Our Team
SBI Team Members
More information about our group members
Luana Dessbesell
Professor Luana Dessbesell works on bridging the gap between academia and industry. Her research group Sustainable Bioproducts Innovation is a multidisciplinary group of people who seek to support the development and commercialization of new forest-based innovations.
Vida Hardjono
Vida is a doctoral researcher on the SciSustain project on the Stora Enso case study, which studies the scale-up of recycling technologies for used beverage cartons. She has a background in Chemical Engineering from the University of Indonesia, and Aalto’s Creative Sustainability alumni with a research interest in scaling up innovations and technology transfer.
Erandy Correa Guillen
Erandy is a Mexican Biotechnology Engineer with a triple joint Master’s degree in Science (BIOCEB) from Reims University, TalTech, and ULiège. Her doctoral research focuses on developing a structured approach to integrate lignin-centric applications into the market through techno-economic assessments, emphasising circularity. She is passionate about the circular economy and sustainable policies and enjoys salsa dancing, swimming, and going out with friends.
Tooba Qureshi
Tooba I. Qureshi is a Chemical/Environmental Engineer currently pursuing her doctoral studies at Aalto University, Dept. of Bioproducts and Biosystems. Her doctoral studies focus on process designing and performing technoeconomic assessments to develop economic indicators for bio-based textiles as a part of EU funded CELLFIL project. With an MSc and BSc from Qatar University, she specializes in COâ‚‚ capture, process design (Aspen Plus), and also has an experience working as an environmental consultant previously in Qatar for 3+ years.
Skye Pham
Skye is a master's student at Aalto University studying Creative Sustainability in the School of Chemical Engineering. Her master's thesis focuses on the social life cycle assessment of end-of-life value chains for bio-based and plastic packaging materials.
Nikolai Ponomarev
Dr. Nikolai P. Ponomarev, a postdoc researcher in Prof. Dessbesell’s group, is a specialist in chemical engineering, TEA, and LCA, who also focuses on advancing active carbon production from lignin. His efforts have led to several scientific publications, the granting of two patents, and a few research projects.
Mariia Vlasova
I am a doctoral researcher currently working on the production and characterization of cellulose-based membranes, conducting their TEA and LCA.
Prosper Dzidzienyo
My background is in Chemical Engineering. Before joining Aalto University as a doctoral researcher, I worked as a technical lead in the renewable energy space for a few years. Outside of research, I am passionate about education of children. I previously run an educational non-profit and an EdTech startup.
Ouwen He
My previous research focus on the technical development of green and sustainable production methods of high-valued products from macroalgae and lignocellulosic biomass and plastics waste. For now, my current research focuses on developing a Science Translation Framework to accelerate sustainable bioproduct innovation. This initiative addresses the complexity of scientific translation by systematically evaluating bioproduct solutions across four dimensions: economic viability, technical feasibility, environmental impact, and social acceptability. We employ integrated analytical tools – including techno-economic analysis, life cycle assessment, circularity metrics, and risk mapping – complemented by phased implementation strategies and performance indicators (KPIs). This structured approach aims to streamline the transition of sustainable bioproducts (cellulose-based and lignin-based packages, recycling of the biobased packaging) from laboratory research to commercial-scale adoption.
Karam Moussa
Karam contributes to the scale-up strategy for ionic liquid technology towards the commercialization of regenerated cellulose film for flexible bio-based plastic packaging. His work focuses on conducting and integrating TEA, LCA, and circularity assessment to support a systematic transition from lab-scale to industrial application, aiming to meet sustainability standards while exploring viable commercialization pathways in biorefinery and packaging sectors.
Hao Xi
I'm Hao Xi, a doctoral researcher under Prof. Luana Dessbesell. Driven by a passion for sustainability, I aim to apply my expertise in pulping and recycling technologies to projects that create meaningful and positive environmental impacts.
Aqib Javed
I'm Aqib. I'm a chemical engineer with a strong focus on sustainability and I am doing my master’s in creative sustainability. Right now, I’m working on my master’s thesis in Finland, where I am doing my master’s thesis on social life cycle assessment and its necessity for the packaging industry.
Waleed Mehmood
I am a doctoral researcher working on the SciSustain project, funded by Business Finland and the BioInnovation centre. My work focuses on translating early-stage scientific innovations into commercially viable solutions. The current research explores regenerated cellulosic films and their role in strengthening the circular bioeconomy.
Maria Real de Almeida
Maria Livia is an Environmental Engineer and PhD researcher at Aalto University. Her research focuses on life cycle assessment and how environmental indicators can help scaling up innovative bio-based technology.