Month: April 2023

Meet our 4th Annual Arthur Pilla Young Scientist Award Winner, Dr. Ilaria Liorni

Pictured from left to right are BEMS President René De-Seze, Ilaria Liorni, PhD, Astrid Pilla, Founder of the Arthur Pilla Research Foundation, and Azadeh

Congratulations to Dr. Ilaria Liorni, winner of the 4th annual Arthur Pilla Young Scientist Award. This award recognizes outstanding achievements by young researchers in the field of bioelectromagnetics. The Biolectromagnetics Society is on of the few research communities that considers PhD students to be an active part of the community and give them the possibility to present their own research and to be awarded for it.  

Dr. Liorni’s contributions to the field of bioelectromagnetics have been exceptional. Her research has focused on the characterization of electromagnetic fields and their effects on the human body, with a particular emphasis on the use of wearable devices and exposure assessment. Her work has helped to establish the foundation for the safe and effective use of wearable technology and has contributed significantly to our understanding of the effects of electromagnetic fields on human health.

The Arthur Pilla Young Scientist Award is named after the late Dr. Arthur Pilla, a pioneer in the field of bioelectromagnetics. Dr. Pilla was a highly respected researcher and educator who made significant contributions to the field throughout his career. This award was established to honor his legacy and to recognize the outstanding achievements of young researchers who are carrying on his work.

The award was presented to Dr. Liorni during the joint annual meeting of The Bio-electromagnetics Society and EBEA, the European Bioelectromagnetics Association. The meeting brought together researchers from around the world in the city of Montpellier, France to discuss the latest developments in bioelectromagnetics research.

We congratulate Dr. Liorni on this well-deserved honor and look forward to seeing the impact that her future research will have on the field of bioelectromagnetics. We also extend our thanks to The Bio-electromagnetics Society and EBEA for their continued support of young researchers in this field. Find out more at BIOEM

Published, All rights reserved, 2019

Meet our 5th Annual Arthur Pilla Young Scientist Award Recipient, Dr. Flavia Mazzarda of Rome, Italy

October 2021, Virginia Beach, VA:

Congratulations to Dr. Flavia Mazzarda, a postdoctoral fellow at the Frank Ready Research Center for Bioelectrics, who won the 5th Annual Arthur Pilla Young Scientist Award during BioEM 2021. The award, given every year to a young scientist in the field of bioelectromagnetics, is sponsored by the Arthur A. Pilla Research Foundation in memory of Dr. Arthur A. Pilla, a world-renowned bioelectrochemist, inventor, and beloved professor.

Dr. Mazzarda was chosen for the award for delivering the best presentation of the year with her study titled “Nanosecond pulsed electric fields activate the inflammasome in macrophages: the role of potassium in this complex scenario”. The award is considered one of the most prestigious awards in the field of Bioelectromagnetics and is a yearly award given to a young PhD (less than 5 years post-doctoral).

Dr. Mazzarda received her bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering in 2012 and a master’s degree in Nanotechnology Engineering in 2016. In 2020, she obtained her Ph.D. in Condensed Matter Physics, Nanoscience, and Complex Systems from the University of Rome “Rome Tre”. Her research focuses on understanding the effects of short nanosecond electric pulses on immune cells and how electric pulses can stimulate the immune system to attack tumors.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Mazzarda after BioEM2021’s hybrid conference coming back after the pandemic. Dr. Mazzarda’s research closely follows Dr. Pilla’s research and expands upon it- studying what may happen to tumor growths if we modulate and control the signal by changing the length and amplitude.

Interview by Astrid Pilla, Founder of the Arthur Pilla Research Foundation, and creator of the Arthur Pilla Young Scientist Award. You can read about this yearly award here.