The Best Professional team
All the people behind the latest project
Head of Research and Development
Dr. Nahla Jemni
Expert in Neuroscience and Neurophysiology of the Central Nervous System, holding a PhD in Biomedical Research. With a keen focus on the visual system, she has amassed over 8 years of experience in the field. Her groundbreaking work includes pioneering biohybrid retinas, reconstructing neuronal tracts using innovative biofunctionalized scaffolds, and developing novel brain repair therapies based on silk fibroin and stem cells. In recognition of her exceptional contributions, Dr. Jemni-Damer was awarded the first postdoctoral prize of the 2022 Cajal Research Grants.
Laboratory and Quality Control (QC) Technician
Yasaman Dezvareh Rasanani
Yasaman Dezvareh Rasanani is a biomaterials engineer with research experience in hydrogels, polymers, and nanoparticles for medical applications. She has worked on tissue engineering and wound dressing projects, focusing on innovative solutions in biomedical science.
Researcher
Jorge Martín Pérez
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology from the University of the Basque Country, graduating with honors, and a Master’s degree in Translational Medicine Research from the Complutense University of Madrid, where he specialized in neurodegenerative diseases, particularly those affecting the visual system. He is currently a PhD student in the Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biomedicine program at UCM and a researcher at Silk Biomed. His research focuses on the development of silk fibroin–based biomaterials, with particular emphasis on the encapsulation of bacteria to generate engineered living materials, as well as the biofabrication and bioprinting of tissues using silk fibroin-based systems.
Researcher
Cristina Castro
She is a biologist with a Master's degree in Neuroscience, specializing in the development of advanced silk fibroin biomaterials. At SilkBiomed, she designs and generates complex in vitro biological models, leading processes ranging from stem cell differentiation (hiPSCs) to the fabrication of microfluidic devices (organ-on-a-chip) and nanoparticle delivery systems. She has a strong track record in competitive R&D projects (EIC Pathfinder, Ministry of Science) and her work has received awards at numerous scientific conferences and workshops.
Researcher
Flor Negrete Díaz
Flor Negrete Díaz is a predoctoral researcher in biomedical engineering, pursuing an industrial PhD through a joint program between the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM) and Silk Biomed. Her work focuses on developing novel therapeutic strategies for neurological diseases, particularly ischemic stroke, by combining non-invasive neuromodulation, advanced biomaterials, and cell therapies. Her research addresses the use of auricular vagus nerve stimulation and other neuromodulation techniques, along with the development of silk fibroin hydrogels for encapsulating mesenchymal stem cells, with the aim of promoting neuroregeneration and improving functional recovery. She has experience in the design and validation of preclinical stroke models, both in vivo and in vitro, including surgical procedures, brain tissue processing, and functional and electrophysiological analysis. Her profile integrates biology, engineering, and applied neuroscience, with a focus on transferring biomedical technologies to clinical applications. She has participated in competitive projects such as SILK-for-BRAIN, NEUROCENTRO-CM and currently MINA-CM (Madrid Innovative Neurotech Alliance).
Researcher
Noemí Soldado Vilches
PhD candidate in the Biomedical Research Program at the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM) and a researcher at Silk Biomed. Her work focuses on the development of silk fibroin-based biomaterials, with particular emphasis on bacterial encapsulation, as well as biocompatibility and toxicity assessment. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from UCM, a Master’s degree in Industrial and Environmental Biotechnology from UCM, and a Master’s degree in Bioinformatics and Biostatistics from the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya.
Research Associate
Ana Quintana
Ana Quintana Prego holds a BSc in Biotechnology from the University of Granada and an MSc in Translational Medicine Research from the Complutense University of Madrid, graduating with outstanding academic results in both degrees. She completed research internships at the Biomedical Research Centre of the University of Granada in the New Anti-tumoral Therapies Lab and at the Carlos III Health Institute, where she gained hands-on experience in translational and biomedical research. She later worked as a Research Assistant at the Health Research Institute of Hospital Clínico San Carlos in Madrid, further strengthening her background in experimental and applied biomedical science. She is currently a PhD student in Biomedical Engineering at the Polytechnic University of Madrid, in collaboration with Silk Biomed SL and Bioactive Surfaces SL, where her research focuses on the development of a silk-based scaffold seeded with Schwann cells to promote neural regeneration after peripheral nerve injury. She has also collaborated in research projects including the European Union’s EIC Pathfinder Programme projects THOR and ISOS, the MINA-CM Madrid Innovative Neurotech Alliance, and FIS Project PI22/00916 (ISCIII).
Research Associate
Lucía Gómez Lara
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of A Coruña (UDC) and a Master’s degree in Health Biology from the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM). She is currently a PhD student in the Biomedical Research doctoral program at UCM and a researcher at Silk Biomed. Her research focuses on the development of advanced in vitro models of the human blood–retina barrier using silk fibroin–based biomaterials and organ-on-a-chip platforms to study retinal diseases, particularly age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Materials Research Engineer
Kimia Alizadeh
Kimia is a biomedical engineer and PhD researcher specializing in biomaterials and regenerative medicine. She obtained both her B.Sc. in Biomedical Engineering (Bioelectric Engineering) and her M.Sc. in Biomedical Engineering (Biomaterials) from the University of Tehran. During her undergraduate studies, she focused on medical signal and image analysis using MATLAB, and later specialized in the design of hydrogel-based biomaterials for skin wound healing. She later moved to Spain to continue her scientific career and is currently pursuing her PhD while working as a researcher at the company. Her research focuses on engineering silk fibroin–based biomaterial platforms to improve their biological performance and functionality in the body.