iBiotech celebrates PhD success and international research milestone

14 May 2026

Published in: Member News

We are thrilled to announce that iBiotech researcher, Claudia Novello, has successfully defended her doctoral thesis in Milan, passing her viva with flying colours. As an award-winning (Bostin') company committed to innovation, iBiotech is proud to have facilitated Claudia’s journey through our 3 year PhD programme, driving academic research forward.

Claudia, a researcher from the University of Milan under the supervision of Professor Graziella Cappelletti, completed a pivotal six-month placement at the University of Wolverhampton (UoW) between September 2024 and March 2025; while the rest of her studies took place in Italy. Her success marks the culmination of an impactful full 3-year industrial-academic collaboration focused on Parkinson’s disease.

Pioneering Research in Green Biotechnology

During her time in the lab, Claudia investigated the molecular mechanisms of Parkinson’s using human tissue cell models. This research explored how sustainably produced biomaterials—a core focus for iBiotech—could influence neurodegenerative disease pathways and offer new avenues for treatment.

Our founder, Dr. Brian Johnston, travelled to Milan to attend the viva and celebrate this international partnership. Reflecting on the milestone, he noted: “It was a pleasure attending the viva and witnessing an idea from our colleague Mattia,  flourish into such a multifaceted research programme. Furthermore, the tour of their biotechnology department was inspiring and could lead to other sustainability projects with shorter routes to market.”

Impact and Future Outlook

This partnership has already yielded significant prestige, including a poster prize at the Syn2025 conference in Cambridge and high-impact publications acknowledged by Parkinson’s UK.

We are already developing a second paper to be published later this year, continuing our work with Dr. Hafid Omar, Reader in Immunology at UoW. Regarding the laboratory findings, Dr. Omar shared: “In our labs the study focused on the immunological responses in Parkinson disease, paving the way for ongoing and future research to better understand how this disease works and how it can be prevented.”

At iBiotech, we view this collaboration as a blueprint for the Green Innovation Corridor. By bridging the gap between sustainable biotechnology and clinical application, we remain dedicated to accelerating discoveries in neurodegenerative research alongside our partners in Milan and Wolverhampton. Over the next few months, we will be aiming to secure funding, secure IP and extend this project, combining certain aspects with AI-powered diagnostics.

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