Editors

Patrick Navard is an Emeritus CNRS Research Director. He graduated in materials physics from INSA Lyon and hold a PhD and a Doctorate of Sciences. He is an expert in physics, rheology and processing of polymers including bio-polymers. He established and managed for 15 years the European Polysaccharide Network of Excellence (EPNOE). Under the auspices of EPNOE, he started in 2016 the Springerbrief series on Biobased Polymers, covering all aspects of biobased polymer science. 17 books were published until 2020. He then transferred the Editorial responsibility to a group of EPNOE scientists led by Nicolas Le Moigne.

Nicolas Le Moigne obtained his MEng and MSc from INSA Lyon (France) and PhD from Mines ParisTech (France). Dr. Ing. Nicolas Le Moigne is currently Associate Professor at IMT Mines Alès and Vice-President of the European Polysaccharide Network of Excellence (EPNOE). His research areas include the processing of bio-based polymers and (nano)biocomposites and the characterization of their physico-chemical and rheological properties, with emphasis on microstructural analysis and reinforcement/matrix interfacial interactions. Since 2005, he is involved in collaborative research projects aiming at studying and improving the selection, physical and chemical functionalization, and processing of plant cells from different resources (lignocellulosic fibres and microalgae) for the development of functional bio-based polymer and composite materials in packaging and structural applications. He is (co-)author of 60+ peer reviewed papers/proceedings/books, and special guest editor and referee for several international scientific journals. He teaches polymer physico-chemistry, rheology and engineering of bio-based polymers & composites at IMT Mines Alès.

Li Shen is Assistant Professor at the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University. From 2006 to 2011 she worked at the Copernicus Institute at Utrecht University as a junior researcher and obtained her PhD for her thesis Bio-based and Recycled Polymers for Cleaner Production – an Assessment of Plastics and Fibres. The PhD project was initially funded by an EU project -- EPNOE (European Polysaccharide Network of Excellence). Later, the research was co-funded by EPNOE, industrial associations and companies. Between 2011 and 2012 she worked as a scientific researcher at the Agricultural Economics Institute, Wageningen University and Research Centre, the Netherlands, before she joined the Utrecht University again. Li’s research interests include technology assessment and system analysis of bio-based materials, nano materials and plastics recycling, particularly in the context of sustainable energy and material transition and climate change. Li has been working closely with policy makers and partners in industry. Several studies have been used by policy makers and industries to establish references or to contribute to decision making.

Martin Gericke

Martin Gericke obtained his PhD from the Friedrich-Schiller-University of Jena (Germany) in 2011 with a work on chemical modification of cellulose in ionic liquids. After working for one year as a postdoc at the Åbo Academi University (Turku / Finland) and for two years at an applied research institute (Research Center of Medical Technology and Biotechnology; Bad Langensalza / Germany) he rejoined the University of Jena as an academic researcher. The research activities of Dr. Gericke are focused on the chemical modification of polysaccharides (including cellulose, hemicelluloses, and algae polysaccharides) and the development of novel functional polysaccharide based biomaterials (especially hydrogels, aerogels, and nanomaterials) for advanced applications. He is (co-)author of 30+ original publications / reviews / book chapters and active reviewer for several peer reviewed scientific journals.

Rupert Kargl

Rupert Kargl is employed as university assistant since May 2020 and since November of the same year as assistant professor with tenure track at the Institute of Chemistry and Technology of Biobased Systems (IBIOSYS) at Graz University of Technology (TUG), Austria. He received his MSc in environmental system sciences, with emphasis on chemistry in 2006, and a PhD in physical chemistry from University of Graz, Austria in 2011. He spent 6 months at the Federal Research Center for Forestry and Wood Science (now Thünen Institute) Hamburg, Germany. From 2013-2015 he was granted a Marie Curie Intra European Fellowship at the University of Maribor, Slovenia, (MC-IEF-POLY-INTER-FACES). In 2016 he received his habilitation as an assistant professor at the same university and accomplished a research stay at the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland. His expertise covers the surface science and chemical properties of biomolecules and functional (nano)-materials with an emphasis on renewable and synthetic (bio)polymers and their use in medicine (coatings, implants, 3D printing, surgical models) and technological areas (packaging, resins, and sustainable CO2 negative materials). He is active in the European Polysaccharide Network of Excellence (EPNOE) and in several Austrian – Slovenian cross-border activities (research projects, education of students etc.). His interest in the development of new biobased materials are documented in more than 60 peer reviewed publications in high ranking international journals and by two patents (EP3072933 (A1); EP13002404A).

Stefan Spirk is Associate Professor at the Institute of Bioproducts and Paper Technology at Graz University of Technology. He obtained his PhD in the field of Inorganic Chemistry at University of Graz. After postdocs in Germany (Bielefeld), and Slovenia (Maribor) within the frame of the Marie Curie program, he was appointed Assistant Professor at Graz University of Technology in 2013. Until 2016, he was also affiliated with EPNOE member University of Maribor. Dr. Spirk’s research interests include renewable materials for energy storage & flow battery, cellulose nanotechnology and interactions at biopolymer interfaces. He is a founding member of EPNOE Junior and the Austrian Marie Curie Alumni Chapter. Spirk is author of 100+ peer reviewed papers, wrote several books and chapters and is inventor of several patents.