Program
Honorary Committee
- Prof. Houssine AZEDDOUG — President of Hassan II University of Casablanca, Casablanca
- Prof. Mustapha IJJAALI — President of Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez
- Prof. Mehdi KHALID — President of Sultan Moulay Slimane University, Beni Mellal
- Prof. Mustapha LKHIDER — Vice-President (Scientific Research, Cooperation & Partnerships), UH2C
- Prof. Anass KETTANI — Vice-President (Academic & Student Affairs), UH2C
- Prof. Mohammed HATTABI — Vice-President (Doctoral Studies Division), UH2C
- Prof. Jamila EL ALAMI — Director of the National Center for Scientific and Technical Research, Rabat
- Prof. Abdeslam EL BOUARI — Dean of the Faculty of Sciences Ben M'Sick, UH2C, Casablanca
- Prof. Taoufiq ACHIBAT — Dean of the Faculty of Sciences and Technology of Fez, USMBA, Fez
- Prof. Abderrazak EL HARTI — Dean of the Faculty of Applied Sciences of Beni Mellal, USMS, Beni Mellal
- Prof. Rachid SAILE — Director, LBS Laboratory, (UH2C), Casablanca. Former Vice-President, Hassan II University of Casablanca
- Dr. Zahra MAAFIRI — President of MOWAIB, Casablanca
- Prof. Badr Eddine KARTAH — President of the Averroes Foundation, Mohammed V University, Rabat
- Prof. Khalid BERRADA — Former Director of Higher Education at the Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation, University Professor and ICESCO Chair Director
Day 1 — October 29, 2026
Thursday08:00–09:30
Participant arrival and registration
10:00–10:30
Opening Ceremony and Welcome Addresses
- Prof. Houssine AZEDDOUG — President of UH2C
- Prof. Abdeslam EL BOUARI — Dean of the Faculty of Sciences Ben M'Sick
- Prof. Pierre WEISS — Chair of the 6th Edition
- Dr. Zahra MAAFIRI — Congress Partnerships and Sponsorship Coordinator
- Prof. Mohammed BERRADA — Congress Chair
Morning Keynote Lectures — Hydrogel Design, Chemistry, Crosslinking & Advanced Biopolymeric Materials
Chairs: Prof. Adil EDDIAI, Prof. Mohammed EZZINE
10:30–11:00
Keynote Lecture 1 — Chitosan Hydrogels: From Molecular Design and Textural Engineering to Environmental and Biomedical Applications
Prof. Abdelkrim El Kadib (Euromed University of Fez, Morocco)
11:00–11:30
Keynote Lecture 2 — Thermally Induced Cross-linking of Water-Soluble Polymers for Biomedical Hydrogel Development
Prof. Vitaliy Khutoryanskiy (Reading School of Pharmacy, University of Reading, UK)
11:30–11:45 · Coffee Break
Chairs: Prof. Adil AKKOUCH, Dr. Soukaina LAMNINI, Prof. Jihad SEBHAOUI
11:45–12:15
Keynote Lecture 3 — Bioadaptable Hydrogels for Tissue Engineering
Prof. Alireza Dolatshahi-Pirouz (Technical University of Denmark)
12:15–12:45
Keynote Lecture 4 — Biopolymer-based materials enriched with selected phenolic acids
Prof. Beata Kaczmarek-Szczepańska (Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Poland)
13:00–13:30
Keynote Lecture 5 — Catalyzing Healthcare Innovation in Singapore
Prof. Ali Asgar Bhagat (National University of Singapore — NUS)
13:30–15:00 · Lunch Break
Afternoon Keynote Lectures — Hydrogels for Tissue Engineering, Regenerative Medicine & Wound Healing
Chairs: Prof. Vitaliy KHUTORYANSKIY, Prof. Beata KACZMAREK-SZCZEPANSKA, Dr. Marya RAJI
15:00–15:30
Keynote Lecture 6 — Injectable Cryogels for Biomedical Applications: from Tissue Engineering to Immunotherapy
Prof. Sidi A. Bencherif (French National Center for Scientific Research, CNRS, France)
15:45–16:15
Keynote Lecture 7 — Multifunctional Hydrogels for Antibacterial Activity, microRNA Delivery, and Electrical Stimulation
Prof. Adil Akkouch (Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo (MI), USA)
16:30–17:00
Keynote Lecture 8 — Beyond Brittle: Hydrogels as the Next Revolution in Cements for Bone Regeneration
Dr. Baptiste Charbonnier (Nantes Université, Inserm U1229, RMeS)
17:00–17:30 · Coffee Break
17:30–19:00
Session 1 and 2 — Posters & Oral Presentations
- Presentation of prototypes, doctoral researches, and industrial innovations
- Poster pitches (3 minutes each) + open discussion
Room 1: CO01 to CO08
Chairs: Prof. Mouna Latifa BOUAMRANI, Prof. Ali Asgar Bhagat, Prof. Bahija MOUNIR, Prof. Fathallaah BAZI, Prof. Alireza Dolatshahi-Pirouz
Room 2: CO09 to CO16
Chairs: Prof. Abdelkrim EL KADIB, Prof. Sidi A. Bencherif, Prof. Badr Eddine KARTAH, Prof. Hanae EL MONFALOUTI, Prof. Zineb KERRAMI
Room 3: CO17 to CO24
Chairs: Prof. Hamid EL AMRI, Prof. Mustapha RAIHANE, Prof. Rachid HSISSOU, Prof. Beata Kaczmarek-Szczepańska, Prof. Omar Ait Sidi Ahmed
19:00–19:30
Roundtable & 1st Day Closing Discussion
- From Hydrogel Design to Regenerative Medicine
Day 2 — October 30, 2026
Friday08:00–09:00
Participant reception and registration
Morning Keynote Lectures — Drug Delivery, Immunotherapy, Microneedles & Theranostics
Chairs: Prof. Zineb KERRAMI, Dr. Baptiste CHARBONNIER
09:00–09:30
Keynote Lecture 9 — Injectable Macroporous Hydrogels for Cell Delivery and Tissue Engineering
Prof. Sophie Lerouge (École de Technologie Supérieure — ÉTS, Canada)
09:45–10:15
Keynote Lecture 10 — Natural and Unnatural Biohydrogels in Molecular Imaging, Therapy and Theranostics Preclinical and Clinical Investigations
Prof. Kattesh V. Katti (University of Missouri, Columbia, USA)
10:15–11:00 · Coffee Break
Chairs: Prof. Sidi A. BENCHERIF, Prof. Taha EL ASSIMI
11:00–11:30
Keynote Lecture 11 — Modeling an injectable poly-γ-glutamic acid–chitosan–rGO hydrogel scaffold for spinal cord tissue regeneration using COMSOL Multiphysics
Prof. Ayat Bouzieh (Jordan University of Science and Technology — JUST, Jordan)
11:45–12:15
Keynote Lecture 12 — Recent Advances in Clay-Based Biohydrogels and Biohydrogel-Derived Porous Materials for Wastewater Treatment and Environmental Applications
Prof. Khalid Draoui (Université Abdelmalek Essaâdi, Morocco)
12:15–13:45 · Lunch Break
Afternoon Sessions & Workshops — Bioprinting, Biofabrication, Modeling & Advanced Biomaterials
13:45–15:15
Session 3 — Oral Presentations
- Presentation of doctoral research, and industrial innovations
Room 1: CO25 to CO32
Chairs: Dr. Baptiste CHARBONNIER, Prof. Vitaliy KHUTORYANSKIY, Prof. Alae EL ABED, Prof. Najim ITTOBANE, Prof. Youssef NAIMI
Room 2: CO33 to CO40
Chairs: Prof. Soumya EL ABED, Prof. Sophie LEROUGE, Prof. Saad IBNSOUDA, Prof. Kattesh V. KATTI, Prof. Ayat BOUZIEH
Room 3: CO41 to CO48
Chairs: Prof. Mina OUMAM, Prof. Mohamed IDIRI, Prof. Samir CHTITA, Prof. Mohamed MOUMOU, Prof. Soumia BELOUAFA
Room 4: CO49 to CO57
Chairs: Prof. Taha EL ASSIMI, Prof. Lamia BOURJA, Prof. Adil AKKOUCH, Prof. Abdelkbir ERROUGUI
15:15–15:45 · Coffee Break
Chairs: Prof. Ahmed FATIMI, Prof. Achraf ABDOU, Prof. Fouad DAMIRI
15:45–17:00
Hands-on Workshops
Workshop 1 — 3D Bioprinting and Biofabrication
Prof. Adil Akkouch — Western Michigan University, USA
Workshop 2 — Scientific Publishing & Research Visibility: From DOI to Scientific Discovery
Prof. Nadia Boutaleb — Crossref Ambassador, Morocco & MENA
17:00–17:30
Roundtable & 2nd Day Closing Discussion
- Emerging applications of hydrogels: Agriculture, environment, and energy
17:30–18:00
Awards & Official Closing Ceremony
18:00–18:15
Group Photo
19:00–22:00 · Social Event & Gala Dinner
Day 3 — October 31, 2026
Saturday09:00–13:00
Guided Tour — Rabat & Casablanca
Cultural and city discovery
Detailed Scientific Program
Oral presentations by room and day
Room 1 — Day 1 (CO01 to CO08)
Moderators: Prof. Mouna Latifa BOUAMRANI, Prof. Ali Asgar BHAGAT, Prof. Bahija MOUNIR, Prof. Fathallaah BAZI, Prof. Latifa HAJJI
| No. | Room code | Name | Talk Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | R1_CO01 | Khaoula Sebbar | Engineering Multifunctional 3D-Printed Chia Seed Mucilage Biohydrogels Incorporating Rose Bengal and Essential Oils for Advanced Wound Healing |
| 2 | R1_CO02 | Dorota Chmielniak | Biopolymeric materials based on chitosan: the influence of solvent type on film properties |
| 3 | R1_CO03 | Zouhair Elkhlifi | Lanthanum hydroxide engineered sewage sludge biochar for efficient phosphate elimination: Mechanism interpretation using physical modelling |
| 4 | R1_CO04 | Lekbira Zouhri | Influence of Different Culture Media on Secondary Metabolite Production by an Endophytic Fungus Isolated from Globularia alypum L. |
| 5 | R1_CO05 | Yousef Oukahou | Metal–Organic Frameworks for Adsorption Applications |
| 6 | R1_CO06 | Doha Quebouch | Hesperidin-Extract from Citrus reticulata Agro-Industrial By-Products: Antimicrobial and Anti-Biofilm Activities and Food Packaging Film Properties |
| 7 | R1_CO07 | El Mehdi Elgharbaoui | Development of Bioactive Hydrogel-Based Materials Incorporating Functional Molecules for Sustainable Agricultural Applications |
| 8 | R1_CO08 | Houria Hemdani | Amphiphilicity of gum arabic arabinogalactan-proteins in anticancer nanocarriers: a critical analysis of the structure-function evidence |
Room 2 — Day 1 (CO09 to CO16)
Moderators: Prof. Abdelkrim EL KADIB, Prof. Sidi A. BENCHERIF, Prof. Badr Eddine KARTAH, Prof. Hanae EL MONFALOUTI
| No. | Room code | Name | Talk Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | R2_CO09 | Diana Rogel | Extraction and characterization of matrix-bound vesicles of Wharton's jelly |
| 10 | R2_CO10 | Chaimae Lachhab | Engineering Injectable Polyelectrolyte Complex Hydrogels: Linking Gelation Rheology and Swelling Performance for Drug Delivery |
| 11 | R2_CO11 | Carlo Giovanni Espinoza Maraboli | Engineering wastewater derived extracellular polymeric substances into reusable hybrid biohydrogel adsorbents for cyclic packed bed metal adsorption |
| 12 | R2_CO12 | Aymane Bousfiha | Freeze-Dried Bioactive and Antioxidant Hydrogel Scaffolds Based on Argan Oil and Its Derived Lignin for Wound Management |
| 13 | R2_CO13 | Halima Kerdjoudj | Tannic acid functionalized Wharton's jelly extracellular matrix hydrogel as bioactive and multifunctional platform for tissue engineering |
| 14 | R2_CO14 | Asmae Laaraibi | Development of smart food packaging: a case study on chitosan–clay nanocomposites from Moroccan resources with enhanced thermal and biodegradation properties |
| 15 | R2_CO15 | Snežana Ilić-Stojanović | Thermoanalytical Studies of Inclusion Complexes and Physical Mixtures of Clotrimazole with β-Cyclodextrin and Modified Polyurethane Networks |
| 16 | R2_CO16 | Temsamani Fadoua | The Role of Gelatin Hydrogels in Shaping Mesenchymal Stem Cell Behavior: A Transcriptomics Perspective |
| 17 | R2_CO52 | Fatima-Zahra Chbadi | TiO2/sodium alginate hydrogel as photobiocomposite beads for removal of organic dyes in wastewater |
Room 3 — Day 1 (CO17 to CO24)
Moderators: Prof. Hamid EL AMRI, Prof. Mustapha RAIHANE, Prof. Rachid HSISSOU, Prof. Beata KACZMAREK-SZCZEPAŃSKA
| No. | Room code | Name | Talk Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | R3_CO17 | Azzeddine Bechar | Development of Electrospun Polylactic Acid/Poly(ethylene glycol)/Silver Nanoparticles Nanocomposite Films with Antimicrobial Properties |
| 18 | R3_CO18 | Safa Nouaa | Competitive Adsorption Mechanisms of Phosphate and Nitrate on Ternary Biopolymer-Bentonite Hydrogel Beads |
| 19 | R3_CO19 | Anouar El Ghazal | Bioactive 3D-Printed Xanthan Gum–PVP–Chia Mucilage Hydrogels Enriched with Phenolic Acids for Advanced Wound Healing Applications |
| 20 | R3_CO20 | DIHAZI Abdelhi | An alginate-derived hydrogel enriched with biochar improves vine resilience to water stress |
| 21 | R3_CO21 | Chaymae Hmimen | Development of Multifunctional Bioactive Electrospun PVDF-Based Membranes Reinforced with Argan-Derived Cellulose and ZnAl-LDHs for Water Treatment Applications |
| 22 | R3_CO22 | Fatima Ezzahra Faridi | Beyond Material Choice in Vital Pulp Treatment: From Calcium Silicate Hydrate Gels to Hydrogel Based Diagnosis and Dentine–Pulp Regeneration |
| 23 | R3_CO23 | Ilham Zerbet | Effect of Vachellia raddiana Gum Arabic-Based Edible Coatings on Postharvest Quality and Biochemical Stability of Fruits |
| 24 | R3_CO24 | Lamyae Dani | Electrospun PLA/ZnAl-LDH-GA Nanofibrous Composites as Multifunctional Wound Dressings with Controlled Gallic Acid Delivery and Enhanced Biological Activities |
Room 1 — Day 2 (CO25 to CO32)
Moderators: Dr. Baptiste CHARBONNIER, Prof. Vitaliy KHUTORYANSKIY, Prof. Alae EL ABED, Prof. Najim ITTOBANE, Prof. Youssef NAIMI
| No. | Room code | Name | Talk Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | R1_CO25 | Didem Demir | Scaffolds Decorated with Bioactive Graphene Quantum Dots for Diabetic Wound Healing |
| 26 | R1_CO26 | Ji Li | Lipopolysaccharides: understanding the ionic hydrogel-forming property of extracellular biopolymers extracted from waste sludge |
| 27 | R1_CO27 | Juan Jairo Vaca-González | Magnetic field–modulated gemcitabine delivery via Fe3O4@SiO2@HAGel nanoplatforms in an in vitro model of pancreatic cancer |
| 28 | R1_CO28 | Khaled Sebakhy | Probing Water Phase Behavior in Alginate Hydrogels: Integrating Quantitative and Structural Insights |
| 29 | R1_CO29 | Hernane Barud | 3D Bioprinted Gellan Gum–Clay Hydrogels for Delivery of Trichoderma harzianum for Sustainable Agriculture |
| 30 | R1_CO30 | Safae Er Raouan | Mixture Design Optimization of Plant Secondary Metabolites for Anti-Adhesive Functionalization of 3D-Printed ABS and Nylon Surfaces |
| 31 | R1_CO31 | Aleksandra Mikhailidi | Designing Application-Specific Regenerated Hydrogels through Direct Dissolution of Cellulose from Diverse Sources |
| 32 | R1_CO32 | Housna Amimi | Phytochemical Profiling of Gelidium Sesquipedale for Marine-Derived Biohydrogels: Matrix Interferences and Methodological Considerations |
Room 2 — Day 2 (CO33 to CO40)
Moderators: Prof. Soumya EL ABED, Prof. Sophie LEROUGE, Prof. Saad IBNSOUDA, Prof. Kattesh V. KATTI, Prof. Ayat BOUZIEH
| No. | Room code | Name | Talk Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 33 | R2_CO33 | Badre Eddine Halimi | Bacterial Polymer-Based Systems for the Delivery of Therapeutic Agents to Bone Tissue |
| 34 | R2_CO34 | Souha Ben Mahmoud | Formulation and Characterization of a Teucrium polium–Loaded Xanthan–Galactomannan–Hyaluronic Acid Biohydrogel |
| 35 | R2_CO35 | Suzana M. Cakić | Application of Mathematical Models in Clotrimazole Release Kinetics from β-Cyclodextrin Modified Polyurethane Inclusion Complexes |
| 36 | R2_CO36 | Imade Armadi | From Shrimp Waste to 3D-Printed ChitoPatch: Sustainable Production, Characterization and Biomedical Valorization of Chitosan |
| 37 | R2_CO37 | Sarah Bertin | Storage and sustained delivery of mRNA-liposome complexes via Si-HA hydrogels for bone regeneration: toward sequential release |
| 38 | R2_CO38 | Nada El Arrach | Phytoglycogen Nanoparticles as Tunable Polysaccharide Platforms: Linking Surface Chemistry to Functional Applications |
| 39 | R2_CO39 | Abdelilah Ayad | Tuning the self-assembly of quercetin-loaded PEG-b-PLA micelles: a dissipative particle dynamics study |
| 40 | R2_CO40 | Khadija Sikkou | Beyond Conventional PMMA: Self-Healing Polymers and Smart Hydrogel Interfaces for Next-Generation Removable Dental Prostheses |
Room 3 — Day 2 (CO41 to CO48)
Moderators: Prof. Mina OUMAM, Prof. Mohamed IDIRI, Prof. Samir CHTITA, Prof. Mohamed MOUMOU, Prof. Soumia BELOUAFA
| No. | Room code | Name | Talk Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | R3_CO41 | Assia Ahmimouji | Synthesis and DFT Investigation of Novel Acetophenone-Based 1,2,3-Triazole Derivatives for Potential Corrosion Inhibition |
| 42 | R3_CO42 | Wafaa Zriouel | Biohydrogels as Smart Platforms for Sustainable Corrosion Protection: Stimuli-Responsive Inhibitor Delivery, Self-Healing and Molecular Modeling |
| 43 | R3_CO43 | Kenza Nouwari | In Silico Approaches for Antimicrobial Discovery Against Foodborne Bacterial Pathogens |
| 44 | R3_CO44 | Fatima Ezzahra Ezzaky | Circular Valorization of Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Residues into Functional Biopolymers: Green Extraction, Multi-Scale Characterization, and Emerging Applications |
| 45 | R3_CO45 | Shaimi Taoufik | Application of Response Surface Methodology in Predicting the Leaching Behavior of Rare Earth Elements from Khouribga Phosphate Rock |
| 46 | R3_CO46 | Tarik EL Ouafy | Substituent-Driven Modulation of Electronic Structure and Reactivity in Pyrrole-Based Propanoic Acid Derivatives: A DFT Insight |
| 47 | R3_CO47 | Ighidi Salma | Valorization of Hydroxyapatite-Based Photocatalysts for the Visible-Light Degradation of Organic Textile Pollutants |
| 48 | R3_CO48 | Soukaina Bennis | In Silico Screening and Optimization of Multi-Target Inhibitors for Neurodegenerative Disorders |
Room 4 — Day 2 (CO49 to CO51)
Moderators: Prof. Taha EL ASSIMI, Prof. Lamia BOURJA, Prof. Adil AKKOUCH, Prof. Abdelkbir ERROUGUI
| No. | Room code | Name | Talk Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 49 | R4_SP01 | Lalitkumar Vora | Hydrogels in drug delivery: Recent advances and perspectives |
| 50 | R4_SP02 | Ajeet Kaushik | MIP-based electrochemical sensing of microplastics and PFAS for health and environmental management |
| 51 | R4_CO49 | Asma Munir | The development of natural deep eutectic solvent-mediated rice husk lignin-based hydrogels and biofilms for wound healing applications |
| 52 | R4_CO50 | Houda Hamiach | Eco-Friendly Lignin-Chitosan Hydrogels as Green Coatings for Slow Phosphorus Release Fertilizers and Enhanced Wheat Growth |
| 53 | R4_CO51 | Fatma Zehra Koçak | Natural Polymer-Based Biomimetic and Bioactive Hydrogels for Tissue Engineering and Drug Delivery |