Executive Council

Stefano Salmaso has been Full Professor of Pharmaceutical Technology at the University of Padova since 2017. He earned a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Padova in 2004 and completed training at the Universities of Paris-Sud XI and Strasbourg. He later served as an associate scientist at Northeastern University (Boston) and as assistant then associate professor at Padova. His work centers on “smart,” engineered nanocarriers for targeted delivery of small molecules and biologics. His research is funded by the University of Padova; the European Commission (FP7, ESF, MSCA/ITN, Next-Generation EU); Italian ministries (PRIN–MUR, Ministry of Economic Development); foundations (Cariparo, Cystic Fibrosis); and biopharma partners (MedImmune/AstraZeneca, GSK, Fidia, Nuova OMPI). He collaborates with 20+ international groups on therapeutic systems for cancer, ocular diseases, infections, and vaccination. He coordinates the Master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology at Padova, serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Controlled Release and Drug Delivery, and since 2023 has been President of the CRS Italy Chapter.

Roberta Censi is Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Technology at the School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, where she also serves as Delegate for the International Research and Coordinator of the PhD curriculum in Pharmaceutical, Nutraceutical and Food Sciences. After graduating with honors in Industrial Pharmacy, she obtained an international PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences (joint degree between the University of Camerino and Utrecht University, NL). She is Principal Investigator of several national and European projects within the Horizon Europe, FISA, and FIS programs, securing more than €4 million in competitive funding. Awarded the L’Oréal-Unesco For Women in Science Fellowship and the Houwink Prize in the Netherlands, she contributes to technology transfer through patents and spin-offs. Her work bridges fundamental research and translational innovation in the field of advanced biomaterials, hydrogels, and nanosystems for controlled drug delivery. She is a board member of the Italian Society for Biomaterials (SIB), invited speaker at major international conferences including CRS 2025 in Philadelphia (invited keynote speaker), and has contributed to the organization of (inter)national conferences, including the 34th Annual Conference of the European Society for Biomaterials ESB 2025 in Turin.

Rossella Dorati earned her Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology from University of Pavia (Italy) in 2022.
She is currently Associate Professor in Pharmaceutical Technology, SSD CHIM/09, at University of Pavia (Italy), where she was previously enrolled as assistant professor since 2010. She worked as researcher at College of Pharmacy of University of Kentucky (USA) in 2005 and 2006, and at US Army Institute of Surgical Research, San Antonio (Texas) from 2015 to 2017.
Her research has focused on micro and nanoparticulate DDS made of biodegradable and biocompatibile polymers as carrier for protein, peptide, and siRNA. Recently, she dedicated much effort on localized delivery, extending her knowledge and experiences in the field of advanced formulations to reduce wound scarring, and being involved with granted projects aimed to transfer the scientific research into a product to market.
She also collaborate with the University of Milan in the design and production of medical devices and DDSs in a granted project on circular economy that exploits a raw material derived from a vegetable waste. She is author of 96 publications in international peer-reviewed journals (1878 citations, h-index 24 as indexed by Scopus on 01/2023) and inventor of four patents.

Silvia Pescina holds a PhD in Biopharmaceutics-Pharmacokinetics and is Associate Professor of Drug Delivery at the Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma. From 2012 to 2016 she was Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Parma. Research Fellow from 2016 to 2019 and Assistant Professor from 2019 to 2022 at the Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma. From October 2019 she is Docent in Drug Delivery at University of Helsinki (Finland). She is currently Scientific and Technical Manager of Micro4Nano, an EU funded project within the H2020-MSCA-RISE and Supervisor of NanoRet and Renascent, two EU funded projects within the HORIZON-MSCA-PF. From 2023 she is counsellor of the CRS - Italy Chapter. From 2025 she is member of the Executive Commitee of the ULLA Consortium (European university consortium for pharmaceutical sciences). Silvia Pescina is author/co-author of 60 papers published in international peer-reviewed journals.

Anna M. Piras is an Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Technology at the University of Pisa, since 2020. She graduated in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology (2002) and, in 2006, received the European Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Doctoral Award from the European Society for Biomaterials. She currently serves as International Coordinator for the Area of Pharmacy at the University of Pisa, is a board member of the Marine Pharmacology Center in Pisa, a member of the National Interuniversity Consortium on Material Science & Technology, and of the Interuniversity Centre for 3R Principles. Her research mainly focuses on the design and application of macromolecular complexes and polymeric nanostructures for drug delivery, with particular emphasis on pulmonary, oral, ocular, and injectable routes. Her work is supported by funding from public bodies (MUR, Tuscany Region, European grants) and Pharma/MedTech companies. She is the co-author of 88 peer-reviewed journal articles, 5 book chapters, and 10 patents.