Paola Papaleo is a PhD student at the Department of Industrial Engineering (DIN), Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna. Her doctoral research is funded by the Horizon Europe project DTRIP4H and focuses on the development of a Decentralised Digital Twin Environment (DDTE) for the analysis of brain diagnostic imaging, with particular attention to the modelling of brains affected by oncological pathologies.
Education
She obtained her Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering (Biomechanics track) from the University of Bologna in 2024. During her master’s studies, she carried out a research period abroad at the BioMD Lab, Faculty of Engineering, Auckland University of Technology (AUT) in New Zealand, where she developed her thesis on the design of a prosthetic wing for aquatic birds, aimed at the conservation of the species Eudyptula minor.
She previously obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the same university. As part of her bachelor’s thesis, she worked on Virtual Surgical Planning (VSP), design of Patient-Specific Instruments (PSIs), and development of Digital Twins (DTs) for surgical applications, in collaboration with the Pediatric Orthopaedics and Traumatology Unit (S.C.) of the IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli in Bologna.
Academic Career
Since 2025, she has been a PhD candidate at the University of Bologna within European research projects. In parallel, she serves as an academic tutor for the course “Mechanical Design and Drafting Applications”, supporting teaching activities, student supervision, and coursework assessment.
She previously completed a curricular internship at the Department of Industrial Engineering, working on CAD modelling of anatomical structures, 3D printing from CT data, and the development of customised surgical instruments.
Research Activity
Her research activity focuses on the development of advanced digital models applied to medicine, with particular interest in digital twins of anatomical structures and their applications in the understanding, planning, and management of complex pathologies. Her work integrates mechanical modelling, biomedical design, medical imaging, and digital tools for clinical and surgical support.
In continuity with her previous research activities, she collaborates with the IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, in particular with the Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology Unit (S.C.), focusing on the development of support tools for cryoablation procedures in the treatment of soft tissue tumours.
She is involved in European and international research projects in the field of biomedical engineering and healthcare technologies.
Awards and Recognitions
In 2026, she was selected for the Young Researchers Grant of the Utrecht Network, a mobility programme supporting international research activities. She has also received recognitions at international conferences organised by the IEOM Society, where her scientific contributions were awarded a first prize in the Simulation Competition and additional recognitions in the Undergraduate Research Competition.
