First ÍCARUS Award in Health Sciences for Lara Touza Otero’s PhD Thesis

We are proud to announce that Dr. Lara Touza Otero has received the First ÍCARUS Award for Doctoral Theses in Health Sciences for her PhD thesis Harnessing Grape Marc Polyphenols for Veterinary Health: Design and Evaluation of Pharmaceutical Formulations, conducted at the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela.

Supervised by Patricia Díaz Rodríguez and Mariana Landín Pérez, the research explores the valorization of grape marc, a byproduct of the wine industry, as a source of bioactive polyphenols for innovative veterinary pharmaceutical formulations. The work combines sustainability, circular economy, and pharmaceutical technology to develop therapeutic solutions with strong translational potential for animal health.

The award recognizes research excellence and highlights the capacity of university research to generate scientific, technological, and societal impact.

Participation in the II National Congress of Pharmacy Final Degree Projects

Our PI, Patricia Diaz-Rodriguez, participated in the organization of the II National Congress of Pharmacy Final Degree Projects, promoted by the TEVA-USJ Chair and hosted by the Universidad San Jorge. The congress aims to showcase and disseminate the research carried out by Pharmacy students from public and private universities across Spain, fostering scientific exchange and highlighting the quality of undergraduate research in pharmaceutical sciences. The meeting brought together students and academics from different institutions to present innovative research across the diverse areas of Pharmacy. Scientific contributions were compiled in a congress proceedings book, providing visibility to the next generation of pharmacy researchers and promoting collaboration among universities.

Presenting Our Latest Hydrogel-Based Tissue Engineering Research at TERMIS 2026

Prof. Patricia Diaz-Rodriguez presented our group’s latest advances in hydrogel-based systems for tissue engineering at TERMIS 2026, one of the leading international conferences in regenerative medicine and biomaterials.

The work highlighted the development of innovative hydrogel platforms designed to support tissue regeneration and improve the performance of engineered constructs for biomedical applications. The conference provided an excellent opportunity to share our research, exchange ideas with international experts, and strengthen collaborations within the tissue engineering community.

Bringing the Biofabrication Community to Santiago: WAB 2026

Our research group, together with close collaborators Barbara Blanco-Fernandez and Luis Diaz-Gomez, proudly organized the II Workshop on Additive Biofabrication (WAB 2026) in Santiago de Compostela. The event brought together researchers, academics, and professionals working at the forefront of additive manufacturing and biofabrication for biomedical applications.

Held on 22-23 January 2026, WAB 2026 provided an international platform to discuss the latest advances in biofabrication, tissue engineering, biomedical manufacturing, regulatory aspects, and industrial translation. Designed as both a scientific meeting and a networking forum, the workshop fostered collaboration and knowledge exchange among experts from around the world.