Final event
Celebrating bio-inspired research
02.03.2026
Join us on June 19 and 20, 2026, in the beautiful city of Fribourg, Switzerland, for an International Bio-Inspired Materials Conference, marking the culmination of over a decade of groundbreaking research, innovation, and collaboration by the National Center of Competence in Research (NCCR) Bio-inspired Materials.
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Strong touch
Bio-based sensors glow under pressure
05.06.2026
NCCR Bio-Inspired Materials researchers have developed a breakthrough method using light-based 3D printing, known as Digital Light Processing (DLP), to create "living" materials that glow in response to…
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Special issue
Showcasing 12 years of bio-inspired research
18.05.2026
The NCCR Bio-Inspired Materials has capped its 12‑year mission with a special issue of the journal Advanced Functional Materials, highlighting how nature‑inspired design can transform future technologies.
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Healing process
A 3D printable scaffold to support fast bone growth
12.03.2026
A bone-like composite developed by NCCR Bio-Inspired Materials researchers at EPFL uses naturally occurring enzymes to accelerate mineralization through an energy-efficient, room-temperature process. The…
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Special blend
Magnetic tunable colors inspired by nature
19.12.2025
NCCR Bio-Inspired Materials researchers have developed a simple method to create dazzling hues using polymers, mimicking the behaviour of cuttlefish and octopuses. Potential applications include adaptive…
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Innovation
Microscope imaging gets a smartphone boost
26.11.2025
NCCR Bio-Inspired Materials researchers from the University of Fribourg have developed a groundbreaking iteration of the fluorescence microscope utilizing smartphone technology. Both highly affordable…
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Tech transfer
FenX closes successful funding round
02.10.2025
FenX, a spin-off from ETH Zurich supported by the NCCR Bio-Inspired Materials, has successfully closed a Series A funding round, raising CHF 8.2 million.
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Imaging
Characterizing thousands of molecules instantly
18.08.2025
NCCR Bio-Inspired Materials researchers have developed a groundbreaking imaging method. Based on the use of a single-photon camera, it can characterize thousands of molecules quickly and simultaneously.
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Funding success
ERC grant for NCCR Bio-Inspired Materials PI
18.06.2025
Francesco Stellacci, Principal Investigator at the National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) Bio-Inspired Materials and Professor at EPFL, has been awarded a highly coveted ERC Advanced Grant for…
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Organoid-on-a-chip
New model to help fight stomach infections
25.03.2025
An innovative laboratory model that mimics the human stomach lining could help better understand how common bacteria cause infections that can lead to serious conditions such as gastric cancer. Researchers…
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