2024-2028 Steering Committee Candidate:

Maria Chatzinikolaidou

Biosketch:

Affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Technology, University of Crete, 70013 Heraklion, Greece

Dr. Maria Chatzinikolaidou, FBSE, FTERM, is a Professor of Biomaterials in Bioengineering and Head of the Laboratory for Biomaterials in Tissue Engineering at the Department of Materials Science and Technology at the University of Crete (https://www.materials.uoc.gr/en/faculty/mariachatzinikolaidou/), and affiliated faculty member at Foundation for Research and Technology – Hellas (FORTH). Her research interests focus on the development of biomaterials and scaffolds for tissue engineering applications including bone, cartilage, dental, cardiovascular, skin, and the validation of their in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility, functionality and biomechanical characteristics.

Dr. Chatzinikolaidou is actively involved in several competitive national and international projects, is author of >100 publications in international peer-reviewed journals, 4 book chapters, >180 peerreviewed conference abstracts, and inventor of 4 patents on osteoinductive implants. Dr. Chatzinikolaidou served as vice president of the executive board of the Hellenic Society for Biomaterials in the terms 2015-2018 and 2022-2025. She served as chair of the 28th Conference of the European Society for Biomaterials (ESB 2017) held in Athens, and program chair of the TERMISEU 2019 conference held in Rhodes in Greece. She is a Fellow in Biomaterials Science and Engineering (FBSE, elected 2020) of the International Union of Societies for Biomaterials Science and Engineering (IUS-BSE) and International Fellow of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (FTERM, elected 2023). In 2023 she has been elected European Orthopaedic Research Society (EORS) ambassador for Greece. She is member of the Nomination Committee of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS) EU chapter. She is an editorial board member in Regenerative Biomaterials, Tissue Engineering, Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, etc. She teaches Biomaterials Science and Tissue Engineering in graduate programs at the University of Crete and other Universities in Greece for more than 16 years.

Vision & Purpose:

I confirm that I wish to be candidate as a member in the Steering Committee of the International College of Fellows of Biomaterials Science and Engineering (ICF-BSE). Through this position I intend to work closely with other Committee members towards the ICF-BSE core initiatives, including increasing awareness of the role, activities and successes of biomaterials science, strengthen networking opportunities between researchers in the field in all chapters worldwide, support biomaterials science in developing countries, offer mentorship to our early career community and advancing the overall goals of the Committee. The expansion of new multidisciplinary research and its translation to industrial activities in the biomaterials field demonstrates a strong community with a clear need for a communication and dissemination forum worldwide.

I agree to be nominated and I am willing to serve as a member of the Steering Committee 2024-2028.