February 2026

New Publication in RSC Advances

Our paper, "The osteochondral regeneration paradox: why biomimetic scaffolds are biologically superior but injectable systems dominate the clinic", was published in RSC Advances. DOI: 10.1039/D5RA09529H.

January 27-29, 2026

NETSKINMODELS COST Meeting at IQS

Nuria served as local organiser of the 7th NETSKINMODELS COST Action Meeting hosted at IQS Barcelona.

2025

Publication in Carbohydrate Polymers

JA Duran Mota, H Moon, M Artigues, S Borros, N Oliva. "Insights into the alkaline degradation of oxidized chondroitin sulfate: implications in Schiff base formation for hydrogel preparation" (Carbohydrate Polymers, 367, 124016).

2025

Book Chapter Published

Publication of "Advanced skin models for nanomaterials safety assessment" (Springer Nature) with collaborators from NETSKINMODELS.

May 29-31, 2025

NanoMed Europe 2025 Presentation

Oral presentation in Barcelona: "Machine learning for precision nanomedicine: Forecasting cellular uptake."

2025

Keynote at FIRM Symposium

Keynote lecture: "From Structure to Scar: Bioprinting the Transition from Healthy to Fibrotic Skin."

2025

Invited Talk for Generalitat de Catalunya

Invited talk at "Actualitat cientifica i recursos d'aula": "La quimica rere la impressio 3D."

2025

Public Engagement Talk at British School of Barcelona

Invited talk for Y11 students: "Future You: Staying Healthy with Tomorrow's Medicine."

2025

Public Engagement Talk for Older Adults

Invited talk for residents of an old age home: "Tomorrow's Medicine, Today. How Technology helps us age better."

2025

Viladecans Science Talks

Invited outreach talk: "Who wants to live forever? The promise of a better life with biomaterials."

2024

Generacion de Conocimiento Grant Awarded

Awarded PI funding for REJUVEN8 ("Turning back the healing clock"), 140,000 EUR.

2024

Coordinator Appointment at IQS

Appointed Coordinator of the Master's in Cosmetics and Perfumery at IQS Barcelona.

January 15-17, 2024

ICONAN 2024 Presentation

Oral presentation in Barcelona on predicting nanoparticle cellular uptake with machine learning.

2024

Invited Talks and Conference Roles

Invited talks at ICMAB-CSIC and PUZZLE-X (MADE in Barcelona session), plus invited talk on skin models for the cosmetics industry and round-table moderation on plastic biodegradability and microplastics.

2024

Outreach and Media

Invited outreach article in Farmabiotec magazine (no. 128), invited podcast "Aprendiendo del experto", and IQS News feature on protein degraders for diabetic foot ulcers.

2023

Publication in Biomaterials Science (Cover Article)

A Loecher, M Bruyns-Haylett, P Ballester, S Borros, N Oliva. "A machine learning approach to predict cellular uptake of pBAE polyplexes" (Biomaterials Science, 11, 5797-5808).

2023

Public-Private Collaboration Grant Awarded

Co-PI in APTADEGRAD: "Novel, first-in-class, protein degrader-based therapy for diabetic foot ulcer." Total consortium award: 1,474,407 EUR; IQS share: 195,898 EUR.

June 2023

ERC Starting Grant Interview Stage

Reached interview stage for ERC Starting Grant call (not funded).

2023

Professional Recognition

Named Emerging Investigator (Biomaterials Science, RSC) and Outstanding Reviewer for Materials Horizons (RSC).

September 4-8, 2023

ESB 2023 Presentation

Poster presentation in Davos on scaffold properties and myofibroblast activation.

2023

Invited Talks and Leadership

Invited speaker at la Caixa Foundation ceremony and invited talk at CIC biomaGUNE; also served as bioengineering ECR representative for EPSRC team visit and co-edited the Frontiers collection on micro/nanobots in drug delivery.

2023

Public Engagement and Media

Outreach article in Farmabiotec (no. 7), mentoring in the AIQS programme, and coverage/interviews in IQS News, ABC, Catalunya Radio, COPE, and La Vanguardia.

July 15, 2022

πŸ“„ New Publication Alert!

Anna and Toni co-author this review paper in Biomaterials Science summarising the current progress in bionanomaterials to modulate the epigenome! Good work!!

April 15, 2022

πŸ† EPSRC New Investigator Award

Dr. Oliva is awarded an EPSRC New Investigator Award to develop tough hydrogels for cartilage regeneration.

January 15, 2022

πŸŽ‰ Royal Society Research Grant

The BIOMEND LAB receives a Royal Society Research Grant for Β£20,000 to develop novel DNA nanotechnologies to enable selective and synergistic treatment of ovarian cancer!

June 3, 2021

πŸ“„ Toni's First First-Author Paper

Toni's first first-author paper is now available online. Congratulations to Toni for an amazing job!

May 15, 2021

πŸš€ Techcelerate Programme

PhD student Toni is selected for the Techcelerate programme at Imperial!

March 15, 2021

🌱 Rosetrees Trust Seedcorn Award

The BIOMEND LAB receives a Rosetrees Trust Seedcorn Award to kickstart a new line of research regenerating cartilage with biomaterials.

February 4, 2021

πŸ‘©β€πŸ”¬ Aviva Women of the Future Awards

Nuria receives a Highly Commended mention at the 2020 Aviva Women of the Future Awards for her work on bioadhesives and for encouraging young women to follow her in a career in STEM.

December 10, 2020

πŸ’Š British Skin Foundation Grant

The BIOMEND LAB receives a British Skin Foundation Small Grant to continue Toni's work on wound dressings for diabetic foot ulcers.

October 2, 2020

🌟 Awards Shortlist

Nuria is shortlisted for the 2020 Aviva Women of the Future Awards!

September 1, 2020

🎊 The BIOMEND LAB is Open!

The BIOMEND LAB is open for business!

July 27, 2020

πŸ† WHS Woundshark Innovation

Nuria wins the WHS Woundshark Innovation Competition!

May 20, 2020

🌟 L'Oréal-UNESCO Rising Talent

Nuria is shortlisted for the 2020 L'OrΓ©al-UNESCO For Women in Science Rising Talent Award.

March 9, 2020

πŸ‡¬πŸ‡§ STEM for Britain Finalist

Nuria is a finalist of STEM for Britain!

December 23, 2019

πŸŽ“ Imperial College Research Fellowship

Nuria is awarded a prestigious Imperial College Research Fellowship to start her own independent group!

November 27, 2019

πŸ’‘ MedTech SuperConnector

Nuria joins the third cohort of MedTech SuperConnector to bring TRAPS technology to the market.

September 13, 2019

πŸ† ETRS Young Investigator Award

Nuria wins the 2019 European Tissue Repair Society Young Investigator Award!

October 2, 2018

πŸ“ ACS Editorial Board

Nuria is selected to the ACS Biomaterials Science and Engineering Early Career Editorial Board.

September 20, 2018

🎀 New Scientist Live

Nuria gives a talk at New Scientist Live Festival.

May 22, 2018

🌟 L'Oréal For Women in Science

Nuria is shortlisted for the 2018 L'OrΓ©al For Women in Science Awards.

May 18, 2018

πŸ‡ͺπŸ‡Ί Marie Curie Fellowship

Nuria is awarded a Marie SkΕ‚odowska Curie Action Postdoctoral Fellowship!