Francesco Banfi | Materials Science | Research Excellence Award

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Prof. Francesco Banfi | Materials Science | Research Excellence Award

Professor | Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 – Institut Lumière Matière | France

Prof. Francesco Banfi is a leading physicist internationally recognized for his contributions to ultrafast energy transport, nanoscale thermo-mechanics, and time-resolved optical spectroscopy. Over the past two decades, he has advanced the understanding of energy transients in nanostructures, high-temperature superconductors, and surface-based electron systems, establishing a strong interdisciplinary research profile that bridges condensed-matter physics, ultrafast photonics, and nanoscale material science. His scholarly impact is reflected in 1,826 citations, 101 publications, and an h-index of 25, underscoring his sustained influence in the global physics community. Prof. Banfi has led and participated in numerous competitive international projects across Europe, the USA, and Switzerland, contributing significantly to frontier research initiatives. Notably, he served as Principal Investigator for a 500 k€ FIRB Consolidator Grant on ultrafast thermo-mechanics and a 70 k€ French National Research project, strengthening cross-border scientific collaborations. His research group has produced high-impact publications in Nano Letters, Physical Review Letters, Applied Physics Letters, and Nature Communications, complemented by more than 70 conference presentations and 15+ invited institutional seminars. Prof. Banfi has further shaped the scientific landscape through editorial roles in EPJ, IOP, and MDPI journals and by serving on review panels for national research agencies in Italy, the UK, Spain, Hungary, and Germany. His international engagement includes invited positions at CNRS, leadership in joint doctoral programs with KU Leuven, Notre Dame, and institutions in Chile, and coordination of major research-exchange initiatives with IIT India and UNESCO-ICTP. With extensive mentoring experience spanning PhD, postdoctoral, and graduate levels, Prof. Banfi continues to contribute profoundly to advancing ultrafast physics and strengthening global scientific networks.

Profiles: Google Scholar | Scopus | ORCID | ResearchGate

Featured Publications

  1. Dal Conte, S., Giannetti, C., Coslovich, G., Cilento, F., Bossini, D., Abebaw, T., … Banfi, F. (2012). Disentangling the electronic and phononic glue in a high-Tc superconductor. Science, 335(6076), 1600–1603. Cited by: 250

  2. Dal Conte, S., Vidmar, L., Golež, D., Mierzejewski, M., Soavi, G., Peli, S., Banfi, F., … Giannetti, C. (2015). Snapshots of the retarded interaction of charge carriers with ultrafast fluctuations in cuprates. Nature Physics, 11(5), 421–426. Cited by: 130

  3. Nardi, D., Travagliati, M., Siemens, M. E., Li, Q., Murnane, M. M., Kapteyn, H. C., … Banfi, F. (2011). Probing thermomechanics at the nanoscale: Impulsively excited pseudosurface acoustic waves in hypersonic phononic crystals. Nano Letters, 11(10), 4126–4133. Cited by: 118

  4. Giannetti, C., Revaz, B., Banfi, F., Montagnese, M., Ferrini, G., Cilento, F., … Parmigiani, F. (2007). Thermomechanical behavior of surface acoustic waves in ordered arrays of nanodisks studied by near-infrared pump-probe diffraction experiments. Physical Review B, 76(12), 125413. Cited by: 105

  5. Benetti, G., Cavaliere, E., Brescia, R., Salassi, S., Ferrando, R., Vantomme, A., … Banfi, F. (2019). Tailored Ag–Cu–Mg multielemental nanoparticles for wide-spectrum antibacterial coating. Nanoscale, 11(4), 1626–1635. Cited by: 82

Lucia Camelia Pirvu | Materials Science | Best Collaborative Research Award 

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Dr. Lucia Camelia Pirvu | Materials Science | Best Collaborative Research Award 

Senior Researches | National Institute of Chemical Pharmaceutical R&D | Romania

Dr. Lucia Camelia Pîrvu is a senior researcher and biochemist at the National Institute of Chemical Pharmaceutical Research and Development (ICCF), Bucharest, Romania. With over 29 years of dedicated research and innovation in pharmaceutical biotechnology, she has significantly contributed to the advancement of natural and plant-derived products for medicinal, agricultural, cosmetic, and hygienic applications. Her expertise encompasses the design and development of novel phytoproducts, extraction technologies, and advanced analytical characterization methods for active botanical compounds, alongside pre-pharmacological screening and ROS activity assessments. Dr. Pîrvu has coordinated and managed 12 interdisciplinary research projects funded by national and European programs, with a cumulative budget exceeding €4 million. Notable among these are pioneering studies on ecological laser technologies, natural antimicrobial agents, and herbal products targeting metabolic and gastrointestinal disorders. Her leadership has strengthened technology transfer between public research institutions and private industries, fostering innovation in Romania’s bioeconomy and sustainable health sectors. Her academic impact is underscored by 401 citations across 361 documents, 51 publications, and an h-index of 12, reflecting her recognized contribution to biochemistry and pharmaceutical sciences. Dr. Pîrvu’s research integrates molecular biology, phytochemistry, and green chemistry approaches to develop safer, eco-friendly bioactive formulations. Through international collaborations and participation in EU-funded consortia, she has promoted interdisciplinary dialogue between academia and industry. Her scientific vision emphasizes the valorization of plant resources through innovative, sustainable biotechnological processes that support human health and environmental well-being. As a project leader, mentor, and expert in herbal medicine research, Dr. Lucia Camelia Pîrvu continues to shape the evolution of natural product-based pharmaceutical development in Romania and beyond.

Profiles: Google Scholar | Scopus | ORCID | ResearchGate

Featured Publications

  1. Pîrvu, L., Hlevca, C., Nicu, I., & Bubueanu, C. (2014). Comparative studies on analytical, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities of a series of vegetal extracts prepared from eight plant species growing in Romania. JPC–Journal of Planar Chromatography–Modern TLC, 27(5), 346–356. Citations: 58

  2. Armatu, A., Colceru-Mihul, S., Bubueanu, C., Draghici, E., & Pîrvu, L. (2010). Evaluation of antioxidant and free scavenging potential of some Lamiaceae species growing in Romania. Romanian Biotechnological Letters, 15(3), 5274–5280. Citations: 53

  3. Pîrvu, L., Dragomir, C., Schiopu, S., & Mihul, S. C. (2012). Vegetal extracts with gastroprotective activity. Part I. Extracts obtained from Centaurea cyanus L. raw material. Romanian Biotechnological Letters, 17(2), 7169–7176. Citations: 34

  4. Stefaniu, A., Pîrvu, L., Albu, B., & Pintilie, L. (2020). Molecular docking study on several benzoic acid derivatives against SARS-CoV-2. Molecules, 25(24), 5828. Citations: 31

  5. Grigore, A., Bubueanu, C., Pîrvu, L., Ionita, L., & Toba, G. (2015). Plantago lanceolata L. crops – source of valuable raw material for various industrial applications. [Publication details not specified]. Citations: 31

Werner E.G.Müller | Materials Science | Outstanding Scientist Award

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Prof. Werner E.G.Müller | Materials Science | Outstanding Scientist Award 

Professor  | Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz | Germany

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Werner E. G. Müller is an internationally renowned scientist in physiological chemistry, molecular biology, and marine biotechnology, whose career spans over five decades of pioneering research and academic leadership. He earned his Ph.D. in Biology and Chemistry from the University of Mainz in 1967, becoming the youngest doctoral graduate at the institution, and rapidly advanced through roles as Research Assistant and Associate Professor before his appointment in 1977 as University Professor at the Institute for Physiological Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. His professional experience includes leading the Department of Applied Molecular Biology, extensive visiting professorships in Japan, Croatia, Belarus, and China, and coordination of large-scale international research initiatives such as the ERC Advanced Grant projects BIOSILICA and Si-Bone-PoC, as well as EU FP7 programs like BlueGenics and Bio-Scaffold. His research interests focus on deep metazoan phylogeny, biomineralization processes such as biosilicification in sponges, and the application of silica-forming enzymes in nanomedicine and tissue engineering. Demonstrating outstanding research skills in molecular biology, structural biochemistry, and nanobiotechnology, Prof. Müller has translated fundamental discoveries into biomedical applications, including bone regeneration and antiviral therapeutics. His scientific excellence is recognized through numerous honors, such as the Boehringer Award, Max-Bürger Award, Kani Medal, Innovation Prize of Rheinland-Pfalz, Spiridion Brusina Medal, and the prestigious Friendship Award of the People’s Republic of China, alongside membership in leading academies and editorships of top-tier journals. With over 1,100 peer-reviewed publications, 20+ patents, and continuous contributions to global science, he has shaped the fields of biotechnology, molecular evolution, and medical innovation. In conclusion, Prof. Werner E. G. Müller stands as a visionary scholar whose research continues to inspire advancements in marine biotechnology and nanomedicine worldwide. 38,686 Citations by 22,339 documents | 1,125 Documents | h-index 89

Profiles: Google Scholar | Scopus

Featured Publications

Miltenyi, S., Müller, W., Weichel, W., & Radbruch, A. (1990). High gradient magnetic cell separation with MACS. Cytometry: The Journal of the International Society for Analytical Cytology, 11(2), 231–238. Citations: 2,387

Schäfer, C., Heiss, A., Schwarz, A., Westenfeld, R., Ketteler, M., Floege, J., … Müller, W. E. G. (2003). The serum protein α2–Heremans-Schmid glycoprotein/fetuin-A is a systemically acting inhibitor of ectopic calcification. The Journal of Clinical Investigation, 112(3), 357–366.Citations: 1,270

Hirabayashi, J., Hashidate, T., Arata, Y., Nishi, N., Nakamura, T., Hirashima, M., … Müller, W. E. G. (2002). Oligosaccharide specificity of galectins: A search by frontal affinity chromatography. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) – General Subjects, 1572(2–3), 232–254.Citations: 1,257

Chevreux, B., Pfisterer, T., Drescher, B., Driesel, A. J., Müller, W. E. G., Wetter, T., & Suhai, S. (2004). Using the miraEST assembler for reliable and automated mRNA transcript assembly and SNP detection in sequenced ESTs. Genome Research, 14(6), 1147–1159.Citations: 1,226

Chaudhry, A., Samstein, R. M., Treuting, P., Liang, Y., Pils, M. C., Heinrich, J. M., … Müller, W. E. G. (2011). Interleukin-10 signaling in regulatory T cells is required for suppression of Th17 cell-mediated inflammation. Immunity, 34(4), 566–578.