May 13, 2026
Theme: Peace
| 09:00 - 9:20 |
Registration Welcome desk and badge collection. Check-in
|
| 09:25–09:30 |
Welcoming Speech Dr. Simone Dinarelli (CNR-ISM) Opening
|
| 09:30–10:00 |
Opening Speech - Scientists’ responsibility in a world at 85s from Doomsday Clock Dr. Francesco Lenci (Unione Scienziati per il Disarmo) Opening
|
| 10:00–10:05 |
Session: Challenges in Biophysics Introduction by Chairs Dr. Valentina Mussi (CNR-IMM) and Dr. Marco Girasole (CNR-ISM) |
| 10:05–10:45 |
Plenary Lecture - Challenges in Understanding the Synergistic Interactions of Antimicrobial Peptides in Membranes Prof. Burkhard Bechinger (University of Strasbourg) Plenary
|
| 10:45–11:15 |
Key Speaker - When a drop of blood meets biophysics: diagnosis of celiac disease with circulating microRNAs by Raman spectroscopy and electrochemical sensing Dr. Andrea Masotti (Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital-IRCCS, Research Laboratories) Keynote
|
| 11:15–11:45 |
Key Speaker - Not Junk, just Charme: dark matter rules muscle biology Dr. Monica Ballarino (Sapienza Università di Roma) Keynote
|
| 11:45–12:00 |
Open discussion Moderated discussion with speakers, Chair and audience. Discussion
|
| 12:00–13:30 |
Lunch Lunch break. Break
|
| 13:30–14:00 |
Flash talks Selected poster highlights. Nicole Marrocco — Multimodal Characterization of β-Amyloid Plaques: XPCT, XRF, and Raman Spectroscopy in Alzheimer's Mouse Model Francesca Mazzotta — CryoEM to exploring peptide self-assembly behavior based on LEGO-like interactions Giuseppe Giaquinto — Unraveling the Synergistic Mechanism of Magainin 2 and PGLa: A Biophysical Approach from Model Bilayers to Live E. coli Cells Martina Pacifici — AZE-Induced Protein Misfolding in CHO Cells detected by FT-IR micro-spectroscopy Simone Bonacorsi — Channel-size enlarging strategy for liposome production scale-up: A simplified approach Flash talks
|
| 14:00–14:05 |
Session: Technology’s Impact in Biophysics Introduction by chairs: Dr. Francesca Romana Bertani (CNR-IFN) and Dr. Luca Businaro (CNR-IFN) |
| 14:05–14:45 |
Plenary Lecture - Probing biomolecules and their interactions with plasmonic nanosensors Prof. Claudia Fasolato (Dip. di Fisica, Sapienza Università di Roma) Plenary
|
| 14:45–15:15 |
Key Speaker - Digital Twins for All: Bridging Multiscale Simulation and Responsible AI in Precision Medicine Dr. Davide Cirillo (Barcelona Supercomputing Center) Keynote
|
| 15:15–15:45 |
Key Speaker - The Two AIs: From Single-Shot Hallucinations to Agentic Scientific Workflows Dr. David Vagni (IRIB, CNR) Keynote
|
| 15:45–16:00 |
Open discussion Moderated discussion with speakers and audience. Discussion
|
| 16:00–16:30 |
Flash talks Selected poster highlights. Angela Capocefalo — Molecular interface of gold nanoparticles drives amyloid fibril disaggregation Cristian Brandi — Development of a microfluidic device for 3D-control of microparticles through dielectrophoresis (DEP) Domenica Musumeci — Inhibition of the pathological activity of the protein HMGB1 through the development of G-quadruplex DNA-based aptamers Ebin Joseph — A Bio-Electronic Hybrid Solid–Liquid Pixelated Color Image Sensor Array as a Direct-to-Display Artificial Retina Emulator Giovanna Zimatore — Eye-tracking correlates of visual perception of vandalized cultural heritage and anthropized landscapes in young adults Michael Di Gioacchino — Combining Ultrasound and Raman Data for Explainable Machine Learning-Based Thyroid Cancer Diagnosis from Cytological Samples Tiziana Mancini — MOF-based IR optical platform as next-gen biosensors for sensitive and specific airborne pathogen monitoring Flash talks
|
| 16:30–18:00 |
Poster Session + Coffee Break & Beer Networking and informal discussion. Poster Break
|
May 14, 2026
Theme: Cooperation
| 09:30–09:25 |
Registration and welcome coffee Welcome desk and badge collection. Check-in
|
| 09:25–09:30 |
Wecoming speech - — Dr. Annamaria Gerardino (CNR-IFN) Opening
|
| 09:30–10:00 |
Opening Speech - “EMBL - Europe's Life Sciences Research Institution” — Prof. Cornelius Gross (EMBL) Opening
|
| 10:00–10:05 |
Session: Future Directions in Biophysics Intoduction by Chairs: Prof. Daniela Roversi (Univ. Rome Tor Vergata) and Prof. Blasco Morozzo (Univ. Rome Tor Vergata) |
| 10:05–10:45 |
Plenary Lecture - Bridge over troubled waters - overcoming the gap between biophysical membrane models and biological function Prof. Heiko Heerklotz (University of Freiburg) Plenary
|
| 10:45–11:15 |
Key Speaker - From macro to nano stimulation: controlling activity in the cerebral cortex Prof. Mavi Sánchez-Vives IDIBAPS (Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer) Barcellona - Spagna Keynote
|
| 11:15–11:45 |
Key Speaker - Insights into planetary habitability through laboratory simulations and space exposure experiments Prof. Daniela Billi (Università di Roma Tor Vergata) Keynote
|
| 11:45–12:00 |
Open discussion Moderated discussion with speakers and audience. Discussion
|
| 12:00–13:30 |
Lunch Lunch break. Break
|
| 13:30–14:00 |
Flash talks Selected poster highlights. Federico Ortenzi — The mechanobiology of an ancient cyanobacterium after ultrasound pulsing in the S-PBR: spectrofluorimetric and AFM scanning of Trichormus variabilis Giada Corti — Structural and Functional Modification of the Osteoblast Niche by Osteomimetic Breast Cancer-Derived Vesicles Francesca Romana Frangipani — Albumin-coated liposomes as a biomimetic model of protein corona-coated extracellular vesicles: a focus on the corona topology and its effects on the vesicles’ biophysical properties Nunzia Maisto — Amyloid-beta fibrils as active contributors to synaptic dysfunction in Alzheimer’s disease Nicole Langiano — Metabolic profiling of glioblastoma tissues using high‑resolution 1H MR spectroscopy to guide novel therapeutic approaches Flash talks
|
| 14:00– 14:05 |
Session: Innovative Approaches for Biophysics Chairs: Prof. Velia Minicozzi (Univ. Tor Vergata) and Prof. Paolo Callegari (Univ. Rome Tor Vergata) |
| 14:05–14:45 |
Plenary Lecture - Crowding, Nonequilibrium, and Biological Function: New Challenges for Theoretical Biophysics Prof. Francesco Piazza (Università di Firenze) Plenary
|
| 14:45–15:15 |
Key Speaker - Coarse-grained modelling of proteins: success, failure, and challenges ahead Prof. Raffaello Potestio (Università di Trento) Keynote
|
| 15:15–15:45 |
Key Speaker - In-cell NMR in human cells: from protein maturation to real-time ligand screening Prof. Enrico Luchinat (Università degli studi di Firenze) Keynote
|
| 15:45–16:00 |
Discussion Moderated discussion with speakers and audience. Discussion
|
| 16:00–16:30 |
Flash talks Selected poster highlights. Matteo Bottacchiari — The interplay between transmembrane lateral pressure and curvature elasticity of lipid vesicles Dario Buonomo — The case of sibling inhibition in Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria Ilaria Genovese — Drug Repurposing for Juvenile Huntington’s Disease: A Combined Computational and Cellular Approach Targeting the Sigma-1 Receptor Cesare Gruber — Shotgun Metagenomic Analysis of CSF Samples for Viral Pathogen Detection and Characterization Domingo Francesco Iacoviello — Magnesium Ions Invert Selectivity and Electroosmotic Flow for Pristine Cation Selective Nanopores Mariateresa Panarelli — Structural mechanism of connexin 43 hemichannel inhibition by the monoclonal antibody Cx43(M1): Insights from AlphaFold and molecular dynamics Matteo Riboli — Exploring tetraspanin behavior in asymmetric membranes through MD simulations Flash talks
|
| 14:00–16:00 |
Parallel Satellite Event: META-BRAIN MagnetoElectric and ultrasound Technology for Advanced BRAIN modulation. 14:00 - 14:20 -- Magnetoelectrics and their Biological Applications — Elric Zhang ETH, Switzerland 14:20 - 14:40 -- Nanotechnologies for cortical neuromodulation — Alex Suárez IDIBAPS, Spain 14:40 - 15:00 -- A Digital Twin Framework for Neuromodulation — Marta Bonato CNR Milan, Italy 15:00 - 15:20 -- Graphene Transistors for Neural Interfaces — Marc TudelaCIBER, Spain 15:20 - 15:40 -- Cellulose-Based Biocompatible Platforms for Biointerfaces: Toward Flexible Devices with ZnO Nanorod Sensing — Elena Palmieri CNR Rome, Italy 15: 40 - 16:00 -- Multiscale Model for Ultrasound Neuromodulation — Agisilaos Matalliotakis CING, Cyprus Satellite
|
| 16:30–18:00 |
Poster Session + Coffee Break & Beer Networking and informal discussion. Poster Break
|
May 15, 2026
Theme: In memory of Prof. Lorenzo Stella
| 11:00-12:00 |
Opening Cerimony @Seminar Room of the Dept. of Chemical Science and Technologies |
|
Official Greetings: Rector of the University Prof. Nathan Levialdi Ghiron
Institutional
|
|
|
@ Aula Gismondi |
|
| 12:00–12:30 |
Antimicrobial peptides in the era of resistance: killing, selectivity and inoculum effect Maria Luisa Mangoni Tribute Talk
|
| 12:30–12:50 |
Size matters - membrane interactions of antimicrobial peptides and their mimetics Burchard Bechinger Tribute Talk
|
| 12:50–13:10 |
A rigorous researcher, but above all an empathetic person Fernando Formaggio Tribute Talk
|
| 13:10–14:10 |
Lunch Lunch break. Break
|
| 14:10–14:30 |
Impedance cytometry, antimicrobial peptides, and much more Federica Caselli Tribute Talk
|
| 14:30–14:50 |
Lorenzo Stella's role in promoting a chemical-physical approaches to the study of biomembranes Gerardino D'Errico Tribute Talk
|
| 14:50–15:10 |
A biophysics journey with the AMPs - from pipettes to GPUs Manuel N. Melo Tribute Talk
|
| 15:10–15:30 |
Two decades of gene discovery and structural insights in developmental disorders: a shared journey Marco Tartaglia Tribute Talk
|
| 15:30–15:50 |
Fluorescence spectroscopy and protein-ligand interactions: a shared journey of frustration Marco van de Weert (Università di Roma Tor Vergata) Tribute Talk
|
| 15:50–16:10 |
The Dancing Enzyme: bridging science and music Giorgio Ricci (Università di Roma Tor Vergata) Tribute Talk
|
| 16:00–16:3 |
Coffee Break
Break
|
| 16:30–17:00 |
Live Concert Closing session and final notes. Closing
|
| 17:00–18:30 |
Remembering Lorenzo Sharing personal memories & reflections Closing
|