Francesco Greco is CEO of Dialybrid. Founder and CEO of BEL since 2001, Francesco is an experienced entrepreneur, and a pioneer of Biomedical Engineering in Italy. Graduated at Politecnico di Milano in 1982, he has worked for several Italian leading companies in the field of disposable medical devices, and he has founded and led two companies in the same field: Medical Technology (1989) and Bioengineering Laboratories (2001) – BEL. Driven by an incessant passion for innovation, Francesco is (co-)inventor of around 20 patent applications, and he has contributed to bring to the market several product lines such as urodynamics catheters and hemodialysis catheters. Characterized by relentless tension towards renovation, through his companies Francesco has invested substantial resources in highly skilled human resources for the development of advanced, nanostructured materials, made of natural and synthetic polymers, such as Silkothane®. He is co-inventor of the patent application at the basis of Dialybrid’s technology.

Stefania Riboldi is Project Coordinator at Dialybrid. R&D Manager at BEL from 2008 to 2020, Stefania got a degree with honour in Biomedical Engineering and a Ph.D. in Tissue Engineering at Politecnico di Milano, with internships at the Department of Materials/Polymers of ETH Zürich. Her academic research focused on the development of novel scaffolds and bioreactors for tissue engineering, specifically as regards polyurethanes and the electrospinning technology. At BEL, she dedicated herself to the strategic and operational development of business activities, and to the translation of research ideas into products. In 2012 and 2016 her passion for innovation resulted in the co-inventor-ship of two patent applications in the field of Regenerative Medicine, one of which is at the basis of Dialybrid’s innovative vascular access for hemodialysis. She authored more than 10 scientific papers published on international peer-reviewed journals.

Sara Cappelletti is R&D engineer at Dialybrid. She got a degree with honour in Biomedical Engineering at Politecnico di Milano in 2021. Sara accomplished her Master thesis with an internship at Bioengineering Laboratories Srl, where she focused on the development and optimization of new approaches concerning the electrospinning technology, at the basis of Dialybrid’s pioneering hybrid vascular prostheses for hemodialysis. She also gave a contribution to the planning of a clinical pilot study on volunteers in cooperation with Policlinico San Donato. Her thesis, entitled “On the manufacturing of Silkothane® vascular grafts via separate-solution electrospinning and characterization of peripheral vessels”, has been awarded by Gruppo Nazionale di Bioingegneria (GNB) as the best Master thesis in the field of Biomaterials, Cell&Tissue Engineering and Biofabrication.

Matteo Tozzi graduated cum laude in Medicine and Surgery at the University “La Sapienza” of Rome in 2001, Dr. Tozzi specialized cum laude in Vascular Surgery in 2006 at the University of Insubria, Varese. Since 2014, he is Associate Professor of Vascular Surgery at the same University. He is Director of the Research Center for the Study and Application of New Technologies in Vascular Surgery and of the Research Center for the Study and Development of Organ Transplants at the University of Insubria since October 2017. Dr. Tozzi is member of SICVE – Società Italiana di Chirurgia Vascolare ed Endovascolare, member of the Council of VAS – Vascular Access Society, and author of several scientific publications in the vascular and vascular accesses field. Of note, he is one of the major experts in Italy as regards early-cannulation grafts for hemodialysis.

Luciano Carbonari graduated in Medicine and Surgery at the University of Ancona in 1980, Dr. Carbonari specialized in General Surgery in 1985 and in Vascular Surgery in 1997 at the same University. He worked as Medical Director of the Vascular Surgery Unit at Ospedali Riuniti of Ancona from 1993 to 2006, and since then he is Head of the same Unit. Since 2000 he is in charge of the regional center for vascular access in the Marche Region and collaborator of the study group of the Italian Society of Nephrology. Also Responsible for the Management of his Unit since 2003, Luciano served as medical consultant for Bioengineering Laboratories as regards hemodialysis vascular accesses from 2015 to 2020. He is member of the Italian Society of Vascular Surgery and of the European Society for Vascular Surgery and he is author and co-author of several scientific publications in the vascular field.

Franco Galli graduated in Medicine and Surgery at the University of Pavia in 1973, Dr. Galli specialized in Biomedical Technologies at the University of Bologna in 1992. He worked as Medical Director at the Division of Nephrology and Dialysis of the S. Maugeri Foundation in Pavia from 1974 to 2009 and he was Head of Vascular Access Surgery for Hemodialysis at this Division from 2000 to 2009. Consultant for Bioengineering Laboratories Srl since 2001, Franco Galli is member of the Italian Society of Nephrology (SIN), member of the Vascular Access Society (VAS), member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Vascular Access – SAGE, Member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Nephrological and Dialytic Techniques – SAGE. He is author and co-author of numerous scientific publications in the nephrological field.

Termis Business Plan competition

The Dialybrid project was awarded the second prize at the Business Plan Competition of the 5th World Congress of TERMIS – Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society in September 2018 (Kyoto, Japan, www.termis.org/wc2018). Dialybrid’s business plan and presentation pitch focused on SAG (Silkothane® Arteriovenous Graft), aimed at revolutionizing the world of hemodialysis with a novel, hybrid vascular access made of Silkothane®.