Vanessa Restrepo Schild is Head of Invention and Innovation for the Materials and Devices for Life Science Institute (MDLS) at EIT. She leads invention and innovation by turning science into deployable products. She translates MDLS breakthroughs into medical technologies: diagnostics, bioengineered tissues, and therapeutic delivery systems.

Among her inventions, she co developed the first fully soft, organic artificial nerve and retina capable of transmitting ionic signals to living cells, a step toward real restoration of vision and sensation. In industry, she has shipped AI driven diagnostic platforms and vesicle based therapeutics designed for targeted delivery and a broader portfolio of products. She operates at the interface of invention, product, and market adoption.

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