Current members

Dr. Fouad Damiri completed his Ph.D. in Organic and Polymer Chemistry at Hassan II University of Casablanca, Morocco, in 2021, following his earlier achievement of a Master’s Degree in Chemistry and Valorization from the same institution in 2016. His research is dedicated to the development of sophisticated nano biomaterials originating from polysaccharides, specifically tailored for advanced drug delivery systems. In 2024, he embarked on a new chapter in Brussels, joining the BioMatter Lab at Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) as a Postdoctoral Fellow.

Oseweuba completed his Ph.D. at the University of Otago, New Zealand, in 2019, where his research focused on the design of systems that can facilitate the production of biomaterials, biochemicals, and bioenergy from renewable carbon resources. He is a Senior Researcher at the BioMatter research unit, at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB). Previously, he was a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Process/Chemical Engineering, Stellenbosch University, South Africa where he explored the modeling of biorefinery systems. He has also previously worked as a Research Fellow in the Energy Technology Unit at, the University of Otago, New Zealand. His main research interests include circular economy, biomaterial development, process design, chemical Engineering, and biorefinery design.

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Maryam Hajiabbas studied all her education at sharif university of technology, Iran. She studied chemical engineering, and she accomplished her Ph.D. degree in biotechnology in 2020. Her research field mainly focuses on tissue engineering and drug delivery, and she did her master’s and Ph.D. projects in these fields. During her education, she had a collaboration with urology and heart research centers to preparing tissue scaffolds. She also worked as a business R&D in an accelerator for biotechnology projects. She has joined as a postdoctoral fellow to the Laboratory of Pathophysiological and Nutritional Biochemistry (team of Prof Delporte), Faculty of Medicine where she will be working on 3D bioprinting of salivary gland tissue in collaboration with the BioMatter Lab in 2021.

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Hafez received his bachelor’s in Polymer Engineering from Tehran University, Iran, and moved on to pursue a master’s in Bioengineering (Tissue Engineering) from Tehran University. During his master’s, he worked in the fields of bone tissue engineering. Hafez did his Ph.D. at BioMatter from 2019- 2023 on developing 3-dimensional anti-infectious hydrogels with adhesive properties for skin wound healing application. He was granted a BOF postdoctoral fellowship in 2023 to join Polymer Chemistry and Biomaterials Research Group at Ghent University. He continues his collaboration with BioMatter as part of the BOF project.

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Julia studied at Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Poland, for her Bachelor of Engineering and Master of Science degrees. She is interested in research that integrates aspects of medical and technical sciences, as she studied Biomedical Engineering, and obtained two master’s degrees in Management and Manufacturing Engineering and Chemistry and Materials Engineering with specialization in Advanced Functional Materials. Now, she moved to Brussels for PhD studies. Her work will be related to developing a 3D bioprinted angiogenesis model for salivary glands, beginning with materials synthesis, bioprinting and ending with functional evaluation. This project will be a part of the ongoing collaboration between the Faculty of Medicine (ULB, Erasme), BioMatter (ULB, Solbosch) and Dr Daria Podstawczyk from Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Poland.

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She obtained her bachelor of Engineering and Master of Science degrees in chemical engineering in Iran. Then, she accomplished her joint master’s degree in chemical and materials engineering with a specialization in Materials science from VUB/ULB universities (BRUFACE program) in Belgium. She continued her studies as a Ph.D. student in the field of polymer science (biopolymers) Since biomaterials science is her interest. Her research field study is associated with biomaterial ink development using biobased polymer networks. This project will perform in collaboration between VUB-FYSC and ULB-BIOMATTER universities.

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Parinaz joined the lab in 2020 to conduct her Ph.D. in Bioengineering (BioMatter Unit). She previously received her MSc in Food Biotechnology at the University of Tehran, Iran. During her masters, she worked in the field of production and characterization of lipase enzymes which were applicable for human consumption. Her Ph.D. research will be on developing and characterizing a 3D microenvironment containing probiotic bacteria and skin cells for potential healing of skin tissue and regeneration.

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I received my bachelor’s from Lorestan University and master’s from Tehran University in Polymer Engineering. My master thesis was about preparing polymeric scaffolds in bone tissue engineering applications. During my master, Meanwhile, I worked in the field of antibacterial wound dressing based on biocompatible and biodegradable polymers. My Ph.D. project will be on smart oxygen wound dressing that can optimize oxygen release profile in the local of the wound and facilitate the wound healing process.

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Man Li received her bachelor’s in Traditional Chinese Medicine Pharmacy and master’s in Traditional Chinese Medicine at Henan University of Chinese Medicine (China). Her master’s thesis was nanoparticle preparation and its application to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Her Ph.D. project will be on developing an intelligent responsive composite hydrogel containing nanozyme for the potential healing of wounds.

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Qianqian studied for her bachelor’s and master’s at the College of Life Science of Xinyang Normal University, China. During her master’s, she was interested in multifunctional hydrogel biomaterials as dressings for wound healing. Then, she joined the BioMatter (ULB, Solbosch) lab to pursue her PhD study in the field of wound monitoring which benefits from providing correct diagnosis and treatment decisions for wound repair via timely and accurate assessment of wounds during the wound healing process, especially chronic wounds.

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Currently, I am finishing my master’s degree in bioengineering in chemistry and bio-industries, at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB). My thesis subject is the optimization of collagen extraction from mussel byssus thread and possible application as a wound healing patch. Being a member of the Biomatter lab is a great opportunity to apply and develop the versatile scientific knowledge that I learned in my bioengineering cursus

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Violette Tondeur have always lived in Brussels. She  obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) in 2022. She is currently doing a Master’s Degree in the same field, specialising in process technology, at the Brussels Faculty of Engineering (Bruface).

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Hippolyte De Caevel got is Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering at ULB in 2022. He is currently pursuing the Bruface program in the same option. His master thesis at the Biomatter lab will be focusing on the microbial  valorization of Hermetia Illucens farm waste for biopolymer production.

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Félix obtained his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering at Universidad Industrial de Santander in Bucaramanga, Colombia in 2016. During his bachelor’s, he had the opportunity to be a member of his university’s biotechnology research group. Additionally, he worked in the biofuels industry in Colombia, specifically in the production of first and second-generation biodiesel. Currently, he is pursuing a master’s degree in chemical and materials engineering at the Brussels Faculty of Engineering (Bruface). His master’s thesis will be the optimization of in-situ catalyst-free biodiesel production.

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Liya got her Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering at the Université Libre de Bruxelles and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in the same field. She had the opportunity to do her Master’s thesis at the BioMatter Lab with a focus on « Hydrogel-based scavengers of ROS and oxygen generators for mitigating inflammation »

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Léa obtained her bachelor’s degree in Physics at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Chemical and Materials Engineering at the Brussels Faculty of Engineering (Bruface). Her master’s thesis is focused on engineering a vascularized tissue using 3D bioprinting

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Jérôme Duisit is a medical doctor (MD, UCLouvain 2010) and board-certified Plastic and Reconstructive surgeon. During his PhD (UClouvain, 2018), and after a fellowship at the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (USA), he pioneered the field of “Vascularized Composite tissue Engineering” (VCE), a regenerative medicine approach to face and hand transplantation. For this, he was honored by the Transplantation Society, the French National Academy of Surgery, and the Belgian Royal Academy of Medicine (Lucien Deloyers prize). He is an active member of the Cell Transplant and Regenerative Medicine Society (CTRMS) and the International Society for Composite Allotransplantation (ISVCA); a guest Editor for Tissue Engineering journal, and a Review Editor for Frontiers in in Bioengineering and Biotechnology journal. Jérôme contributes to BioMatter with his expertise as a clinician and scientist.

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Houman Alimoradi is an experienced researcher in pharmacology and toxicology and his research mainly focuses on the controlled modulation of nitric oxide (NO; an important signalling molecule in biology) level in pathophysiological conditions using advanced biomaterials. He Studied medical toxicology at the Tehran University of Medical Sciences and completed a Ph.D. in pharmacology and toxicology (specializing in medicinal chemistry) at the University of Otago, New Zealand. Houman has extensive previous successful international mobility, interdisciplinary, intersectoral experience and working both in the industry and academia, including working as a lecturer, postdoctoral fellow and R&D Manager at pharmaceutical companies. He is working on the development of O₂/NO-releasing biomaterials for wound dressing applications.

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