The AAPS Italian University Network Student Chapter (A.It.U.N.), founded in 2006, held its 7^th Annual Meeting this past March in Perugia, Italy. The meeting entitled “New frontiers in living cell encapsulation” reviewed the existing technologies exploited in cell encapsulation, together with their applications in biotechnology, medicine, pharmaceutics and nutrition. The event was generously supported by AAPS, the consortium TEFARCO Innova, the association ADRITELF (Associazione Docenti e Ricercatori Italiani di Tecnologie e Legislazioni Farmaceutiche), CRS Italy Chapter (Italian chapter of the Controlled Release Society), Büchi Italy Srl, Granarolo Spa and the University of Perugia. The high quality of the scientific contributions and the participation of almost 100 young scientist from all parts of Italy contributed to a good outcome. The program started with a welcome by Emanuele Cassetti, PhD student and A.It.U.N. Chair, followed by opening remarks from Prof. Maurizio Ricci (A.It.U.N. Faculty Advisor), Prof. Benedetto Natalini (PhD Program Coordinator and Director of the Dipartimento di Chimica e Tecnologia del Farmaco), Prof. Carlo Rossi (President of TEFARCO Innova), Prof. Franco Alhaique (President of ADRITELF) and Prof. Paolo Caliceti (President of CRS Italy Chapter). The scientific program was opened by Prof. Riccardo Calafiore (University of Perugia) with a very interesting plenary lecture on "Alginate-based microcapsules for pancreatic β-cell substitution therapy in T1DM: from bench to bedside” followed by Eng. Fabiola Munarin (Politecnico of Milan) with an invited lecture on “Pectin microspheres as cell carriers for bone tissue regeneration”. During the lunch break, a poster session, where students presented and discussed the results of their research, took place. Three grants were awarded to the best posters. In the afternoon session Prof. Thomas Czerny (University of Applied Sciences of Wien) spoke on the possibility to control gene expression of encapsulated cells using magnetic field (Magnetic field-controlled gene expression in encapsulated cells) and Prof. Gianluigi Mauriello discussed about probiotic encapsulation for food application (Microencapsulation for preservation of bioactive components in foods). Dr. Micheal Whelehan (Bϋchi Switzerland) concluded the afternoon session with a technical presentation on a new encapsulator producted by Bϋchi (B-395 Vibration technology applied to cell encapsulation). The following day was completely devoted to five presentations, selected among the received abstracts, delivered by students. In the A.It.U.N. member assembly, held after the concluding remarks, associated talked about future activities and about the possibility to provide travel grants to students of the roster to participate to the next AAPS Annual Meeting in San Antonio.