A dedicated Young Researchers (YR) Group was established under the Haplo-iPS COST Action 21151 that is intended to play a pivotal role in fostering integration across the various project Working Groups (WGs) and contribute to the success of the HAPLO-iPS project.
The group offers an engaging platform for early-career scientists to collaborate, receive mentorship, and develop essential skills, empowering them to actively contribute to the project’s objectives. Young researchers gain invaluable opportunities to connect with leading experts, access state-of-the-art resources, and participate in specialized training programs, advancing their knowledge in human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) technologies. Furthermore, this group will serve as a key driver for disseminating excellence, particularly in underrepresented research regions, promoting inclusivity and the exchange of knowledge throughout the network. Through this initiative, the next generation of researchers will be well-equipped to advance hiPSC-derived cell-based therapies and strengthen Europe’s leadership in regenerative medicine.
The leaders of the YRG, Leonardo Martin and Silvia Selvitella have also become members of the Core Group of Haplo-iPS.
Leonardo Martin
Leonardo Martin, YRG Leader, is a molecular geneticist and researcher at the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Belgium, M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Brazil | Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC), Germany, and postdoctoral fellow at the Institute of Medical Biology of Polish Academy of Sciences (IMB-PAS), Poland. His expertise areas include advanced therapies (gene and cell therapy) for cardiovascular diseases and musculoskeletal disorders. His main focus is to develop and apply methods in molecular biology for regenerative medicine.
Silvia Selvitella
Silvia Selvitella (YRG Co-leader) is a biologist (Central University of Venezuela) with a Master’s degree in Biomedical Biotechnology (Polytechnic University of Valencia). She is part of Anna Veiga’s group and the Barcelona Stem Cell Bank at the Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge (IDIBELL), within the Program for Advancing the Clinical Translation of Regenerative Medicine of Catalonia. Her work involves supporting the generation, maintenance, characterization, and banking of iPSC lines.
