Claudio has over 25 years’ experience and a proven track record of success in cross-functional roles within the MedTech and BioTech industries. He has held various leadership positions in product development, clinical research, marketing, business development and general management. He combines a business-oriented mindset with a solid scientific background and he is committed to making innovation happen and building viable and valuable businesses.

Prior to joining NanoPhoria, he was Vice President of Strategic Development at Finceramica, a MedTech company operating in regenerative medicine and patient-specific implants. Previously, he was Business Unit Manager at Fidia Pharmaceutics, where he contributed to the establishment and growth of a subsidiary focused on advanced therapies for skin, bone and cartilage regeneration using cell-biomaterial combinations. This subsidiary was eventually acquired by Anika Therapeutics. Previously, he was a postdoctoral research associate at the Scripps Research Institute in San Diego, California, where he studied enzyme-based organic chemistry.

Claudio holds an Executive MBA from Bocconi School of Management, a PhD in Bioengineering, and a Biological Sciences degree from the University of Padua.

Hervé is a seasoned drug development executive with over 25 years of global experience, encompassing all stages from early to late development. His extensive career includes strategic roles in research, clinical development, and project management, where he has successfully led numerous programs from preclinical through clinical stages. As the founder of Spes Bioventure, a consultancy firm, Hervé is dedicated to guiding start-ups and biotech companies through the complexities of drug development. His core expertise lies in crafting and executing differentiated Target Product Profiles, developing robust program strategies, managing cross-functional plans from candidate selection to drug registration, and designing clinical studies. Before establishing Spes Bioventure, he served as a Senior Global Program Head at Novartis, leading the global development of several neurological assets.

David is a biochemist passionate about developing therapies to improve the quality of life of patients suffering from conditions with unmet need. He has over 20 years of hands-on experience in managing all CMC Regulatory and Technical aspects, bringing quality medication to patients across the globe. In particular his diversified multidisciplinary experience span from CMC of small molecules/peptide API’s and finished product development, management of CMC dossier submissions, variations and renewal, communication with agencies – worldwide, and management of CDMOs for sourcing of novel drug substances.

David is a team player with experience working with all drug development disciplines, from discovery to late phase and commercial supplies, non-clinical, clinical, Regulatory and commercial. He has cover CMC-related leadership positions in Alcobra Pharma, Neurim and Charles River.

David holds a M.Sc in Development Biology from Tel-Aviv University, Israel  and a B.A in Analytical Chemistry from Technion Institute of Technology Haifa Israel.

Simona is a biomedical scientist and R&D project leader with expertise in preclinical drug development for biologics and advanced therapeutic modalities.

She holds a PhD in Bioengineering from Politecnico di Milano, a specialization in Clinical Biochemistry, and a degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Milan.

She currently serves as Associate Director of Product Development at NanoPhoria, where she leads cross‑functional teams in the design and execution of preclinical studies supporting IND‑enabling activities for novel therapeutic programs.

Before joining NanoPhoria, Simona held roles of increasing responsibility in preclinical development, including Head of the Translational Lab at Accelera (CRO Italy) and research positions across leading Italian and international institutions. Her experience spans in vivo and in vitro pharmacology, GLP/non‑GLP study oversight, SOP development, CRO management, and scientific documentation.

Virna is a biomedical scientist with more than two decades of experience in R&D across academia and biotech companies, with a strong track record of advancing novel therapies from preclinical studies into early clinical development.

She holds an M.Sc. in Medical Biotechnology from the University of Milan and a Ph.D. in Molecular Medicine/Immunology from Vita-Salute San Raffaele University. Her career trajectory spans key R&D roles at major research institutions, including the M. Tettamanti Research Center (Milan, Italy), Helmholtz Zentrum (Munich, Germany), and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (Memphis, USA) as well as in the biotech industry at MolMed S.p.A., AGC Biologics, Enthera Pharmaceuticals, and Nanophoria, where she currently serves as an Associate Director R&D. 

Her expertise encompasses target identification, therapeutic design, preclinical proof of concept in vitro and in vivo studies as well as establishment of manufacturing processes and analytical testing strategies of innovative therapeutic approaches, spanning from advance therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) to biologics and small molecules.

Monique Zangarini is a clinical and translational pharmacologist with over 15 years of experience across biotech, pharma, and CRO environments. She specializes in integrating PK/PD, translational modeling, GLP toxicology, and regulatory strategies to enable smooth progression from preclinical research to first-in-human and early-phase clinical development.

As Associate Director of Translational Pharmacology at NanoPhoria, Monique leads strategies for innovative drug delivery platforms based on nanoparticle technology. Her responsibilities include translational pharmacology planning, dose selection, PK/PD interpretation, and model-informed drug development (MIDD). She also contributes to regulatory documentation and interactions with health authorities to support clinical readiness.

Previously, Monique managed GLP toxicology as well as nonclinical and translational pharmacology programs, supporting small molecules and biologics through discovery-to-development transitions. She has authored and reviewed key regulatory documents, including IB, IMPD, CTA, and IND packages. Monique holds an MPhil in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and advanced training in regulatory disciplines.

Riccardo is a R&D scientist and project leader with expertise in materials chemistry, nanomaterials, and regenerative medicine. He holds a PhD in Chemical Sciences from the University of Rome “Tor Vergata” and a degree in Industrial Chemistry from the University of Bologna.

He currently serves as Project Manager at NanoPhoria, where he leads projects focused on the development and advancement of the company’s drug delivery platform, coordinating multidisciplinary R&D activities.

Prior to joining NanoPhoria, Riccardo worked as a Researcher at  Institute of Science, Technology and Sustainability for Ceramics (ISSMC; former ISTEC) of the National Research Council (CNR). He later held a Project Manager position at Fin-Ceramica Faenza, a MedTech company specializing in regenerative medicine, with a focus on bone and joint regeneration.

His professional background combines strong expertise in materials science with hands-on project leadership experience in industrial and translational R&D environments.

Samuele is a molecular biologist and R&D scientist with expertise in preclinical drug development.

He holds a PhD in Clinical and Translational Science from University of Pisa and a master’s degree in molecular and industrial biotechnology from University of Pisa.

He currently serves as R&D Scientist at NanoPhoria, where he contributes to the design, implementation and monitoring of the company research and development studies.

Before joining NanoPhoria, Samuele worked as scientist in preclinical development field and held several academin research positions both in Italy and abroad. His experience includes in-vitro molecular assay development, in vivo drug testing, CRO management and production of scientific documentation.

Federica Mancini is an R&D scientist at Nanophoria working on the development of drug delivery platforms.

Her work combines materials chemistry, nanotechnology, and translational biomedical research, with a focus on the design and functionalization of calcium phosphate nanoparticles for siRNA and peptide delivery.

She holds a PhD in Materials Science and Technology from the University of Parma and has international research experience in Germany and France, including work on magnetic nanoparticles for autoimmune diseases and in situ synchrotron characterization of nanostructures.

Aurelia is a highly experienced professional with over 30 years of expertise in supporting executive leadership and managing office operations within complex, international organizations. She specializes in ensuring efficient workflows, coordinating schedules, and facilitating seamless communication across teams and stakeholders.

Her strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to adapt to evolving priorities make her a reliable partner for senior management and a key contributor to operational excellence.

Michele Iafisco, PhD is a materials scientist specializing in inorganic bioinspired nanomaterials, with a focus on nanomedicine, biomaterials, and biomineralization processes, including calcium phosphate–based nanomaterials for biomedical and environmental applications. His research aims to develop advanced functional materials by bridging fundamental materials chemistry with translational research.

He is currently Research Director at the Institute of Nanostructured Materials (ISMN) of the National Research Council (CNR), Italy, leading research on bioinspired nanostructured materials with applications in healthcare and environmental fields.

Dr. Iafisco earned a degree in Chemistry and a PhD in Chemical Sciences from Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna, Italy. He has over 20 years of experience in materials science and has published more than 170 papers in international journals. He holds seven patents, serves on the editorial boards of several international journals, and is principal investigator on national and international research projects.

Daniele Catalucci, PhD, is a molecular biologist and translational scientist specializing in the molecular drivers of cardiac disease. His work focuses on enabling next generation, highly selective therapeutic strategies for heart failure by bridging fundamental biology with drug discovery.

He has been a tenured researcher at the Italian National Research Council (CNR) and currently serves as Research Director at the Institute for Genetic and Biomedical Research in Milan. In parallel, he is a principal investigator at Humanitas Research Hospital.

Dr. Catalucci earned his PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of Rome Tor Vergata and a degree in Biological Sciences from Roma Tre University, both in Rome, Italy. His doctoral research was conducted at IRBM Merck (Pomezia, Rome, Italy), followed by postdoctoral training at the University of California San Diego (USA), where he further developed his expertise in cardiovascular signaling and translational research.

Alessio Alogna, MD, PhD, is an Italian-born, Germany-based, board-certified cardiologist, critical care specialist, and clinician scientist focused on translating cardiovascular research into first-in-class therapeutic solutions. He is a Senior Physician at the Deutsches Herzzentrum der Charité (DHZC) and Associate Professor of Cardiology (Privatdozent) at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin.

His work sits at the interface of clinical cardiology, intensive care medicine, advanced preclinical disease models, and biotechnology-driven drug development. He completed his clinician scientist training at the Berlin Institute of Health (BIH)–Charité and was a visiting research fellow at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester (USA), where he remains an active collaborator.

He has served as principal investigator in multiple preclinical and clinical studies funded by the European Union (EU), the German Research Foundation (DFG), and the German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), as well as by industrial partners, and has been the recipient of several national and international awards.

Dr. Alogna received his medical degree from the University of Pavia and his PhD in Cardiovascular Physiology from the Medical University of Graz.