IMPLANTEU - Team

Prof. Dr. Mina Popovic

Eugin Group | Spain

Clinical embryologist with a background in genetics. She is currently the Group Scientific Director of the Eugin Group, based in Barcelona, Spain, Professor at Ghent University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Co-Director of the Master in Human Assisted Reproductive Technologies, Pompeu Fabra University, Business School of Management, and the Immediate Past-Coordinator of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE)'s Special Interest Group Stem Cells.

Dr. Irene Miguel-Escalada

Eugin Group | Spain

Translational Research Manager at the Eugin Group, where she specializes in regulatory genomics and implantation research. She earned her PhD in Molecular Genetics from the University of Birmingham, UK in 2014, and has extensive expertise in gene expression regulation, and developmental genetics.

Prof. Dr. Martin Gauster

Medical University of Graz | Austria

Professor at the Medical University of Graz, Austria, and a leading scientist in reproductive biology. His research primarily focuses on early human placental development and maternal-fetal health, with a particular interest in cellular interactions and immune dynamics between the mother and fetus, including placenta-associated pregnancy pathologies. In addition to his research, he mentors PhD students and teaches histology to medical students, making significant contributions to both scientific advancements and medical education in reproductive health.

Prof. Dr. Pascal Borry

KU Leuven | Belgium

Full professor of bioethics at the Centre for Biomedical Ethics and Law, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, Belgium. His research focuses on the ethical, legal, and social implications of innovative technologies, including genetic testing, biobanking, and public health genomics. He is the program director of the Master of Bioethics, a member of various bioethics committees, and has contributed extensively to policy discussions in human genetics and medical ethics.

Prof. Dr. Paola Ochetta

BiomimX | Italy

CEO and co-founder of BiomimX and an Associate Professor in Bioengineering at Politecnico di Milano. She earned her PhD in Bioengineering from Politecnico di Milano in 2015, focusing on the development of physiologically relevant in vitro models. Her research interests include stem cell culture, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine. At BiomimX, she leads the development and commercialization of organ-on-chip models for drug screening applications.

Prof. Dr. Dominic Stoop

Ghent University Hospital | Belgium

Leads the Department of Reproductive Medicine at Ghent University Hospital, overseeing Belgium's second-largest fertility program. He serves as President of the Belgian Society of Reproductive Medicine (BSRM) and the Belgian College of Physicians in Reproductive Medicine. His research focuses on reproductive endocrinology and fertility preservation.

Prof. Dr. Susana Chuva de Sousa Lopes

Leiden University Medical Center | Netherlands

Full Professor of Developmental Biology at the Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Netherlands, and a Guest Professor at the Department of Reproductive Medicine, University of Ghent, Belgium. She coordinates the Dutch consortium HipGametes and is a principal investigator in the international consortium reNEW. Her research focuses on human reproductive tract development, strategies for in vitro oocyte maturation in artificial follicles, and human in vitro gametogenesis.

Prof. Dr. Alberto M. Luciano

University of Milan | Italy

Full Professor of Veterinary Anatomy and Physiology at the University of Milan, Italy. He earned his PhD in Biotechnology applied to Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences at the same institution. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Reproductive Physiology at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, USA, before co-founding the Reproductive and Developmental Biology Laboratory (ReDBioLab) at the University of Milan, which he has coordinated since 2005. His research focuses on mammalian folliculogenesis, oocyte differentiation, and the molecular factors that confer oocyte meiotic and embryonic developmental competence.

Prof. Dr. Valery Naranjo Ornedo

Polytechnic University of Valencia | Spain

Full Professor at the Polytechnic University of Valencia, Spain. She is the co-founder of the spin-off Artikode Intelligence and the founder of the CVBLab research group, which specializes in developing AI algorithms for video, image, and signal analysis. Her research focuses on applications in medical diagnosis, behavior analysis, and the industrial sector.

Prof. Dr. Pat Lonergan

University College Dublin | Ireland

Professor of Animal Reproduction at University College Dublin, Ireland. His research focuses on early embryo development, embryo-maternal communication, and understanding embryo mortality in cattle. He has published over 300 peer-reviewed papers and has an h-index of 100. He is a past president of the International Embryo Technology Society and has served on the board of the Association of Embryo Transfer in Europe. He was awarded a DSc degree on Published Work in 2005 and was elected a member of the Royal Irish Academy in 2012.

Prof. Dr. Petra Arck

University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf | Germany

Professor of Experimental Feto-Maternal Medicine at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Germany, and Dean of Research at the Medical Faculty of the University of Hamburg. Her research focuses on how the maternal immune system influences embryo implantation, pregnancy maintenance, and fetal development. She investigates immune-endocrine interactions and maternal stress responses in reproductive health and disease. She has led numerous research projects, published extensively in the field, and collaborates internationally to advance reproductive immunology.

Dr. Nicolas Rivron

IMBA | Austria

Developmental biologist and Group Leader at the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology (IMBA) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna, Austria. His laboratory pioneered the development of stem cell-based models of mouse and human blastocysts, known as blastoids, which enable in vitro studies of implantation. He co-founded dawn-bio, a biotech company leveraging blastoids for advancements in human reproductive medicine.

Meet the team