Dr Iris Batalha

I am the Course Director in Nanomedicine at University of Cambridge Professional and Continuing Education (PACE) and a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) at the University of Bath, where I lead the NanoImmunology and Molecular Pharmaceutics group. My passion for medical and pharmaceutical Research and Development (R&D) has been a long-term journey, marked by a major milestone in 2014 when I completed my PhD in Bioengineering Systems through the MIT-Portugal program. Since then, my career has been a global adventure that has seen me move countries and bridge the worlds of academia, industry, and consulting. I spent several years in Cambridge as a Postdoctoral Research Associate, gaining experience across the departments of Engineering, Medicine, and Chemical Engineering & Biotechnology, as well as working at MedImmune/AstraZeneca. My path also took me to Barcelona in Spain, where I served as a “La Caixa” Junior Leader at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC). In 2019, I was appointed as a Research Associate at the University of Cambridge Peterhouse College and co-founded the non-profit organisation Women Ahead of Their Time (WATT), CIC. Today, alongside my research, I work as a freelance Senior Innovation Strategy Consultant. I truly love teaching at PACE because it is a privilege to work with students who are so genuinely motivated by this field. The diverse perspectives you bring from all ages and backgrounds make our discussions fascinating, and seeing you thrive is the most rewarding part of my work. While teaching such a wide range of learners is a challenge, it is a wonderful one that I find deeply fulfilling.