SIFB Annual Congress 2026
Brescia, June 22 (early afternoon) – June 24 (after lunch)
Invited speakers:
- Prof. Lorenzo Ferroni – Università di Ferrara
- Dr. Laia Josa-Cullerè – IQAC-CSIC
- Prof. Piergiacomo Calzavara Pinton – Università di Brescia
- Prof. Mathuas Senge – Trinity College of Dublin
- Prof. Serena Lembo – Università di Salerno
- Prof. Valentina Rapozzi – Università di Udine
- Prof. Luigi Spiazzi – ASST Spedali Civili di Brescia
Registration
SIFB Membership
Membership in the SIFB is mandatory for all participants, with a fee depending on the position (“permanent” or “non-permanent”). Please subscribe to the SIFBbeforeregistering for the conference. For participants affiliated withnon-Italian institutions, the registration fee is waived, but the process must still be completed to generate the member profile before proceeding to the conference registration. If you have not yet subscribed for the current year, please join or renew your membership atthis link.
Conference Registration
To register for the conference, please fill in theregistration form. Upon clicking to save and proceed, you will be directed to the payment page.
Accepted payment methods:Credit Card and Bank Transfer.
Note: If you choose Bank Transfer, please ensure the transfer is completed within 7 days to finalize your registration.
Registration Fees
- Academic Delegate (RTT and RTDA included):€ 200
- Students, PhD and Post-doc:€ 100
- Invited speaker:€ 0(this virtual payment is necessary only to finalize the registration)
- Waived fee:€ 0(this virtual payment is necessary only to finalize the registration)
The fee includes admission to the scientific program, congress documentation, refreshments during coffee breaks, and buffet lunches.
Abstract Submission
Deadline: 15 May 2026(Notification of acceptance: 22 May 2026)
Submission Guidelines:
- File Naming:Please name your file as Surname.Name.docx (e.g.,Rossi.Mario.docx).
- Template:The SIFB 2026 abstract template can bedownloaded here.
- Send your abstract toinfo@sifb.it
SIFB Fellowships
We are pleased to offerthree fellowshipsfor early-career researchers (PhD students and post-docs). Each fellowship covers the full conference fee and includes a€ 150 contributiontoward travel/accommodation.
- Selection Criteria:Fellowships will be awarded based on the candidate’s CV.
- How to Apply:Send your CV to info.at.sifb.it by15 May 2026.
- Notification:Winners will be notified by25 May 2026.
Local organizers
Mariateresa Rossi, Università degli Studi di Brescia UO Dermatologia, ASST Spedali Civili di Brescia
Marina Venturini, Università degli Studi di Brescia UO Dermatologia, ASST Spedali Civili di Brescia
Scientific Committee:
Greta Varchi, Istituto per la Sintesi Organica e la Fotoreattività, CNR
Carlo Matera, Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche Università degli Studi di Milano
Francesco Milano, Istituto di Scienze delle Produzioni Alimentari, CNR
Mariateresa Rossi, Università degli Studi di Brescia UO Dermatologia, ASST Spedali Civili di Brescia
Marzia Gariboldi, Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Scienze della Vita Università degli Studi dell’Insubria, Varese
Maya Dimova Lambreva, Istituto per i Sistemi Biologici, CNR
Sonia Visentin, Dipartimento di Biotecnologie Molecolari e Scienze per la Salute Università degli Studi di Torino
1. Sede e Contatti
- Nome:Centro Paolo VI
- Indirizzo:Via Gezio Calini, 30 – 25121 Brescia (BS)
- Sito web:www.paolovi.it
- Caratteristiche:Situato nel centro storico, è un complesso monumentale nato dalla fusione di palazzi storici, con ampi chiostri e giardini secolari.
2. Logistica e Trasporti
- Posizione:In posizione strategica, raggiungibile a piedi dalla stazione ferroviaria di Brescia o con i mezzi pubblici.
- Parcheggio:La struttura dispone di unparcheggio interno privato(fondamentale per chi arriva in auto in centro storico).
3. Servizi Congressuali
Il centro garantisce standard elevati per eventi scientifici e convegni ECM:
- Sale Meeting:Spazi tecnologicamente attrezzati (come il Salone Morstabilini).
- Ristorazione:Ristorante interno per coffee break, lunch e cene sociali con cucina locale.
4. Pernottamento
È possibile soggiornare direttamente presso la sede del congresso:
- Camere:Tipologie Singole, Doppie e King rinnovate, alcune con vista sul Castello di Brescia.
- Comfort:Wi-Fi gratuito e climatizzazione in tutta la struttura.
5. Suggerimenti per il tempo libero
Data la posizione centrale, è possibile visitare facilmente:
- IlMuseo Diocesano(adiacente alla struttura).
- I sitiUNESCO(Santa Giulia e il Parco Archeologico Brixia).
- IlCastello di Brescia(raggiungibile con una breve passeggiata).
Brescia, 22–24 June 2026 | Scientific Programme
Programme Overview
| Monday, 22 June | Tuesday, 23 June | Wednesday, 24 June |
|---|---|---|
| Session 1 – Opening Scientific Session | Session 3 – Photodynamic Therapy in Cancer Microenvironments | Session 6 – Photosensitizer Design and Photodynamic Strategies |
| Session 2 – Photosynthesis and Biohybrid Systems | Session 4 – Advanced Photosensitizers and Combination PDT Strategies | Session 7 – From Photo-immunomodulation to One Health Applications |
| SIFB General Assembly | Session 5 – Photodermatology: From Therapy to Imaging | Closing Session |
| Young Investigator Award Ceremony | ||
| Social Dinner – Osteria “L’Oste Sobrio” |
▸ Monday, 22 June 2026
| Time | Format | Speaker | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13:00 | Registration | ||
| 14:00–14:30 | Opening | Greta Varchi & Valentina Rapozzi | Congress Opening and Welcome Remarks |
| Session 1 – Opening Scientific Session Chair: Carlo Matera | |||
| 14:30–15:05 | Invited lecture | Laia Josa-Culleré | Photoswitches and photocages to eliminate cancer stem cells under external light control |
| 15:05–15:25 | Oral | Ramona SantiniFrontiers Fellowship | Targeted covalent photoswitch for two-photon control of endogenous receptors |
| 15:25–15:45 | Oral | Giorgia Miolo | Photostability of therapeutic mAbs and ADCs under real-life light doses |
| 15:45–16:10 | Coffee break | ||
| Session 2 – Photosynthesis and Biohybrid Systems Chairs: Maya Dimova Lambreva, Francesco Milano | |||
| 16:15–16:50 | Invited lecture | Lorenzo Ferroni | Distinctive morpho-functional adaptations for photosynthesis in deep shade in the ancient vascular plant genusSelaginella(Lycopodiophyta) |
| 16:50–17:10 | Oral | Stefano Santabarbara | Evidence of bidirectional electron transfer in far-red light adapted Photosystem I |
| 17:10–17:30 | Oral | Francesco Milano | In-field tomato growth under blue-depleted sunlight from a semi-transparent perovskite panel |
| 17:30–17:50 | Oral | Maya Dimova Lambreva | Tiny diamonds, stronger cells: hydroxylated nanodiamonds mitigate oxidative stress inChlamydomonas reinhardtii |
| 17:50–18:10 | Oral | Rossella Labarile | Chromatophore-based biohybrid architectures for solar-pumped laser systems: role of scattering in optical characterization |
| 18:20–19:30 | SIFB General Assembly | ||
▸ Tuesday, 23 June 2026
| Time | Format | Speaker | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session 3 – Photodynamic Therapy in Cancer Microenvironments Chair: Rossella Labarile | |||
| 09:00–09:35 | Invited lecture | Valentina Rapozzi | Nitric Oxide, Nrf2 Signaling and Tumor Hypoxia: Interconnected Determinants of Resistance and Response in Photodynamic Therapy |
| 09:35–09:55 | Oral | Thenesia Govender | Development of Multimodal, Light-Activated NO-Based Conjugates for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Treatment |
| 09:55–10:15 | Oral | Erna Tintor | CAIX-Targeted Inhibitor-Photosensitizer Conjugates for Enhanced Photodynamic Efficacy Under Hypoxic Tumor Conditions in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells |
| 10:15–10:35 | Oral | Cosmin Butnarasu | Lighting up mucins: development of polymethine dyes for mucin-responsive sensing in pancreatic cancer |
| 10:35–10:55 | Oral | Federica RandisiSIFB Fellowship | BODIPY-loaded liposomes enhance cellular uptake and PDT efficacy in 2D and 3D models |
| 10:55–11:20 | Coffee break | ||
| Session 4 – Advanced Photosensitizers and Combination PDT Strategies Chair: Sonja Visentin | |||
| 11:20–11:40 | Oral | Francesca BiancoSIFB Fellowship | Orai1 inhibition and PDT: novel combination therapy for Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma |
| 11:40–12:00 | Oral | Sara Cascone | Development of Anionized Albumin Formulations for Macrophage-Selective Photoimmunotherapy |
| 12:00–12:20 | Oral | Melisa Ciglaric | Synthesis of cationic AB3meso-(4-(N,N-diethylamino)phenyl)porphyrins for in vitro studies on melanoma cells |
| 12:20–12:40 | Oral | Giulia Giugliano | Machine learning-driven discovery of novel photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy |
| 12:40–13:00 | Oral | Martina Mušković Lukić | Impact of melanin pigment and hypoxic conditions on (photo)cytotoxicity of amphiphilic N-methylated tripyridiniumporphyrins with alkyl chains of different length on melanoma cell lines |
| 13:00–14:30 | Lunch | ||
| Session 5 – Photodermatology: From Therapy to Imaging Chair: Marina Venturini | |||
| 14:40–15:15 | Invited lecture | Piergiacomo Calzavara Pinton | A lifetime in science: reflections on light-based therapies and dermatological research |
| 15:15–15:35 | Oral | Isacco Cattaneo | Real-life experience from a tertiary phototherapy center on solar urticaria: clinical features, management, and long-term outcomes from a twenty-year cohort |
| 15:35–15:55 | Oral | Mariateresa Rossi | Photoprotection in Inflammatory Dermatoses |
| 15:55–16:15 | Oral | Gaia Maridati | Frontiers in Photobiology |
| 16:15–16:40 | Coffee break | ||
| 16:40–17:15 | Invited lecture | Luigi Spiazzi | Physics in photodermatology: quantitative imaging and AI |
| 17:15–17:25 | Oral | Alessandro Franzini | Light and Edema: An Unexpected Association |
| 17:25–17:45 | Oral | Marina Venturini | Photodynamic Therapy with Topical Zinc Phthalocyanine RLP068/Cl for Moderate-to-Severe Papulopustular Acne: A Pilot Study |
| 17:45–18:15 | Award Ceremony | Alessio Colleoni – Young Investigator Award | Photoswitchable Glycomimetics Enable Precision Targeting of LecB inPseudomonas aeruginosa |
| 20:30 | 🆎Social Dinner– Osteria “L’Oste Sobrio” | ||
▸ Wednesday, 24 June 2026
| Time | Format | Speaker | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session 6 – Photosensitizer Design and Photodynamic Strategies Chair: Enrico Caruso | |||
| 09:15–09:50 | Invited lecture | Mathias O. Senge | Molecular and Formulation Strategies for Photosensitizer Design |
| 09:50–10:10 | Oral | Nika Skokic | Impact of Zn(II) and Cu(II) chelation with methylated tetrakis pyridinium-3-yl porphyrin on antimicrobial properties and photodynamic inactivation |
| 10:10–10:30 | Oral | Nataliia Emashova | Infrared light-based antimicrobial approach |
| 10:30–10:50 | Oral | Chiara Di DonatoSIFB Fellowship | Phage Platforms for Targeted Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy |
| 10:50–11:10 | Oral | Giuseppe NocitoSIFB Fellowship | A photo-antimicrobial hydrogel based on a tetracationic porphyrin and Captisol®assemblies for wound management |
| 11:10–11:30 | Coffee break | ||
| Session 7 – From Photo-immunomodulation to One Health Applications Chair: Mariateresa Rossi | |||
| 11:30–11:50 | Oral | Marialaura Giannaccari | Green-Synthesized Prussian Blue Nanoparticles for Synergistic Breast Cancer Therapy |
| 11:50–12:10 | Oral | Emanuela Peluso | Multilayer of Prussian Blue Nanoparticles with Photothermal Antibacterial Effect |
| 12:10–12:30 | Oral | Giovanni Romano | Unify, Align, and Educate: Promoting Photodynamic Inactivation within the One Health Framework by COST Action CA24127 PanEuCOPTion |
| 12:30–13:05 | Invited lecture | Serena Lembo | Light and skin: photoimmunomodulation |
| 13:10 | Closing Remarks | ||