Professor at the University of Bern (Switzerland)

Topic: Climbing the multiscale ladder of bone mechanics from the bench to the bedside

Philippe Zysset is a professor of biomechanics at the University of Bern, leading the musculoskeletal biomechanics group at the ARTORG Center for Biomedical Engineering Research. He earned his MSc in engineering physics and PhD in biomechanics from EPFL, and then occupied academic and research roles in Switzerland, the US, and Austria. His research focuses on the mechanical properties of biological tissues and patient-specific musculoskeletal simulations, with over 200 scientific publications. Additionally, he directs the Master's Program in Biomedical Engineering and serves on editorial boards and advisory panels for leading journals in biomechanics.

Professor at Imperial College London (United Kingdom)

Topic: Mecho-chemical characterisation of skin: skin adaptation and prosthetic use

Marc Masen received his MSc and PhD degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Twente, The Netherlands.  Following his PhD, he worked at the R&D centre of Hydro Aluminium with a focus on investigating the surface quality of aluminium extrusions. In 2006 he returned to Twente as a lecturer, initiating research into biotribology. In 2013 he joined Imperial College. Marc's main areas of research are: Tribology of Human Tissue; Tribology of Elastomers and Polymers; Wear Prevention and Wear Mechanisms; Tribometer Development.

Project Manager R&D Automotive at Oerlikon Surface Solutions AG, Balzers (Liechtenstein)

Topic: Deposition and characterization of MoN-based coatings for tribological applications

Dr. Astrid Gies has ~20 years of experience in surface coatings and tribology, and is currently working as an R&D Project Manager at Oerlikon Balzers, specializing in automotive applications. Her work in the last two decades has focused on developing and optimizing advanced coatings, including diamond-like carbon (DLC) and molybdenum nitride (MoN) coatings, which have been recognized with prestigious industry awards. She has also contributed to innovative technologies like smart coatings, which enable real-time monitoring of automotive components, reinforcing her role in advancing surface engineering solutions.

Professor at the University of Poitiers (France)

Topic: Several applications of nanoindentation in the study of materials: from local mechanical properties in metallic nanocomposites to small-scale plasticity mechanisms in MAX phases

Christophe Tromas has been working in the field of nanoindentation for almost 30 years. His research focuses on the study of small-scale plasticity mechanisms through nanomechanical testing and advanced microscopy techniques. He is also interested in the determination of local mechanical properties of nanocomposites and heterogeneous materials. He is a Professor at the University of Poitiers (France) and conducts his research at the Institute Pprime.