Aurélie Carlier is associate professor at the MERLN Institute for Technology-Inspired Regenerative Medicine, Maastricht University. She received her PhD degree (2014) in Biomedical Engineering at the KU Leuven, Belgium. Her research interests encompass the computational modelling of biological processes, with a particular focus on bone tissue engineering and cell-biomaterial interactions, using a range of data-driven to mechanistic modelling approaches. Her research achievements have been awarded with a number of distinctions, including three doctoral thesis awards (ESMTB, 2015; ESB, 2015; KUL, 2016). She was also New Scientist Wetenschapstalent 2021 finalist and received a prestigious VENI career development grant (0.25 M€) from the Dutch Science Foundation. She is board member of the Dutch Society for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering as well as of the European Society of Biomechanics where she serves as chair of the student and education committee. Besides her research, Aurélie is co-founder and chair of FEM (Female Empowerment Maastricht University), a network to discuss and tackle gender issues.

Sangita holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s in Chemical Engineering. She has worked with computational modelling of materials for her Master’s as well as PhD. To continue on the same computational path but in a completely new field, she joined MERLN to work on modeling of kidney. Millions of people around the world are on temporary or permanent dialysis treatment due to renal dysfunction. While transplantation has not been an option for many, dialysis has come forward leaps and bound to help such persons with renal functionalities. She looks at different components of dialysis-hemodialysis or peritoneal-through a computaitonal lens.

Hamidreza holds a bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Mechanical engineering. In his Ph.D. at the University of Groningen, he developed computational molecular dynamics models to study underlying molecular mechanisms in ALS disease. Following his interest in developing mechanistic models of biological processes, but this time at a different scale, he joined MERLN as a post-doc in June 2022. At cBITE, he works on modeling the cell-ECM interface using different computational techniques. To improve the design of synthetic biomaterials, it is crucial to understand the physiological cell-ECM interactions and how these influence cell behavior. This research project aims to use in-silico models to improve our understanding of cell-biomaterial interactions. 

 Leyla is a Research Fellow specializing in computational biophysics, with a focus on developing innovative models to advance our understanding of kidney function. In more detail, she will perform research in computational modeling methods applied to regenerative medicine and more specifically, to kidney toxin transport in microfluidic set-ups, organoid culture systems, and/or bioartificial kidney devices., at the MERLN Institute for Technology-Inspired Regenerative Medicine, Maastricht University. She received her Ph.D. degree (2016) in computational biophysics at the University of Waikato, New Zealand, where was analyzing the effect of anesthetic drugs on brain activity. In her recent position as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the University of Auckland (2019-2023), Leyla spearheaded the development of a kidney model, that aims to integrate detailed insights from existing research while ensuring modularity and reproducibility. Leyla's research endeavors delve into the intricate mechanisms underlying conditions such as hypertension and diabetes, leveraging integrative mathematical models to provide a comprehensive tool for investigation.

Matilde is from Italy and she studied Biomedical Engineering at Politecnico di Milano. Her Master’s degree focused on Biomechanics and Biomaterials. The course of study was centered in deeply understanding of mechanics

of both hard and soft biological tissues, including fluid dynamics. The second year was mainly dedicated to computational modelling of biological processes. Matilde graduated with a thesis entitled "A patient-specific agent-based modeling framework of restenosis after balloon angioplasty in a superficial femoral artery - effects of mechanical damage and hemodynamics on cellular dynamics". In August 2023, she joined MERLN for her PhD work, within the framework of the Material Driven Regeneration (MDR) consortium. The aim of her project is to develop in silico multiscale models to simulate cell-ECM interactions and fibrotic tissue remodeling.

Iga, originally from Poland, completed her Bachelor's degree in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence. Fascinated by intricate biological systems, she decided to continue her educational journey with a Master's in Systems Biology. Iga is now starting her Ph.D., focusing on Computational Modeling of cAMP Signaling in the context of Alzheimer's disease. Therefore, her research interest lies in uncovering the complexities of the brain on cell level and its connection to this challenging condition. Her PhD is a disciplinary project between MHeNs/ BIOMED (experimental work) and MERLN (computational work).

Henrike is a second-year master's student in Regenerative Medicine and Technology at Utrecht University. She is originally from Austria, where she completed her bachelor's degree in Medical and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology. Throughout her academic journey, she has focused on interdisciplinary topics, engaging at the intersection of biology, material science, and engineering. Her internships have centered on the development of organ-on-a-chip systems (for the heart and intestine), as well as the engineering of hypoimmunogenic stem cells and blood vessels for transplantation. In March 2024, Henrike joined the MERLN Institute to further enhance her interdisciplinary expertise by delving into the field of computational modeling. Her current objective is to construct a in silico model of fibrosis during the foreign body response.

Sakshi Mangalgi, currently in her final year of the Maastricht Science Programme, originates from India and has lived in both the UK and the Netherlands. With a keen interest in health biology, biotechnology, synthetic biology and regenerative medicine, Sakshi has delved into interdisciplinary studies that bridge these fields. In February, she began her thesis journey at MERLN, focusing on computational modelling. Her project entails developing a sub-model to analyse dynamic blood solute concentration changes in peritoneal dialysis.

Marjolein is a third-year bachelor Student from the Maastricht Science Programme at Maastricht University, originally from the Netherlands. During her interdisciplinary liberal arts and sciences bachelor she focused on human biology and neuroscience, studying the human body from both a molecular and organ perspective. In February 2024, Marjolein joined the MERLN Institute to complete her Bachelor Thesis Research in computational modelling. She will perform demographic analysis of peritoneal dialysis in an in silico cohort.

Tess Ley from Germany is currently in her final year of her Bachelor's degree at the Maastricht Science Programme. Her studies focus on biomedical sciences with a background in systems biology. For her bachelor thesis she joined MERLN and the research of Leyla Noroozbabaee, which allows her to combine her passion for health and computational biology. In her thesis, she will develop a computational model of the transport of p-cresyl sulfate in the kidney.