Natural-Based Polymers for Biomedical Applications

Professor Rui L. Reis works in the Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics Research Group in the Department of Polymer Engineering at the University of Minho, Portugal.Nuno M. Neves works in the Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics Research Group in the Department of Polymer Engineering at the University of Minho, Portugal.João F. Mano (CEng, PhD, DSc) is a Full Professor at the Chemistry Department of University of Aveiro, Portugal, where he is directing both the MSc and PhD programs of Biotechnology. He is the founder and director of the COMPASS Research Group, from the Associated Laboratory CICECO – Aveiro Institute of Materials. His research interests include the use of advanced biomaterials and cells towards the progress of transdisciplinary concepts to be employed in regenerative and personalised medicine. In particular, he has been applying biomimetic and nano/micro-technology approaches to polymer-based biomaterials and surfaces in order to develop biomedical devices with improved structural and (multi-)functional properties, or in the engineering of microenvironments to control cell behaviour and organization, to be exploited clinically in advanced therapies or in drug screening. João Mano is the Editor-in-Chief of Materials Today Bio (Elsevier). He has been coordinating or involved in many national and European research projects, including Advanced and Proof-of-Concept Grants from the European Research Council. João Mano is an elected fellow of the European Academy of Sciences.Alexandra P. Marques works in the Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics Research Group in the Department of Polymer Engineering at the University of Minho, Portugal.Helena S. Azevedo works in the Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics Research Group in the Department of Polymer Engineering at the University of Minho, Portugal.Manuela E. Gomes is Associate Professor and Vice-President of the Research Institute for Biomaterials, Biodegradable and Biomimetics at the University of Minho. Dr. Gomes is also on the Board of Directors of the Portuguese Associate Laboratory that gathers the Institute for Life and Health Sciences of the University of Minho and the 3B´s Research Group and was responsible for the implementation of the Quality Management System at the 3B's. She is a board member of the Doctoral Program on Tissue Engineering Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cells and has been part of numerous European and national/regional projects as PI/member. She was awarded a Consolidator Grant and a PoC from the European Research Council that started in 2018 and 2022, respectively. She has edited 2 books, 1 encyclopedia, and is author of 43 book chapters, 226 scientific papers in journals with international peer-review, 9 patents and over 344 communications in international conferences.