We are so pleased to announce that Lena Kranold, an IT’IS Foundation postdoctoral researcher, is our 6th annual recipient of the Arthur Pilla Young Scientist Award! Lena is originally from Germany. Dr. Kranold is now at the University of Western Australia pursuing her research and lecturing.
Meet Dr. Leslie Vallet, our 8th annual Young Scientist Award Recipient!
Dr. Leslie Vallet is the BioEM 2025 recipient of The Arthur Pilla Young Scientist Award for her excellence in presentation of her research entitled:
“EMF Interactions with Cells: Different Mechanisms Leading to Different Applications”
I had the pleasure of meeting Leslie in Rennes at #BioEM2025, and we spoke about her fascinating research. Her work highlights the identification of different interaction mechanisms between ultrashort-duration pulsed electric fields and cells, which can be strategically exploited for various innovative purposes in electroporation-based biomedical applications. This research not only sheds light on the fundamental science behind cellular responses but also paves the way for advancements in the field. More broadly, this work contributes to ongoing research aimed at developing contactless electroporation, a technique that may revolutionize how we approach therapeutic interventions. The potential benefits of such advancements could greatly enhance electroporation-based therapeutic applications, such as electrochemotherapy, which is gaining traction for its effectiveness in targeting cancer cells, and irreversible electroporation, a promising strategy for tissue ablation. Overall, Leslie’s insights are instrumental in bridging the gap between theoretical research and practical applications in biomedical engineering, fostering a deeper understanding of how electromagnetic fields interact with biological systems.
Dr. Leslie Vallet is a researcher at Gustave Roussy, the leading cancer center in France and Europe, and among the world’s top hospitals in oncology.
For more about the Arthur Pilla Young Scientist Award, visit our page here.
copyright 2025 – All rights reserved.
Crete, Greece, June 16-21, 2024
Zachary Steelman is a Research Biomedical Engineer at the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, and the 7th Annual Arthur Pilla Young Scientist Award recipient!
The Annual Bioelectromagnetics (BioEM) meeting took place in Chania on the beautiful island of Crete in Greece this year, and with it our 7th Annual Arthur Pilla Young Scientist Award was awarded! Dr. Zachary Steelman from the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory in Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, TX was awarded the esteemed prize with his presentation entitled, “Metal-Free Fiber-Bundle Fluorescence Microscopy for Quantifying Single-Cell Responses to Radio-Frequency Sources”. The study sought to develop a microscopy system compatible with high-power radiofrequency radiation, in order to better study single-cell responses to electromagnetic stimulation.
Dr. Steelman used 3D Printing to create a microscope objective and housing for the glass lenses, thereby eliminating any source of metallic material that might interfere with the electromagnetic stimulus. The ability to image cells during exposure to high-power electromagnetic stimuli opens the door to real-time studies of single-cell responses.
Full poster presentation:
Dr. Steelman’s findings could potentially prove to be one of the most important discoveries to date to help advance how we study the effects of electromagnetic stimuli on biological cells, and improves the speed and accuracy of data collection.
Of note is that the Arthur Pilla Young Scientist Award is normally given to a researcher in biology or bioelectromagnetics, but this year all that has changed! With a Biomedical Engineering background, and more specifically Optical Engineering, Dr. Steelman is the first recipient to receive the award in his field.
The Arthur Pilla Young Scientist Award is presented each year at the Annual BioElectromagnetics Society meeting to a Young PhD of less than 5 years, and includes a monetary prize of $1200 USD, and a Certificate of Recognition. Read more about the requirements here. Presented to Best Presentation and judged by a committee of esteemed scientists, the award is both prestigious and eagerly anticipated by young scientists from around the world. This award was established by Dr. Pilla’s daughter, Astrid, to encourage young scientists everywhere to continue research in electrotherapeutics using PEMF, and related areas.
Read more and learn how to support young scientists in electrotherapeutic research at ArthurPilla.com
BioEM promotes the exchange of ideas to advance the science of natural and applied electromagnetic fields in biology and medicine. Visit BioEM.org to learn more.
Get ready for next year’s BioEM 2025 to take place in Rennes, France from June 22-27, 2025.
2026 BioEM is slated to take place at the Cairns Convention Centre in Queensland, Australia.
Oxford, UK, June 11, 2023- This year’s recipient of the prestigious Arthur Pilla Young Scientist Award will be chosen from an unprecedented 26 submissions for BioEM23!
The Bioelectromagnetics Society (BEMS) and The European Bioelectromagnetics Association (EBEA) have merged into one organization, BioEM, and after cancelled meetings due to the pandemic and online offerings, this year they are back at the University of Oxford, Mathematics Institute , United Kingdom for the 2nd annual meeting of the newly merged societies.
Come back soon to read all about our 6th annual recipient!
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.
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
Supporting young scientists studying electrotherapeutics, and continuing to honor the life’s work of Dr. Arthur Pilla in the field of PEMF
Winner of the Dr. Arthur Pilla Research Foundation’s annual Young Scientist Award, Dr. Maura Casciola in 2018 with Dr. Andrei Pakhomov of the Frank Reidy Research Center for Bioelectrics.
I caught up with Dr. Casciola just as she and her colleague were finishing up an experiment in her lab at the Frank Reidy Center for Bioelectrics, Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA
The Arthur Pilla Young Scientist Award is presented each year to a young Ph.D. researching the effects of Pulsed Electromagnetic fields on biological systems. For our third annual award, we presented in Portoroz, Slovenia at the Annual Joint meeting of the Biolectromagnetics Society (BEMS) and the European BioElectromagnetics Association (EBEA) (now BIOEM). As we approach our 4th Annual award presentation, we wanted to take a moment to highlight our 3rd Annual award winner, Dr. Maura Casciola of Rome, Italy. Currently, Dr. Casciola is conducting research at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA. I caught up with Dr. Casciola quite literally while she was conducting an experiment in her lab! Here’s what she had to say:
Astrid: Thank you for speaking with me today! Can you summarize your research for us?
Dr. Casciola: Since 2016 I have been studying neuron excitation using Pulsed Electric Fields. My study, entitled, “Nanosecond bipolar cancellation of action potentials in nerve fibers” sought to show the effects of nanosecond, millisecond, high-intensity pulsed electric fields (PEF’s) on biological targets. By adjusting the amplitude as well as duration, plus the inter-pulse intervals of a bipolar nanosecond pulse, we show that we can reduce and eventually suppress the response of the nerve.
Astrid: For those who may not understand the significance of your study, can you explain why you are excited about this finding?
Dr. Casciola: If we can suppress the response of cells close to the electrodes while maintaining the response in a remote area, this opens up the possibility of remote, targeted deep tissue stimulation. Using electrodes in contact with the surface of the body we could trigger the response of any deep region without damaging the surrounding tissues.
Astrid: What other potential applications can you think of that we can getting excited about from further research in this area?
Dr. Casciola: Right now, we are at the stage of looking for the optimization of the experimental condition to reduce the response of the cells surrounding the area to be treated. If we can find the optimal conditions, this can lead to exciting possibilities such as aiding in tumor ablation or even Parkinson’s Disease. But we are not there quite yet.
Astrid: Had you heard about Dr. Pilla before applying for this award?
Dr. Casciola: Since I was 24 years old during my studies I have often come across Dr. Pilla’s studies. He was one of the first in this field and I am honored to have been awarded the 3rd Annual Dr. Pilla Young Scientist Award.
Astrid: Why do you think it is important for young scientists to be offered an Award and and recognition such as this one?
Dr. Casciola: In our field, prizes are very important! Awards motivate young scientists to work harder; Many times, Awards are only offered to Senior Scientists. Therefore, this Award lets us know that we are important and motivates the mind; It motivates us to do better, achieve more…
If we, as young scientists have a goal to focus on, it is much more motivating and easier to put in the effort.
The potential for this award pushed me to get results. In sum, an award such as the Arthur Pilla Young Scientist Award pushes young Ph.D.’s to be the best. My generation, we are all motivated and push ourselves and this award is a key supporting factor in that.
Astrid: What does this award give you in terms of how you can use it ?
Dr. Casciola: When this Award is presented to a young scientist, it is official proof of the capability and skill of the Ph.D. candidate’s duties required and training to apply for important positions, for example. When interacting with other scientists and organizations, it is a well-respected Award that immediately attracts attention. It is important recognition during your Ph.D. that can absolutely open up the possibility much more easily to further funding and support, as well as finding advanced positions in our field.
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To support this yearly award given to a young Ph.D. candidate researching the therapeutic effects of Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields (PEMF) on biological systems, please consider donating to keep this award alive for years to come. The Arthur A. Pilla Research Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) Public Charity and all donations are tax deductible.
The fourth Annual Arthur Pilla Young Scientist Award will be awarded in Montpellier, France during the Annual Meeting from June 23-28, 2019. Donate today to the Arthur Pilla Research Foundation in support of young scientists at this annual event!
©2019 ARTHUR PILLA RESEARCH FOUNDATION, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
During BioEM2017, a joint annual meeting between the Bioelectromagnetics Society (BEMS) and the European BioElectromagnetics Association (EBEA), our 2nd annual Arthur Pilla Young Scientist Award winner was selected! The meeting, which took place June 5-9, 2017 in Hangzhou, China, had 5 entries this year- with topics ranging from nerve stimulation by PEMF, modeling of electroporation, magnetophosphene perception at Extremely Low Frequency magnetic fields and bacterial absorption of THz.
Dr. Manuel Murbach, from Zurich, Switzerland, was chosen as our winner for having the best presentation this year with his study entitled, “Numerical MRI Radiofrequency Exposure Estimation in Morphed Patient Anatomies”. Manuel won a $1,200 cash prize, as well as a copy of Dr. Marko Markov’s book, “Dosimetry in Electromagnetics”, donated by Dr. Markov.
Read on to learn about the study “Numerical MRI Radiofrequency Exposure Estimation in morphed patient anatomies” and about Manuel’s view of the importance of a Young Scientist Award.
Dr. Manuel Murbach of Zurich explains his winning research project and his view on why making Awards like this available to young scientists are so important.
Background: In 2008, Manuel conducted a study on the effect of mobile phones on human sleep. His current MRI safety study involve electromagnetic fields that are 100 times stronger than mobile phones. For humans, as Magnetic Resonance Devices evolve and get stronger and faster, our safety protocols for new machines must be updated and modified. FDA approval for all new machines is complex and this study seeks to aid and simplify this process for manufacturers. When studying the effect of an MRI on human tissue, certain virtual body models are used, but Manuel found that there are currently not enough body types offered, therefore he developed a system whereby one can choose any body type to put into a virtual MRI machine and simulate how the radiation travels and can effect human fat and muscle tissue. Manuel developed this MORPH tool to make it easier to see the effect of an MRI on someone with more muscle tissue, for example. “We can cover more patient anatomies with this tool and get a better view on how an MRI affects certain human body types”, states Manuel. For example, we can answer the question of whether obesity lowers or increases the safety of an MRI for certain body types. At first glance, it looked like having more body fat was actually a good thing, and those with leaner bodies and more muscle tissue were more affected. The new generations of MRI devices have quite different excitation technologies in order to among other things, speed up image taking, and these new machines need to be tested for safety. MRI manufacturers must prove to the FDA that they have covered all types of scenarios and this tool will make it easier for manufacturers to do just that, which in turn translates to better patient safety. A win-win in my book!
Manuel Murbach accepts his certificate, $1200 prize money and book entitled “Dosimetry in Electromagnetics”, donated by Dr. Marko Markov
“In the end, we are moving in the right direction and this study could potentially lead to a new protocol on how to measure MRI safety on ALL body types, whether we have more or less muscle tissue, whether we have a very slight frame and not much fat around our organs, or if there is a lot of fat tissue”, says Manuel. All of these factors can impact the effect an MRI can have on tissue and organs.
For Manuel, having a young student award stimulates creativity and energizes meetings. It motivates young scientists to do their best and gives a certain environment of positive challenge and competition to the meetings, something that is very important in getting our younger scientists interested and involved. I love to hear this and cannot wait to award our Third Annual Arthur Pilla Young Scientist Award in Slovenia next year! So get your submissions in soon and see you in Slovenia!
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For those very young scientists out there, it’s always interesting to find out how a scientist arrived at their present day activity. In Manuel’s case, he started in electro-technical engineering studies, which he did not fully enjoy. He ended up earning a Master’s Degree in Biomedical technology. “The interaction between tech and humans is what I like”, says Manuel. That, coupled with a love of teaching and social service is why Manuel does what he does today. Manuel is currently working at The Foundation for Research on Information Technologies in Society (IT’IS) – a non profit organization dedicated to improving our quality of life by enhancing the safety and quality of emerging electromagnetic technologies. Read about his latest study here.
Written by: Astrid Pilla, President of the Arthur Pilla Research Foundation. © June 2017 ArthurPilla.com
Pictured left to right: Astrid Pilla, Founder of the Arthur Pilla Research Foundation, Esin Sözer, First Young Scientist Award winner and Dr. Nam Kim, President of BEMS
The very first Annual Arthur Pilla Young Scientist Award winner was announced on June 10, 2016 in Ghent, Belgium during the joint Annual BioEM2016 meeting between the Bioelectromagnetics Society (BEMS) and the European BioElectromagnetics Association (EBEA). Esin Sözer, a postdoctoral research scientist in the Nanoscale Bioelectrical Physics laboratory at the Old Dominion University Frank Reidy Research Center for Bioelectrics in Norfolk, VA, presented her poster entitled Transmembrane voltage and small molecule transport after 6 ns electropermeabilization and won over the judges with her clear, outstanding presentation and findings.
I consider myself very lucky to have met such a bright young scientist and know Dr. Pilla would have been thrilled to see her enthusiasm and passion in her field. Here are excerpts from two interviews I had with Ms. Sözer, via Skype and email:
The second Annual Arthur Pilla Young Scientist Award will take place at the BioEM2017 Meeting in Hangzhou, China June 5-9,2017. Don’t forget to make your contribution to the Arthur Pilla Research Foundation to support young scientists at this annual event! Donate today!
Dr. Arthur Pilla 