Emmanouel Nikolakakis | Chemistry and Materials Science | Research Excellence Award

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Mr. Emmanouel Nikolakakis | Chemistry and Materials Science | Research Excellence Award

Democritus University of Thrace | Greece

Emmanouil Nikolakakis is a chemistry graduate with a strong research-oriented profile grounded in analytical chemistry, bioactive compound characterization, and the valorization of agri-food by-products for health-promoting applications. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the Democritus University of Thrace, where he developed solid expertise in organic, analytical, physical, and biochemical chemistry, supported by extensive hands-on laboratory training and a consistent academic record. His primary research interest lies in the recovery, characterization, and functional evaluation of bioactive compounds from natural matrices and food-processing residues. His undergraduate thesis focused on the recovering and valorization of bioactives with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antithrombotic properties from Citrullus lanatus (watermelon) and its biowaste. Within this project, he applied advanced extraction methodologies, including modified Bligh–Dyer and Galanos–Kapoulas protocols, to isolate neutral, amphiphilic, and total lipid fractions from watermelon flesh, peel, pulp, and seeds. The biological activity of these extracts was systematically evaluated using in vitro antioxidant assays (DPPH, ABTS, FRAP), platelet aggregation assays in human platelet-rich plasma, and inhibition studies of the platelet-activating factor (PAF) pathway.

 

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Ylenia Della Rocca | Medicine and Health Sciences | Research Excellence Award

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Prof. Ylenia Della Rocca | Medicine and Health Sciences | Research Excellence Award 

Link University | Italy

Ylenia Della Rocca is an Associate Professor of Histology and Embryology and Physiology whose research profile is internationally recognized in the fields of stem cell biology, regenerative medicine, and advanced in vitro modeling for precision medicine. Her scientific activity is strongly interdisciplinary, integrating histology, embryology, molecular biology, biomaterials, and translational medicine, with a particular focus on induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), extracellular vesicles, and 3D culture systems. Her core research line centers on the reprogramming of autologous human gingival mesenchymal stem cells into iPSCs and their differentiation toward functional cell types, especially cardiomyocytes and neural lineages. This work has led to innovative strategies for cardiac regeneration and personalized regenerative therapies, culminating in a patented non-integrative reprogramming and cardiomyogenic differentiation process. Through advanced molecular and morphological analyses, her studies elucidate the signaling pathways governing cell fate, inflammation, hypoxia response, and extracellular matrix remodeling. A distinctive element of her research is the development and application of organ-on-a-chip and tissue-on-a-chip platforms, including bone-on-a-chip and cardiac models, to study disease mechanisms, environmental pollutant toxicity, and therapeutic responses. Within national and international projects, she has contributed to the creation of physiologically relevant in vitro systems that reduce reliance on animal models while increasing translational relevance. Her work on environmental pollutants, such as bisphenol A and pesticides, has clarified their impact on inflammatory, apoptotic, and epigenetic pathways in stem cells and endothelial models.

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