Junaid Uqaili had the opportunity to join the one-week course organized by the European School of Antennas (ESoA) about Millimeter Wave Antennas Design and Technologies in the IETR - University of Rennes (France). This experience enabled Junaid to deepen his expertise while engaging with leading experts and other fellow researchers, opening pathways for future collaboration and knowledge exchange in the antenna technologies.

The program provided a thorough overview of millimeter-wave antenna technologies, combining lectures on both fundamental principles and advanced applications with practical laboratory sessions. Training highlights included free-space material characterization, S-parameter measurements using waveguides and VDI extenders, and VNA calibration techniques. Participants also had the opportunity to explore IETR’s state-of-the-art facilities, including the anechoic chamber.

In addition to the academic challenges, other highlights were the social dinner, where they enjoyed delicious traditional food and great company, and some free time to discover the beauty of Rennes.

Sara Lorenzoni has attended the 2025 International Summer School BIOMAT-France held in Cergy-Paris, from 7 to 11 July, before starting a well-deserved vacation after an intense course. The chosen theme this time has been 'Entering a New Era in Regenerative Medicine: Challenges and Strategies of Tissue Engineering'.

Along with attending expert lectures, tech sessions, interactive discussions, and workshops, young researchers had the opportunity to present their research to the expert audience. Sara presented her work: 'Integrin-targeted delivery of etoposide via RGD-functionalized solid lipid nanoparticles for high-risk neuroblastoma', a promissing approach of the use of nanoparticles to enhance tumor selectivity and therapeutic efficacy, while mitigating the adverse side-effects associated with conventional chemotherapy.

Sara describes the experience as an exciting and enriching week, surrounded by passionate people, thought-provoking ideas, and cutting-edge science that reaffirms her vocation.

Junaid Uqaili attended the META 2025 - 15th International Conference on Metamaterials, Photonic Crystals and Plasmonics in Málaga (Spain, 22-25 July, 2025) where he received the Best Poster Award for the presentation of the work: 'Liquid Crystal-Based Asterisk-Shaped Millimeter-Wave Reflectarray for Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces'.

Junaid is currently conducting his PhD research with the Antenna Group at Upna under the supervision of Dr. Miguel Beruete. This research investigates the use of liquid crystal materials in mmWave applications, and demonstrates a simulated 1D beam-steering reflectarray, contributing to advancements in metasurfaces, reconfigurable antennas, and future communicating technologies.

This award not only acknowledges excellence in poster presentation, but also recognizeas creativity, scientific rigor, and promotes emerging voices driving the future of sustainable science and technology.

Congratulations Junaid! Very well-deserved award!!

The Symposium on Transport Systems and Mobility was held in Porto (Portugal) on June 30 and July 1, 2025, as part of the 6th Doctoral Congress in Engineering (DCE25). Alisson presented the research 'Collaborative logistics and heuristic optimization for sustainable last-mile urban distribution' among brilliant peers, that was already a reward.

This recognition as the Best Oral Communication is a brilliant way to round off these past months of intense work during her second research stay at the Universidade do Porto, as part of her PhD research that continues to progress impressively. 

Her achievements speak for themselves, and this particular recognition highlights a skill that will support her wherever her path leads: the ability to communicate cleary, convincingly and with purpose.

Hughe congratulations Alisson!! Very well done!!

Lorea Jordana is in the last weeks of the 4-months international stay that she is carrying out since April at the Tissue Engineering group-University of Basel (Switzerland), for the last research stage of her doctoral thesis in Molecular mechanisms governing CAR T cell response in MM patients at Cima-Universidad de Navarra.

And to know how well is she doing, nothing better than her own words:

'During my research stay with the Tissue Engineering group at the University of Basel, I am developing a 3D model of human multiple myeloma (MM) using a perfusion bioreactor system. This innovative model aims to better replicate the tumor microenvironment and will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of CAR T cell therapy—an advanced form of immunotherapy. The project involves:

• Build a bone marrow-like structure.
• Assess how well CAR T cells can eliminate cancer cells within it.
• Study how the CAR T cells function in this complex setting.

Ultimately, this research could help pave the way toward more personalized and effective treatments for MM patients'.

A great experience in an expert group in tissue engineering with challenging applications. Among many others, they mimic complex tissue environments to further the study of key biological processes involved in tissues repair or behaviour against tumors or other diseases. A really innovative and promissing field, combining interdisciplinary approaches across cell biology, engineering technologies and material science.

To mark the end of June after an academic year full of research and training, and just before the city of Pamplona bursts into crazy celebration with the San Fermín festival, the WIT fellows took a well-earned day to explore the rich Medieval heritage of Navarra. Last Saturday, a group of fellows, together with some family and friends, braved the heat and went to visit:

• Olite’s royal castle and the town’s well-preserved medieval streets.
• Ujué’s impressive Santa María church-fortress & picturesque cobbled streets and stone houses.
• Traditional lunch in Ujué, to taste typical products, rest and get strenght for the afternoon activities.
• Monastery of Leyre, a beautifull place full of calm and medieval art.
• A walk throught the natural beauty of Lumbier's Gorge-Foz de Lumbier, a Nature Reserve known for its rugged walls and for being one of the largest sanctuary for birds of prey of Navarra.

📢 As one fellow shared: 'The trip was really great. Everything was well planned and the timing of each stop was perfect. It's true that the weather wasn't on our side, but it was lovely to visit new places that are so close to us and learn more about the region's history. We enjoyed a lot and the food was very nice.' 😊 

✍ A very interesting proposal, for anyone who wants to deepen in Navarra's cultural and architectural heritage. The downside, the extreme heat, but the weather is not in our hands 😅.

Now that the academic year comes to a close, we are proud to share that the WIT ESR Alisson García Herrera is finishing remarkable progress on her thesis focused on the development of sustainable and efficient transportation systems for urban areas, using agile algorithms to provide high-quality solutions in the urban last mile distribution.

• She is currently wrapping up her second international stay, this time at INESC TEC in Porto, working under the guidance of Dr. Jorge Pinho de Sousa, a renowned expert in transportation and logistics. This experience is providing her with an excellent opportunity to gain valuable insights to make great performance and progress in her PhD research and expand her academic network.
• Earlier this month (June 10–13), she presented a research work titled 'Integrating the Team Orienteering Problem and Occasional Drivers for a Bi-objective Crowdshipping Last-Mile Optimization Model' at the SEIO 2025 conference in Lleida, engaging with the broader statistics and operations research community.
• And to cap off this exciting period, the article 'Understanding the dynamics of crowdshipping in last-mile distribution within urban mobility: A comprehensive framework' has been published in the Q1 journal Socio-Economic Planning Sciences. Alisson is the main author of this article that is result of the excellent work carried out in the GILT-OR Group together with the Dr. Adrián Serrano Hernández and Alisson's supervisor Prof. Javier Faulin.

🚀 Excellent work Alisson!! A promising end to the academic year, and an even more promising path ahead!! 👏

The work presented by Junaid was selected within one of the best poster presented at Upna to be a representative of the university at the 12th Doctoral Conference of G-9, that was held in June 11-13, 2025, at University of Extremadura (Spain), the host venue for this year edition.

Junaid who is currently working with the Antenna Group at Upna under the supervision of Dr. Miguel Beruete, presented his research on 'Liquid Crystals in Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces for Sub-Millimeter Wave Applications', shedding light on the transformative potential of Liquid Crystals in Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS) and performing a promising approach for next-generation wireless communication and sensing technologies.

The Doctoral Conference is a gathering of more than 70 PhD students from different areas of knowledge of the universities that are part of G-9 group. This annual meeting, with conferences and workshops with a strong commitment to research and scientific dissemination, highlights the importance of the doctorate as a driver of innovation, and is a platform to disseminate research activity through poster presentations and a contest for the best presentations.

Juanid, you did a great job!! Congratulations to the winners!!

An intense and inspiring week at the 18th ENII Summer School on Immunology (Alghero, Sardinia) for Aline Risson Belinovski, our Brazilian PhD student in Immunology at Cima research centre. In addition to taking in all the experiences of the Summer School, Aline presented a poster with the research done these months about 'Intraperitoneal administration of recombinant artLCMV exerts potent antitumor effects on tumor models of peritoneal carcinomatosis'. This experience in Alghero few weeks ago was nothing short of amazing!!

Learning and enjoying, a constant throughout the week of the meeting of young researchers in Immunology:
✍ The week was packed with expert lectures, interactive poster sessions, and a fantastic workshop on oral communication where participants trained in breathing, posture and public speaking. The 1-minute poster teasers were a great and challenging way to put those skills into action!
👉 Beyond the intense academic schedule, there was also time to connect with peers, exchange ideas, and enjoy moments of fun—from a boat trip and beach outing to a lively closing party. 🌊🎉

📢 Read how Aline describes her participation in this summer school:
'I recently had the unique opportunity to attend the 18th ENII Summer School on Advanced Immunology in Alghero, Sardinia. It was an intensive and enriching week, bringing together leading experts and early-career researchers from around the world. The program offered deep dives into both fundamental and translational aspects of immunology, sparking thought T cell therapies, cancer immunotherapy, systems immunology, vaccines and more. Beyond the lectures, the collaborative atmosphere fostered meaningful connections, inspiring conversations, and new perspectives on current challenges in the field. I’m truly grateful to have been part of such an enriching environment!'

Thank you Aline for sharing your experience with us 🙂 We are very proud of your commintment, courage and strength to learn and keep going. Very well done!!

Deborah Liguori made her debut as a monologuist with her talk 'The invisible power: unveiling the mystery of permanent magnets', in the UPNA Show-Monologues with Science, an initiative of the UPNA Scientific Culture Unit that brings science to the public in a clear, close and exciting way. This event took place on 23 and 24 May in Tudela and Pamplona, with the participation of more than ten monologuists who spoke on a wide range of topics.

Deborah, passionate about physicit, explained in her monologue the importance of magnets in our daily lives, their presence in countless uses, and the dependence we have on rare earths, and how her PhD research seeks to improve the performance of ferrite as an alternative to be used in certain applications, so that our world won't be so dependent and vulnerable to scarcity, geopolitical conflicts and economic interests related to rare earths.

It has to be hard to stand in front of so many people and perform a monolog with such charm and sympathy. Nerves, doubts, stage fright... and even more so in a language that is not your mother tongue, which makes it all the more valuable. For a month, they prepared intensively to connect with the audience, improve their communication skills and face the stage with authenticity, and sure that everything they learnt will be useful for them soon again!

Highly recommended to watch the performances on the Upna's Culture and Outreach channel.

Deborah, you did it great!

In the X edition of Pint of Science again in the participation of one of our predoc researchers: Isabel Ortega-Bedoya, from the group of Biological and Agricultural Chemistry of Unav.

She participated in the openning session of this refreshing event at the Pamplona edition, together with Ignacio López-Goñi (https://microbioblog.es) who departing from the question 'Is the gut our second brain?' talked about the activity of the gut microbiota and how it influences diseases such as depression, autism, Alzheimer's... and how research in gut-brain axis is leading to a new understanding of these challenging diseases and treatments. 

Then, it was Isabel's turn with 'Pop! The science of the corn that explote!' What a great title, isn't it? Who doesn't want to get the best popcorn? She explained us the fascinating science behind the process of making this snack, to get the perfect version of it. Many things to know, as variety of corn, humidity, husk's propertires, pressure, and how does the biochemical process happen in the different stages of the recipe... everything for an unbeatable explosion of starch! 

In a fun, friendly and fresh way for non-scientist audience, the secret of science is unveiled in those singular performances. A truly fascinating session to learn and understand science from an accessible perspective – fueled by public curiosity and great questions.

Definitely, an interesting activity to improve communication skills, as explaining science to non-peers and getting them to understand it can be tricky... Stay curious! 🧐

This past Saturday, May 3, the WIT PhD student group, accompanied by friends and family, enjoyed a well-deserved break from research in a different environment: a traditional cider house in Navarre.

Stepping away from scientific articles, experiments, and deadlines, the goal of the gathering was to promote camaraderie, personal connection, friendship and well-being among young researchers. The outing included a traditional meal at a local sagardotegia, where participants had the opportunity to taste regional cuisine, share relaxed conversations, and enjoy outdoors. Afterwards, the group went to the city centre to continue enjoying the long days and good weather.

Moments like these also contribute to the research journey and the professional growth, strengthening ties, sharing experiences with people who are living a similar situation to yours, and feeling accompanied being so far from home. All these experiences help to relativise uncertainties, focus priorities and gain strength to continue giving the best of each one to face the challenges in the demanding stage of the doctorate.

Good weather, tasty food and better company: the perfect ingredients for a day that served to recharge batteries and not lose sight of the fact that professional success is best achieved through wellbeing, socialising, leisure and enjoying time with the loved ones.

The second edition of the course 'Doctoral GPS. Menthored path to success: Career guidance and development for Early-Stage Researchers' concludes with a trully interesting masterclass by Dr. Angela Bernardini, Head of Technological Innovation and Technology Transfer at NAIR Centre (Navarra Artificial Intelligence Research).

Following the motto 'The goal is important, but so is the path' and leaving aside the technical part of her succesful career, Angela focused her talk in her emotional journey, the big change from Roma to Pamplona, the opportunities and life decisions, how to face the difficulties in the different stages of life... In short, in the experiences to move forward along the way. An inspiring closure event, in wich imbued with her energy, sense of humor and authenticity, we have learned about these life experiences, gain motivation and take boost to continue making progress in this demanding jouney of the doctorate.

Doctoral GPS, created by Dr. Sara Manzano founder of Mentes Innovadoras, is a highly recommended course. A compass to guide you when the PhD seems like a maze. I really mean it, if you have the chance, don't miss it!

Sara Lorenzoni has carried out several outreach activities during the month of February, related with her PhD focused on the improvement of therapies for the treatment of Neuroblastoma:

• The publication of the article entitled 'Targeting tumor microenvironment with RGD-functionalized nanoparticles for precision cancer therapy' in the journal Cancer Letters, in collaboration with her thesis director Dr. María Blanco and Dr. Carlos Rodríguez Nogales.

• In addition, in the framework of the International Day of Childhood Cancer that takes place on Ferbruary 15, with the aim of raising awareness and helping in fundraising for research into therapies against Neuroblastoma, Sara talked to a group of undergraduate students about this serious disease and the advances in the treatments using the nanomedicine.

• And finally, she attended the annual congress of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Sciences EUFEPS (Vienna, February 19-21), where she presented the results of her research in an oral presentation entitled 'Surface decoration of lipid nanoparticles with RGDs for precision therapy in high-risk neuroblastoma', which was part of the session dedicated to the challenges of nanotherapy in tumors.

Interesting activities to promote the work being done, and taking advantage of the enriching experiences that such activities and achievements entail. Keep going, Sara!!

November has been a productive month for our WIT researcher Deborah Liguori. She has attended two events organized by the Spanish Club of Magnetism (CEMAG) in collaboration with other entities.

The first participation was in the University of Cantabria, in the framework of the 8th Young Researchers in Magnetism (YRinM2024) conference held in Santander, Spain, where Deborah had the opportunity to perform an oral presentation entitled 'Exploring the High Magnetic Anisotropy of Cobalt-Ferrite Nanoparticles: Influence of Cation Composition'. The YRinM conference, specifically designed for budding researchers in the field of magnetism, provided a dynamic platform for Deborah to share her work and connect with peers from across the globe. As part of the larger annual meeting of the CEMAG and the IEEE Magnetic Society, the conference fostered collaboration and knowledge exchange among the new generation of researchers on magnetism.

And at the end of November, she attended another workshop focused on magnetism and magnetic materials, held in Sevilla (Spain). The approach of this 2024 Workshop in Magnetism was 'Current Research in Magnetism and Magnetic Materials: from fundamentals to applications'. Geared towards PhD students and young postdoctoral researchers like herself, the event provided a platform for students to delve into the latest research trends. The workshop featured insightful lectures from renowned international speakers, interactive poster sessions – where Deborah presented her own research 'Tailoring Magnetic Anisotropy in Cobalt-Ferrite Nanoparticles' – and stimulating roundtable discussions on career prospects, industry opportunities, open science practices, and publishing ethics. Adding a practical dimension to the learning experience, hands-on sessions covered diverse topics such as micromagnetic simulations, magnetic circuit design, and data acquisition from portable magnetic sensors.

Good work Deborah!! Keep making progress!!

The latest addition to WIT, Sergio Isola, has presented a poster with the first results of his PhD research at the 31st Annual Congress of the European Society of Gene and Cell Therapy that took place in Rome at the end of October, 2024.

Sergio is currently researching in gene editing strategy to develop a therapy for non-syndromic congenital hearing loss caused by the deficiency of a protein called Connexin 26, within the framework of the thesis work that is carrying out at the group of Gene Therapy for Rare Diseases at CIMA-Unav.

The group was well represented at the congress, since Sergio was accompanied by other predoctoral students, as well as by his thesis supervisors, Gloria González-Aseguinolaza and Carmen Unzu. Sergio has participated in the category of Central nervous system and sensory diseases, with the poster titled 'AAV capsid discovery in the cochlea of non-human primates for precision gene medicine of congenital auditory indications'.

All of them have made interesting contributions to this annual event!!
Congratulations to all the team!!

The WIT fellows, together with some relatives and friends, has discovered the Baztan Valley, visiting Zugarramurdi and the famous cave of the witches, Amaiur, Elizondo or the botanical garden in Bertiz.

They went for a day trip on September 28, 2024. On a day partly sunny with little light rain, the group enjoyed the leisure time, visited picturesque villages of the valley, went through the green landscapes, tasted local gastronomy and refreshed their mind, sharing time with friends and doing activities outside of their daily work.

Deborah Liguori took part in the I European Researchers' Night in Olite/Erriberri, which held this event for the first time this year 2024. Deborah, who is developing her thesis in the field of magnetism, participated in the village's event to talk about science through magnets.

Along with her, 7 other researchers have brought science, the research being carried by each one and a lot of curiosities to the public who gathered in the Teobaldos Square on 27 September 2024.

The event was organised by the municipality of Olite/Erriberri, and attendants could enjoy a good ambience, stands and snacks, while approaching science from the hand of people like Deborah, whose participation underscores her commitment to publich outreach and sharing scientific knowledge.

Along with the beginning of the academic year, a new course has been successfully completed to provide new skills to young researchers: 'New trends in Tech Transfer. From lab to society'. This time the training has been organized by the Knowledge & Tech Transfer Office of the University of Navarra within the framework of the WIT project.

The course, imparted by Miguel Estruch Soler, offered valuable insights into key aspects of tech transfer to doctoral students, equipping them with the knowledge and tools to transform their research into a positive impact for society, while teaching them how research outputs can be protected and commercialized, the step-by-step process from lab discoveries to market-ready innovations, or how to become entrepreneurs to bring their innovations to society.

In a nutshell, how to improve the valorization and transfer of the research outcomes, to innovate and create impact, throught the technology transfer and intellectual property protection.

There has been 3 online sessions and a hands-on workshop in which attendees worked in a business case, where participants applied what they learned to real-life scenarios, demonstrating their creativity and strategic thinking in addressing tech transfer challenges, to increase opportunities and entrepreneurship that may arise from research work in many fields.

Alisson García Herrera, a WIT PhD researcher at GILT Group-Institute of Smart Cities (Universidad Pública de Navarra), has presented the work 'Exploring Crowdshippers' Behavior and Preferences: Intertwining Urban Distribution and People Mobility' during the session of Sustainable Mobility and Urban Distribution in the 26th Conference of the Euro Working Group on Transportation (EWGT204). This encounter of experts was held in the historical Swedish city of Lund, from September 4-6, 2024.

The EWGT provides a forum where experts in the field of transportation, OR methods, mathematical models and computation algorithms share informations and experiences of their research, to solve problems in transport, traffic and logistic systems. Three days of high participation of experts in various thematic sessions focused on solving the problems that society, business and administration have to face in transportation and mobility, to move towards with innovative solutions. 

Valuable insights and research to the field of transportation of people and goods in a more sustainable and efficent way.