Keynote Speakers 2025

Dr. Lucy Bosworth is a biomedical engineer specialising in the development of biomimetic scaffolds for tissue regeneration, with a particular focus on ocular applications. She is currently a Lecturer at the University of Liverpool, where her research explores state-of-the-art electrospinning technologies to fabricate scaffolds that closely replicate the structure and function of natural tissues, thereby promoting appropriate cell phenotypes. Her earlier work centred on the development of electrospun hierarchical scaffolds for tendon repair, a patented technology that is progressing toward a first-in-human clinical trial in collaboration with the University of Manchester. Dr. Bosworth brings significant translational experience, bridging fundamental scaffold design and real-world clinical application. Prior to entering academia, she gained industry experience as a Research & Development Scientist at DePuy CMW (Johnson & Johnson) and as a Production Scientist at Biocompatibles Ltd, where she worked on medical device development and manufacturing.

 

A rare perspective grounded in both clinical translation and industrial experience coupled with expertise in scaffold design, tissue engineering, and product development will be invaluable to researchers interested in taking regenerative medicine solutions from bench to bedside.

Dr Nuria Oliva-Jorge is a biomedical engineer and Assistant Professor at IQS Barcelona, where she also holds a prestigious la Caixa Junior Leader Fellowship. With a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School and Imperial College London, her research focuses on the development of smart biomaterials and nanotechnologies for tissue engineering and drug delivery, with the aim of treating complex diseases such as cancer, osteoarthritis, and chronic wounds.

 

She has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications, holds five patents, and has founded a spin-off company. Dr Oliva-Jorge’s innovative work has earned her numerous international awards and competitive grants, like the 2019 Young Investigator Award from the European Tissue Repair Society (ETRS) and a distinction in the 2020 AVIVA Women of the Future Awards. Her research has been featured in Nature Materials, Science Translational Medicine, and the RSC Biomaterials Science Emerging Investigators collection. Passionate about public engagement and mentoring, she is an advocate for inclusive and translational science that bridges engineering, medicine, and society.

Cai Linton has an MEng in Molecular Bioengineering from Imperial College London and combines technical knowledge in tissue engineering & data science with management experience. His motivation to create a sustainable future using biotechnology led him to co- found Multus to shorten routes to market and lower entry barriers in the cultivated meat industry. Multus makes is faster and cheaper to get growth media that scales, accelerating the adoption of cellular agriculture. The company's growth media formulations and ingredients are the building blocks of cellular agriculture and enable the affordable at-scale production of real animal products, including meat, dairy, leather, and more, using cells instead of animals.

 

As a former student turned entrepreneur, Cai brings a relatable and inspiring perspective to FIRM 2025. His journey from academic research to biotech leadership offers early-career scientists valuable insight into real-world impact.

Professor Ruxandra Sîrbulescu leads the Tissue Regeneration and Immunotherapy Lab at the Vaccine and Immunotherapy Centre, where she serves as Director of Regenerative Medicine Research. Her team is at the forefront of developing therapies that harness the body’s immune system to drive tissue repair and regeneration, especially in ischemic and inflammatory conditions such as stroke, myocardial infarction, and chronic wounds. Her group’s core focus lies in developing therapies for ischemic, inflammatory and neurodegenerative conditions, using novel immunomodulatory compounds and cellular therapies to accelerate tissue repair. Over time, her research has expanded into regenerative immunotherapy - leveraging immune regulation to restore tissue function post-injury or disease. Notably her lab has pioneered therapies centred around the immunomodulatory B lymphocytes in a range of contexts.

 

Professor Sîrbulescu’s work is deeply translational, targeting unmet clinical needs with an emphasis on scalability and feasibility. Her group collaborates with pharmaceutical and biotech firms to bring immuno-regenerative products closer to human trials. Her work stands at the cutting edge of regenerative immunotherapy, redefining how we repair damaged tissues by leveraging controlled immune responses for optimal healing outcomes.