Dr. Genchi conducts research on micro- and nanofabrication of smart materials, materials characterization, tissue engineering with smart materials and recombinant DNA, and space biology.
Co-Principal Investigator of the ongoing PROMETEO project (funded by Agenzia Spaziale Italiana-ASI) at IIT, and Coordinator of the PRIN 2022 PNRR REPAIR project (funded by the Italian Ministry of University and Research) at UniBa, she is also responsible for a doctoral grant (2024-2027) funded by ASI for space biology studies at UniBa.
She actively collaborates with several national and international universities and research institutes, including IIT, Polytechnic University of Bari, University of Salford, and Vanderbilt University. She has strong expertise in planning and implementing experiments under altered gravity conditions, including flight on board the International Space Station, by participation to the following national and international projects: Transformers (European Space Agency-ESA 2014), PlanOx (ESA, 2015), NanoROS (ASI, 2017), NOEMI (ESA, Cariplo, 2019), InterGravity (ESA, 2022), and Nichoid in Space (ESA, 2022).
Dr. Genchi holds national qualifications as Associate Professor in the following fields: PHYS-03/A Experimental physics of matter and applications, PHYS-06/A Physics for the life sciences, environment and cultural heritage, IMAT-01 Materials science and technology and IBIO-01/A Bioengineering.
Zahed Tavangari earned a Master’s Degree in Medical Physics from Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS) in 2022. He has in-depth experience in 3D modelling of photothermal transduction processes based on magneto-plasmonic nanoparticles under magnetic resonance imaging and guidance. After a period in industry and hospital, since November 2024 Zahed is attending the UnoBa Ph.D. School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, under the supervision of Dr. Giada Genchi. Zahed is beneficiary of a doctoral grant (n. 2024-59-HH) from Agenzia Spaziale Italiana for the development of advanced models of the outer blood-retina barrier on biomimetic scaffolds, in order to study retinal cell behaviour under spaceflight conditions. By leveraging on multi-omics approaches, he aims to uncover the mechanisms underlying Spaceflight-Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome (SANS). Zahed is also a Visiting Ph.D. Student at the TriboDynamics Laboratory at the Department of Mechanics, Mathematics, and Management of the Polytechnic University of Bari.
Alessia Favale earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Biotechnology from UniBa in 2023, and she is currently nearing the completion of her Master’s Degree in Industrial and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology at UniBa. In 2024, she participated at the International Astronautical Congress in Milan, where she co-authored a preliminary study of the effects of gravitational transitions ascribable to lunar gravity and vibration exposure on a female cartilage tissue model. Driven by a passion for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, she is dedicated to advancing research aimed at improving and adapting human life in space. Simultaneously, she focuses on developing innovative solutions to address terrestrial challenges by investigating astronauts' adaptive responses under extreme conditions. Her approach to scientific research is characterized by determination, perseverance, and a strong sense of dedication, with the ultimate goal of making a meaningful contribution to the biomedical and space exploration fields.
Anita Gira earned a Bachelor's Degree (with honours) in Medical Systems Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Bari in 2024, and she is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in the same field, with a specialization in Bioengineering. Her passion for conducting interdisciplinary research in multicultural environments led her to spend a semester at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya in 2023, where she deepened her knowledge of biomaterials by investigating thin-film electrodes for the detection of biomolecules. Since 2020, when she won the International STEM Awards for presenting an innovative prototype of a space suit, her ultimate goal has been to contribute to space exploration by developing impactful solutions to support human life beyond Earth. To this end, she is currently taking part of research activities on retinal alterations associated to spaceflight at the Regenerative Devices Laboratory.
Researcher in Bioengineering, University of Bari "Aldo Moro" (UniBa)
Visiting Scientist, Smart Bio-Interfaces, Center for Materials Interfaces, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT)
