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Guest Region Symposium – Scandinavia
From Nature to Health: Biopolymers in Tissue Engineering
We are pleased to announce the Guest Region Symposium for TERMIS-EU 2026, featuring Scandinavia, and organized in collaboration with the Scandinavian Society for Biomaterials (ScSB).
Under the theme “From Nature to Health: Biopolymers in Tissue Engineering,” this special session will showcase the latest advances in the design, characterization, and application of biopolymers for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. The symposium will bring together leading researchers from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland, highlighting innovative approaches inspired by nature to address key challenges in tissue repair and regeneration.
This dedicated session will offer a unique opportunity to explore the rich scientific landscape of Scandinavia and foster collaboration between the TERMIS-EU community and the vibrant biomaterials research network in the region.
Chairs:
Hanna Tiainen - University of Oslo, Norway
Berit L. Strand - Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway
Manuel Gomez-Florit - Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands, Spain
Invited Speakers
Prof. Jesper de Claville Christiansen
Department of Materials and Production
Physics and Mechanics Section
Materials Science and Engineering
Aalborg University
Aalborg, Denmark
Jesper de Claville Christiansen is Professor of Materials Science at Aalborg University, Denmark. He was knighted by Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II. His research focuses on soft matter physics, polymers, rheology, biopolymer gels, hydrogels, and structure–property relationships in functional materials. He has authored more than 300 scientific publications and has long-standing collaborations across Europe and Asia, including extensive work on biopolymer hydrogels for tissue engineering and drug delivery. Professor Christiansen has coordinated major EU FP7 projects, serves as National Expert to the Horizon Europe Program Committee, and is Head of the Doctoral Program in Materials and Mechanical Engineering. His recent work explores mechanical design principles of biopolymer gels, linking rheology, multiscale structure, and functional 3D architectures for applications in regenerative medicine and bio fabrication.
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Prof. Heli Skottman
Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology
Tampere University
Tampere, Finland
Dr. Heli Skottman is Professor of Cell Technology and group leader at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Finland where she also serves as the responsible professor for the MSc programme in Cell Technology. She has over 20 years of expertise in human pluripotent stem cells, with strong focus on tissue engineering and translational cell therapy development. Over the past 18 years, her research has targeted clinically oriented ophthalmic applications, bridging fundamental stem cell biology with biomaterials and regenerative medicine.
Dr. Skottman plays an active role in research-based innovation as co‑founder of the spin‑off companies StemSight and LifeGlue Technologies, and she has extensive experience in IP strategy, patenting, licensing, and industry collaboration. She is co‑author of over 10 patent applications and more than 140 peer‑reviewed publications. She has led multiple industry‑academia projects, supervised over 10 PhD theses, and received several prestigious awards for scientific excellence and innovation, including the Academy of Finland Award for Scientific Courage.
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Prof. Daniel Aili
Laboratory of Molecular Materials
Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM)
Linköping University
Linköping, Sweden
Daniel Aili is a Professor of Molecular Physics in the Division of Biophysics and Bioengineering at Linköping University (LiU), Sweden. After postdoctoral research at Imperial College London and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, he was recruited to LiU, where he established the Laboratory of Molecular Materials. His interdisciplinary research focuses on bioresponsive materials for biomedical and biotechnological applications, including biosensors, drug delivery, and the biofabrication of tissues and disease models. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers, authored five book chapters, and holds over eight patents. His work has been recognized with prestigious grants, including a Knut and Alice Wallenberg Academy Fellowship and an ERC Consolidator Grant.
Aili is also an active entrepreneur, co-founding ArgusEye AB, which develops real-time bioprocess sensors, and serving as a scientific advisor for S2Medical AB, which develops biosynthetic skin substitutes. He holds multiple leadership roles in national research initiatives and is an elected member of the Swedish National Committee for Molecular Biosciences. At LiU, he leads a research team of approximately 20 students and senior researchers.
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Prof. Finn L. Aachmann
Department of Biotechnology and Food Science (NOBIPOL)
NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Trondheim, Norway
Finn L. Aachmann is Professor in Biomolecular Interactions at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Norway, and leader of the Biopolymer NMR Group. His main research interest is NMR spectroscopy, especially on structural characterization of biological macromolecules, with particular emphasis on carbohydrates and polysaccharide-modifying enzymes, including applications in biopolymer engineering. He also employs enzymes to extract and upgrade polysaccharides from seaweed to produce novel biomaterials such as hydrogels for drug delivery and tissue engineering. Aachmann has built up the NMR Laboratory at NTNU and currently leads the nationwide, collaborative Norway NMR Platform infrastructure as well as the Norwegian NMR Society.
Aachmann has been involved in numerous industrial and basic research projects focused on marine proteins, polysaccharides, and biomaterials. Among these contributions, he led The Norwegian Seaweed Biorefinery Platform – a collaborative project producing a knowledge base including polysaccharide extraction and characterisation. He currently serves as sub-project leader in two Centres for Research‑based Innovation (SFI): SFI Industrial Biotechnology and SFI Seaweed. Aachmann has authored more than 150 peer‑reviewed publications and has supervised more than 10 PhD candidates. In recognition of his scientific contributions, he has been elected, among other honors, as a member of the Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters (DKNVS).
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