Jessica PONTI | Nanotechnology | Best Researcher Award

Dr Jessica PONTI, European Commission-Joint Research Centre-Ispra-Italy, Italy

Dr. Jessica Ponti is a researcher at the European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy 🇪🇺🔬. She earned her Biology degree from the University of Insubria (2001) 🎓🇮🇹, a Master’s in Genetics from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (2004) 🇪🇸🧬, and a Ph.D. in Science from the Facultés Universitaires Notre-Dame de la Paix-Namur (2009) 🇧🇪📚. Her expertise includes in vitro systems for cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, and nanomaterials 🧪🦠. Since 2015, she has led the TEM and Cryo-TEM facility 🏅🔍. Her research focuses on nanoplastics, their detection in complex matrices, and interactions with biological systems 🌍🛠️.

Publication Profile

Orcid

🎓 Education & Academic Journey

Dr. Jessica Ponti is a dedicated researcher at the European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Ispra, Italy 🇪🇺. She earned her Biology Degree 🎓 from the University of Insubria, Italy, in 2001, followed by a Master’s in Genetics 🧬 from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain, in 2004. Her academic journey culminated in a Ph.D. in Science 🔬 from the Facultés Universitaires Notre-Dame de la Paix-Namur, Belgium, in 2009. With a strong background in genetics and scientific research, she contributes significantly to advancing knowledge and innovation in her field 🌍📚.

Professional Experience

Dr. Jessica Ponti has been a dedicated researcher at JRC Ispra since 2000, officially becoming a researcher in 2006 🔬. Her expertise lies in cutting-edge in vitro 🧫 studies, focusing on cytotoxicity ☠️, neoplastic transformation 🧬, genotoxicity 🧻, and nanomaterial interactions 🏗️. With a deep commitment to advancing scientific knowledge, she explores the effects of various substances at the cellular level, contributing to safer materials and medical applications. Her research plays a crucial role in understanding potential health risks, paving the way for innovative solutions in nanotechnology and toxicology 🏥⚛️.

🧪 Research & Specialization

Dr. Jessica Ponti has been overseeing the Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) and Cryo-TEM facility since 2015 🖥️. Her research focuses on the physicochemical characterization of nanomaterials 🏗️, with a particular emphasis on nanoplastics 🌱. She is dedicated to developing advanced detection methods in complex matrices 🔬 and investigating their interactions with biological systems 🏥. Through her expertise, Dr. Ponti contributes to understanding the impact of nanomaterials on health and the environment 🌍. Her work plays a crucial role in advancing nanotechnology and ensuring the safe application of these materials in various scientific and medical fields 🏅.

Research Focus

Dr. Jessica Ponti’s research focuses on microplastic and nanoplastic contamination, bioaccumulation, and toxicological effects in environmental and biological systems. 🌍🔬 Her work includes detecting microplastics in drinking water 🚰, analyzing nanoplastics in freshwater organisms 🐟, and evaluating microplastic contamination in commercial insect meals 🦗. She also explores the sublethal effects of nano-sized plastics on aquatic species 🦐 and investigates the behavior of food-grade nanoparticles in human digestion 🍽️. Through advanced analytical techniques, she contributes to understanding the environmental and health risks of micro- and nanoplastics, aiding in pollution assessment and regulatory measures. ⚠️📊

Publication Top Notes

Representative Test Material for Validation of Density Separation as Part of Microplastic Quantification in Drinking Water (🔬💧) – Polymers, 2025 📄 [Cited by: TBD]
Exploring Nanoplastics Bioaccumulation in Freshwater Organisms: A Study Using Gold-Doped Polymeric Nanoparticles (🐠🔍) – Nanomaterials, 2025 📄 [Cited by: TBD]
Detection of Microplastic Contamination in Commercial Insect Meals (🦗🔬) – Environments, 2024 📄 [Cited by: TBD]
Microplastic Contamination in Commercial Insect Meal: A Valid Analytical Method to Detect It (🍽️🔬) – Preprint, 2024 📄 [Cited by: TBD]
Sublethal Effects Induced by Different Plastic Nano-Sized Particles in Daphnia Magna at Environmentally Relevant Concentrations (🦐⚠️) – Environmental Pollution, 2024 📄 [Cited by: TBD]
Agglomeration Behavior and Fate of Food-Grade Titanium Dioxide in Human Gastrointestinal Digestion and in the Lysosomal Environment (🍴⚗️) – Nanomaterials, 2023 📄 [Cited by: TBD]
Investigating the Cellular Uptake of Model Nanoplastics by Single-Cell ICP-MS (🧫🔬) – Nanomaterials, 2023 📄 [Cited by: TBD]
Protein-Corona Formation on Aluminum Doped Zinc Oxide and Gallium Nitride Nanoparticles (🧬⚛️) – Journal of Applied Biomaterials & Functional Materials, 2022 📄 [Cited by: TBD]
Efficacy, Biocompatibility, and Degradability of Carbon Nanoparticles for Photothermal Therapy of Lung Cancer (🫁🔥) – Nanomedicine, 2021 📄 [Cited by: TBD]
44Ti Diffusion Labelling of Commercially Available, Engineered TiO2 and SiO2 Nanoparticles (🔬🧪) – Journal & Year: TBD 📄 [Cited by: TBD]

Masoud Besati | Nanotechnology | Excellence in Innovation Award

Mr Masoud Besati, Shahid Beheshti University of Tehran, Iran

Masoud Besati is a PhD candidate in Medicinal Chemistry at Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran (2019-2024) 🎓, specializing in plant virus genomics, CRISPR, and gene ontology 🌿🔬. He earned his MSc in Phytochemistry from the University of Kashan (2014-2016) with a focus on natural compound analysis 🧪. With extensive research and development experience at NanoAlvand Pharmaceutical Company and Rabee Company 🏢, he excels in formulation, quality control, and essential oil extraction. Skilled in advanced techniques like HPLC, GC-MS, and bioinformatics tools 🧬, he has published on antiviral nanoemulsions and anthelmintic activities 📚.

Education

🔬 From 2023 to 2024, worked as a researcher intern in Biotechnology at CSIC-University of Valencia, focusing on genomics, CRISPR, and gene ontology of plant viruses. 🌱 Pursuing a Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry at Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran (2019-2024), with a GPA of 18.05 and a major GPA of 20 (3.61/4), ranked 1st in graduation class. Thesis: “The effects of new formulations such as nanoemulsions, liposomes, and niosomes on plant viruses.” 🌿 Earned an M.Sc. in Phytochemistry from the University of Kashan (2014-2016), with a GPA of 17.86. 🎓 Completed a B.Sc. in Chemistry from Ilam University (2009-2014).

Experience

From 2020 to 2022, He served as a Research and Development Expert at Nanoalvand Pharmaceutical Company (Cinnagen Biotech Corporation) in Tehran, Iran. My responsibilities included formulating generic parenteral medicines, method development, risk assessment, and validation of stability packages 📊💉. Prior to this, from 2017 to 2019, He was the Quality Control Manager at Rabee Company (Iran Golab Group) in Kashan, Iran, managing the QC laboratory and designing new products 🧪🔬. In 2017, I operated industrial essential oil extraction devices at Rabee Company and designed the industrial column extraction of Phenyl Ethyl Alcohol 🏭🌿. In 2016, He supervised the laboratory at the University of Kashan, teaching junior students and conducting essential oil quality control tests 📚🔍.

Research focus

Masoud Besati’s research primarily focuses on the extraction and analysis of bioactive compounds from medicinal plants. His work includes studying the anthelmintic, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties of plant extracts, as well as optimizing extraction methods using techniques like response surface methodology. Besati has extensively investigated the chemical composition and biological activities of essential oils from various plant species, including Astrodaucus orientalis and Rosa damascena. His studies also extend to the toxicity assessments of plant extracts and their potential therapeutic applications. 🌿🧪🔬