Plenary and Keynote Speakers

Dr. Devika Chithrani
University of Victoria, Canada
Plenary Speaker

Prof. Devika Chithrani is the recipient of faculty gold medal and the gold medal for physics when she received her bachelor’s degree in physics. She is a recipient of many fellowships by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada during her graduate and post-doctoral work. Now, she is a full professor at University of Victoria. She is also the director of Nanoscience and technology Development laboratory at University of Victoria. She leverages nanotechnology to create innovations that advance the care of cancer patients. Her work is featured on the cover of journals and her publications have received over 13,000 citations in few years. She is among the world’s top 2% scientists according to the published data by Stanford University. Her passion is to develop smart nanomaterials to improve exiting cancer therapeutics.

Topic of Keynote: Harnessing Nanotechnology to Improve Targeted Cancer Treatment: Overcoming Hurdles in Its Clinical Implementation
Plenary Abstract

Dr. Jinju (Vicky) Chen
Loughborough University, UK
Keynote Speaker

Prof. Chen holds the Chair in Biointerface Engineering at Loughborough University, UK, where she leads pioneering research at the intersection of nanotechnology, microbiology, and advanced materials. Her interdisciplinary work addresses critical global challenges in healthcare and biomedicine, with a focus on antimicrobial surface engineering, biofilm control, and nanoscale cell-material interactions. By designing bioinspired surfaces that resist microbial colonization, her lab bridges materials engineering, biomechanics, computational modeling, and translational innovation to combat antimicrobial resistance and implant-related infections.

A globally recognized leader in her field, Prof. Chen has secured over £9.35M in competitive research funding, authored 85+ high-impact publications, and delivered 93 keynote and invited talks at major international conferences. Her contributions have earned her prestigious accolades, including Fellowship in the Royal Microscopical Society and membership in the UKRI Talent Panel College. She also shapes the scientific discourse as Principal Editor of the Journal of Materials Research and Editorial Board Member for Scientific Reports and Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces.

https://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/materials/staff/jinju-chen/

Topic of Keynote: Nanomaterials for Antibiofilm Applications
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