Paola Saccomandi is Associate Professor of Mechanical and Thermal Measurements in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Politecnico di Milano, where she founded and leads the Laboratory of Measurements for Biomedical Applications (Lambda Lab). Appointed at 31, she was among Italy’s youngest professors in 2018.
She earned an MSc in Biomedical Engineering with honors in 2010 and a PhD in Biomedical Engineering in 2014 from Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma. From 2016 to 2018, she was project PI at the IHU Institute of Image-Guided Surgery in Strasbourg. Her international reputation is reflected in invited lectures at institutions including EPFL, National Engineering Research Center for Fiber Optic Sensors in China, Sungkyunkwan University in South Korea.
Her research combines measurement science, biomedical engineering and precision medicine. With her team, she develops fiber-optic sensors, hyperspectral and biomedical imaging methods, mathematical models and monitoring systems for minimally invasive therapies and physiological assessment. She leads more than 15 national/European projects and authored over 270 scientific publications.
She is Principal Investigator of three European Research Council projects: the Starting Grant LASER OPTIMAL and the Proof-of-Concept grants LEILA and HyperSKIN. LASER OPTIMAL developed patient-specific models and real-time thermometry for laser ablation of pancreatic tumours, supporting a phase-I clinical study. LEILA advances closed-loop, multisensor control of tumour ablation, while HyperSKIN investigates a contactless device for diagnosing and treating non-melanoma skin cancers.
Her work also includes sensors for monitoring PFAS, metal ions and other toxic pollutants in water; biomechanical assessment during physical activity, including ballet; evaluation of lower-limb prostheses; and label-free cell characterization.
An IEEE Senior Member, she has chaired the IEEE EMBS Technical Community on Therapeutic Systems & Technologies and IEEE Women in Sensors, served as Vice-Chair of IEEE Women in Engineering Italy, and IEEE Sensors Council Distinguished Lecturer. She is active in conference organizations. Her honors include the Premio Italia Giovane in Biomedicine and the Rosone d’Oro. In 2023, she was included in the global top 2% scientists list.
Alongside her scientific work, she promotes inclusive STEM careers and supports early-career researchers through mentoring, career-development programmes and dedicated funding. Her initiatives include the IEEE Women in Sensors Family Care Grant, launched in 2024, on-site childcare at IEEE Sensors 2025, support for women keynote speakers, gender-representation monitoring and outreach for Italian schools. At Politecnico di Milano, she is departmental delegate for talent and young-researcher development and a member of executive and doctoral boards, combining scientific leadership with a commitment to equity, mentorship and responsible innovation.