multimodal technologies. These cutting-edge technologies aim to enable early detection, personalized treatment decisions, and therapeutic interventions before the onset of disease.

Prof. Dr. Markus Feuerer, Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy, Germany

Prof. Dr. Ralph Müller, ETH, Zurich

Prof. Dr. Amir A. Zadpoor, Leiden University, Netherlands

Julia Fernández Pérez, Ph.D., Merln Institute, Netherlands