Space Factories

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Giorgio Saccoccia was born in Belluno on January 11th, 1963, and holds a Degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Pisa and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the Webster University of Leiden (Netherlands). From March 1997 to January 2003 he was Head of the Electric Propulsion Section of the ESA and later, until today, he was Head of the Propulsion and Aerothermodynamics Division of the ESA. In the same period, he also acted as Deputy Director of the Mechanical Engineering Department of the ESA (January 2016 – November 2016). Giorgio Saccoccia is Associate Fellow of the AIAA (American Association for Aeronautics and Astronautics). He is a full member of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) and member emeritus of the French Aeronautics and Aerospace Society (3AF).

Avi Blasberger is the Director of the Israeli Space Agency (ISA) - Ministry of Science and Technology since may 2016. Avi Blasberger holds B.Sc. & M.Sc in Mechanical engineering from Ben Gurion University and EMBA ( Executive Management business Administration) from TelAviv University. Avi served at ELOP/ELBIT in various positions, most of them were space related, among them VP of Imagery Intelligence Division which was responsible for all airborne and spaceborne electro-optical observation systems in ELBIT. Avi acted as VP at Elbit Systems Electro-Optics until 2014. During this period Avi served as a Member of the Advisory Board of the Israeli Space Agency (ISA) and a Member of the Advisory Board for the HLS committee of The Israel Export Institute. In a later phase, Avi had consulted to Samuel Neaman Institute for national research policy & served as the secretary of the space Committee of the National Council for R & D. During that period Avi studied for PhD. in Astrophysics in the Technion

the DIDO-3 mission "Since early days, mankind's was looking for the stars, ..." Yossi is the founder and the R&D CEO of SpacePharma. His previous relevant experience includes more than 25 years of experience with large-scale development projects across the United States, Israel and Canada, APAC, jointly working with global space players. He was the Former Chief commander of the Israeli Satellites unit at the intelligence core. Lt. Colonel. He led preparations for EIGHT successful satellite launches and had overall responsibility for ground-station readiness while DIDO-3 a fully scientific autonomous cubesat laboratory is functioning since Sep. 3rd in orbit for top PI's from Italy and Israel. SpacePharma secured a NIH – ‘Organ on a Chip’ grant along with Children's hospital in Philadelphia as well as an H2020 grant for SME Instruments Phase 2 - successfully completed on the topic of multiplex SPuMP. This year, SpacePharma was chosen as the #1 Space company for the new decade by “New Space Company”. Yossi is responsible for all SpacePharma's product-related matters. This includes product conception and development, production in general, innovation, and project and product management. He has over 15 years of experience in various positions in the space domain such as program manager, product owner and system engineer. Yossi started with hands-on development of systems and operations and grew to lead operations of satellite constellations and large-scale development projects. Yossi holds degrees in business from the University of Phoenix in San Diego (USA) and from Tel-Aviv University. Yossi will help guide the system requirements and design documents, as well as the I&T planning.

"Enzymatic Reactions with Bacteria in micro-Gravity" Prof. Giuseppe Falini (GF), PhD in Chemistry, is full professor in chemistry at the University of Bologna. The research activity of GF is mainly addressed in the fields of biomineralization, bio-inspired processes and chemical reactions in controlled environments. GF guides the biomineralization and biocrystallization laboratory. GF is co-author of about 230 scientific publications (H-index = 43) in international journals (two in Science) with high impact factor. GF also wrote 5 book chapters and is co-inventor of 3 patents. GF has been invited to present his research activities in more than fifty international and national conferences and schools. GF has been awarded from national institutions, companies and European Community (ERC Adv).

"Microgravity effects on human serum albumin binding properties" Alessandra di Masi is Professor of Biochemistry and Cellular Biochemistry at the Roma Tre University (Rome, Italy). She received the PhD in Applied Biology in Human Health in 2003. In 2004 she received a scholarship funded by the International Cancer Technology Transfer Fellowship (ICRETT) carrying out her research activity at the Charité Virchow-Klinikum (Berlin, Germany). She has received several awards and she has been invited as a speaker at numerous national and international conferences. Among the research activities for which she is responsible or collaborator, Alessandra di Masi has been dealing for many years with the study of the structural and functional properties of sensors and transporters of gaseous ligands, drugs and toxic agents involved in normal and pathological processes, as well as of proteins involved in neoplastic transformation processes. Alessandra di Masi is the author of more that 90 scientific papers in extenso in international journals and has received various funding from national and international research agencies.

Raffaele Zarrilli is Professor in Hygiene and Public Health at the University of Naples "Federico II", Naples Italy. His research interests include: i) molecular epidemiology of community-acquired and hospital-acquired infections caused by multidrug-resistant microrganisms; ii) molecular analysis of antimicrobial drug resistances and mechanisms of horizontal gene transfer in Gram-negative bacteria; iii) genomic epidemiology of multi-drug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii.

Alessandro Donati is General Manager at Kayser Italia, aerospace engineering company whose core business is the development of hardware solutions to perform scientific experiments in the domain of space research, with a particular focus on life and physical sciences under microgravity conditions. With a degree in Computer Science at University of Pisa and a PhD in Optics at University of Florence he has coordinated many projects in the following main areas: technology R&D, space mission studies, development of new devices to support microgravity experiments. He maintains a close relationship with Universities, Research Organizations and Industries working in the framework of space research.

“Insight into the G-quadruplex-hemin DNAzyme activity” Alessandro Desideri obtained his degree in Physics from the University of Roma La Sapienza (1975) and PhD in Chemistry from University of Leicester (UK, 1982). Since 1995, he is Full Professor of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Rome Tor Vergata. In addition to teaching, his research interests are: Relationship of structure and function in topoisomerase I; Interaction of topoisomerase I with anticancer drugs; Molecular dynamics simulation of proteins in different environments; and Principles of molecular recognition in proteins through mutagenesis by spectroscopic and simulative methods. He is a Peer Reviewer of several journals such as Journal of Molecular Biology and he also sits on several Editorial Boards. Over the years, he has held positions in several foreign institutes.

“Kayser Italia activities for life science experiments onboard the International Space Station” Dr. Michele Balsamo is Research and Development Area Manager at Kayser Italia S.r.l., Livorno, Italy. He received his bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology in 2003 and his master’s degree in medical, cellular and molecular Biotechnology in 2005 from “Sapienza” University of Rome. In 2009 he received the PhD in Immunology from “Sapienza” University of Rome, while working as visiting student at David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge USA. At MIT, first as visiting student and then as postdoctoral research fellow, Dr. Balsamo investigated the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying cancer cell migration, invasion and metastasis. In 2012 he was a fellow of the Sant’Anna School for Advanced Studies in Pisa, Italy, working on cancer biology and space biology projects. Since 2014 he is part of the Research and Development in life science group of Kayser Italia, supporting the development of space biology experiments focusing on the understanding of the effects of the space environment on biological and physiological systems. He is currently a member of the Steering Committee of the Italian Institute of Astrobiology-Network of the National Astrobiology laboratories. He acts as peer-reviewer for several journals, and to date he authored over 25 peer reviewed publications.

Gianni Ciofani (born in La Spezia, Italy, on August 14th, 1982) is Senior Researcher Tenured at the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (Italian Institute of Technology, IIT), where he is Principal Investigator of the Smart Bio-Interfaces Research Line and Coordinator of the Center for Materials Interfaces (Pontedera, Italy). He received his Master Degree in Biomedical Engineering (with honors) from the University of Pisa, Italy, in July 2006, and, in the same year, his Diploma in Engineering (with honors) from the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna of Pisa, Italy. In January 2010, he obtained his Ph.D. in Innovative Technologies (with honors) from the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna. From January 2010 to August 2013 he was Post-Doc at the IIT, Center for Micro-BioRobotics, where, from September 2013 to October 2015, he was Researcher in the framework of the Smart Materials Platform. From October 2015 to October 2019 he was Associate Professor at the Polytechnic University of Torino (Italy), maintaining at the same time his research activity in IIT, where he is Senior Research Tenured since November 2019. His main research interests are in the field of smart nanomaterials for nanomedicine, bio/non-bio interactions, and biology in altered gravity conditions. He is coordinator or unit leader of many grants/projects, and he was awarded a European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant and an ERC Proof-of-Concept Grant in 2016 and 2018, respectively. Gianni Ciofani is author of more than 140 papers on international journals, 3 edited books, and 16 book chapters. He delivered more than 40 invited talks/lectures in international contexts and, for his research activity, he was awarded several national and international prizes. He serves as Reviewer for more than 180 international journals, and as Editorial Board Member of Nanomedicine UK, Scientific Reports, International Journal of Nanomedicine, Journal of Physics: Materials, Bioactive Materials, and Advances in Nano Research; he is Specialty Chief Editor (Nanobiotechnology) for Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology.

"The SERISM Project Of The VITA Mission by ASI: Endocannabinoid Signalling And Bone Remodelling in Space". Mauro Maccarrone, Dr. Enzymology and Bio-Organic Chemistry, is Professor and Chair of Biochemistry at the Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila (Italy). He is also Head of the Lipid Neurochemistry Unit at the European Center for Brain Research – IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome. For his research activity he has received the “4th Royan International Research Award for Reproductive Biomedicine” (2003), the “2007 IACM Award for Basic Research”, the “2016 Mechoulam Award”, and the “2020 Tu Youyou Award”. Chair of the 2015 Gordon Research Conference on “Cannabinoid Function in the CNS”. Visiting Professor at Leiden University (Leiden Institute of Chemistry, The Netherlands) in 2017, and at Cambridge University (Department of Psychology, U.K.) in 2019. Faculty member of The Lambert Center for the Study of Medicinal Cannabis and Hemp at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, since 2019. Visiting Professor of the National University of Rosario (Argentina) in 2021. Published more than 510 full papers, of which 65 with I.F. ≥ 9 (total I.F. > 2600; citations >18000, h-index = 70 according to Scopus). Listed among the Top Italian Scientists Awarded the “4th Royan International Research Award for Reproductive Biomedicine”, the “2007 IACM Award for Basic Research”, the “BIO#4 Mission Team Achievement Award”, and the “2016 Mechoulam Award”. Chair of the 2015 Gordon Research Conference on “Cannabinoid Function in the CNS”. President (2010-2011) of the “International Cannabinoid Research Society (ICRS)”. Registered Investigator of the Italian Ministry of Health (ID: 018570), EU expert (ID: EX2006C196475) and COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) expert. Visiting Professor at Leiden University (Leiden Institute of Chemistry - Faculty of Science, The Netherlands) with a competitive Erasmus+ mobility grant (April 2017).

"Cultivating a healthier world & beyond" Aleph Farms is a food company that paves a new way forward as a leader of the global sustainable food ecosystem. We are working passionately to grow delicious, real beef steaks from non-genetically engineered cells, isolated from a living animal, while saving precious natural resources Pascal, Director Europe & New Ventures. Mr Rosenfeld holds an MBA and has over 20 years experience in strategic partnerships, finance & venture projects. A lifelong Environmentalist, he believes Aleph Farms is one of the most powerful levers on Earth to lower our carbon footprint and reduce the use of natural resources. Pascal is managing the New Ventures, such as Space & Biomaterials partnerships programs for Aleph

Synthetic Milk Aviv, a vegetarian himself, decided to quit his previous pursuits and founded Remilk, a global leader in the development of animal-free dairy. The company produces identical dairy proteins through microbial fermentation, and has developed a unique and patented approach to lab-based dairy manufacturing which dramatically increases efficiency in production, and, for the first time in history, allows to cost-efficiently replace dairy cows in industrial-scale dairy production, without compromising on taste, functionality, or nutritional values. Remilk, under Aviv's leadership as the CEO, has already raised more than $12 million, and a broad team of researchers, including some of the world's leading doctors and professors

"Oxygen production on the lunar surface to propel the expansion of humanity beyond earth" Jonathan Geifman, Co-Founder and CEO of Helios, developing technologies to utilize resources on the lunar surface, Mars and beyond.

"The Challenges of Space Farming" Since she joined the DiA in 1993, she and her team have performed numerous researches both in field and greenhouse to determine the effects of environmental and cultural factors on plant growth and development and produce quality on a wide range of vegetable and ornamental crops. Research activities on vegetable and ornamental crops regard: abiotic stress adaptation, water and nutrients management in field and greenhouse production, organic horticulture & post-harvest physiology, use of biostimulants, influence of pre-harvest and post-harvest conditions on nutritional composition of vegetables. In the last twenty years, thanks to projects funded by the EU Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency, she has gained expertise on plants response to Space factors (e.g. microgravity and ionizing radiation) and on the use of plants in Bioregenerative Life Support System for food and oxygen production, CO2 regeneration and water purification in Space. She coordinated and participated to several national and international projects. Responsible of the Research Laboratory on Plant for Space including the MELiSSA Plant Characterization Unit (PCU) conceived as a crop research facility within the MELiSSA project a joint long-term effort, led by the ESA, focused on the development of a regenerative life-support system for air, water and food production in the sight of future long-term manned missions to Moon and Mars Member of the Scientific Council of the Italian Council for Agricultural Research and Analysis of Agricultural Economics Chair of the Group of Evaluation experts in the Italian Evaluation of Research Quality for Agricultural and veterinary sciences Member of the qualification committee for the national scientific qualification to function as associate or full professor in Italian Universities Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board of the EDEN-ISS project (Ground Demonstration of Plant Cultivation Technologies for Safe Food Production in Space, funded by the UE within the H2020 program Scientific partner of the University of Arizona in NASA - Steckler/Space Grant - Lunar Greenhouse (LGH) She acts as a consultant of the FAO working group Plant Production and Protection Division and Center for Agricultural Research and Extension and was co-editor & co-author of the FAO PLANT PRODUCTION AND PROTECTION PAPER n. 217 and n. 230 She acts as a rapporteur, a referee, an external consultant for the MiUR, the MiPAAF, the EU, the COST Office and many international research institutes on topics related to vegetable and ornamental crops both in field and in greenhouse production She is co-editor and co-author of Italian and international education and training books and manuals. She acts as an associate editor for some scientific journals (e.g. Frontiers in Plant Science, section Crop and Product Physiology, Horticulturae, Agronomy) and as a reviewer for several scientific journals and she has been co-editor of several volumes of ACTA Horticulturae PARTICIPATION IN SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES Chair of the Division Protected Cultivation and Soilless Culture of the International Society of Horticultural Science Chair of the Commission Protected Cultivation of the ISHS Italian representative in the Council of the ISHS Member of the board of the Accademia dei Georgofili Member of the board of the Southwest Division of the Accademia dei Georgofili Former Chair and board member of the Italian Society for Horticultural Science

"Plants for food integration and wellbeing in space" Alberto Battistelli Senior Researcher of the Italian National Research Council, Research Institute of terrestrial Ecosystems (CNR-IRET https://www.iret.cnr.it/en/ ). Contract professor at the Tuscia University, Viterbo, Italy on botany and plant physiology. Agronomist and plant physiologist he studies plants, their response to the environment and productivity. Research aeras are: photosynthesis, carbohydrate metabolism and source-sink relationships and food and biomass quality. Beside curiosity driven research he leads and participate to industrial research in tight collaboration with large and small industries particularly in the areas of technology development of bioregenerative life support systems for space and biorefinery. He likes to communicate via scientific journal but also on science magazines, via radio and television interview and participation to scientific programmes and events. He recently contributed to define the SciSpacE Bioregenerative Life Support Roadmap of the European Space Agency and is co-coordinating the panel in charge of defining the Road Map of the Italian Space Agency on Bioregenerative life support systems for space. The scientific production can be found at: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alberto_Battistelli.

"Neutraceticals in Space [4] terrestrial benefits" Before to join to Nanoracks she was Strategy and Business Development officer at RHEA and appointed at the European Space Agency (ESA) – ESTEC as Business Innovation Expert of the Commercial Partnerships’ initiative for space exploration in the Directorate of Human Space Flight and Robotic Exploration. Previously worked for the ESA – Technology Transfer Programme Office, Department of International Relations of the Italian Space Agency (ASI). Even before worked at the European Space Policy Institute in Vienna, at the International Space University in Strasbourg, Telespazio SpA in Rome, Wave Energy Centre in Lisbon and as researcher at different universities in Europe and in the USA. She has been a climate-KIC coach since 2012. Veronica holds a master’s degree in system engineering from Electronic Engineering Department, a master’s degree in Space Policy, and a full Graduation in Law. She also pursued PhD Studies in Economics. In 2017 she has been awarded as Leader by the Italian Branch of the Business Professional Women Network. A couple of links with Israeli community: - 2002: visitng student at Federmann Center for the Study of Rationality - 2013: visting research professor at Technion University - Engagement of “space users” (customers) for R&D in microgravity: university and comrporations - Israel fan !

"Space Food Design" Francesco Bombardi is an architect (Politecnico di Milano, 1997) who has studied at ETSAB Barcelona and Domus Academy Milano, and teaches Industrial Design at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, where he is on the Engineering Faculty. He is the founder of Fab Lab Reggio Emilia (2012) powered by REI, founder of Mak-ER, an Italian regional network of Fab Labs (2016). He was the ideator and director of "Officucina" , Food Lab for the Food Innovation Program (2015), architect and designer of the Design Thinking Area for Barilla (2015) ADI INDEX 2016, and the curator of the "Kitchen Tools" installation for the New Craft exhibit in the XXI Triennale di Milano (2016). With his project LABolla , food lab for kids designed for Fondazione Reggio Children and Enel Cuore Onlus, he has been awarded by FRAME as "best learning space of the year 2018" and shortlisted for German Design Award 2019. In 2018 he was part of the Task Force ED-TECH in Tel-Aviv for the Italian Embassy.

Silvia Ciccarelli works for the Italian Space Agency (ASI) in the International Affairs Directorate and is in charge of fostering and implementing ASI initiatives for the internationalization and promotion of national space industry. She is Italian Delegate to the ESA Human Spaceflight, Microgravity and Exploration Programme Board. She is ASI representative at the OECD Space Forum and the ESA Space Economy Steering Committee. In the previous years she worked in the frame industrial policy initiatives with a specific focus to support competitiveness of Space small and medium companies and managed national activities in the European Commission Horizon 2020 Configuration Space. She holds a Ph.D. and a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Rome “La Sapienza” and was a post-doc at the University of Delaware.