SEM micrograph of the petal of a nigella damascena (credit to B. Wilts)
Fribourg old town (Adobe stock)
📅 June 19–20, 2026
đź“ŤÂ Fribourg, Switzerland
đź“ŤÂ Fribourg, Switzerland
Registration and abstract submission are now open!
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.
This special event brings together leading scientists from around the world, industry partners, and current and past members of the NCCR Bio-inspired Materials community to celebrate the achievements and future of bio-inspired materials science.​​​​​​​
Important dates
• Deadline for abstract submission: April 10, 2026
• Notification of abstract acceptance: Before April 20, 2026
• Registration deadline: May 10, 2026​​​​​​​
Target audience
• Researchers working in bio-inspired materials science, from fundamental aspects to applications.
• Companies and startups focused on advanced materials development.
• Alumni of the NCCR Bio-inspired Materials.
About the Conference
Hosted in the Joseph Deiss auditorium at the University of Fribourg, this two-day event will feature:
• Scientific sessions on the overarching theme of bio-inspired materials with a focus on:
Mechanoresponsive materials
Photonic materials
Biointerfaces
• Keynote lectures by world-leading experts
Thomas Speck, University of Freiburg, DE
Ilja Voets, Eindhoven University of Technology, NL
Ulrich Wiesner, Cornell University, USA
Kerstin Blank, Johannes Kepler University Linz, AT
• Poster sessions on bio-inspired materials
• Networking opportunities for academia, public sector, and industry professionals
• Exhibition space for industry, and to showcase innovations and applications of bio-inspired materials
Conference fees
The conference fee includes access to all sessions, lunch (on both days), and the conference's dinner on Friday.
Travel grants
A limited number of travel grants are available to support the participation of PhD students and postdocs who are working in a low- or middle-income country, and who have an accepted abstract. Please refer to the Registration page for the details.
Accommodation
The conference participants will have preferential access to rooms in a hotel near the conference venue. See the Accommodation section for the details.
Scientific and organizing committees
The NCCR's Executive Board forms the scientific committee, while the organization is led by the NCCR's management and administration team.
Contact
If you have questions regarding the conference, please use the Contact page.
About the NCCR Bio-Inspired Materials
The National Center of Competence in Research (NCCR) Bio-Inspired Materials is an internationally recognized hub for interdisciplinary research, education, and innovation in the field of bio-inspired materials, as well as equal opportunities.
Financed by the Swiss National Science Foundation and the University of Fribourg, the center involves 25 research groups and over 100 active members. Its home institution is the University of Fribourg, with EPFL, ETHZ, and Cornell joining as participating institutions, and CSEM, Empa, the University of Salzburg, TU Darmstadt, KU Leuven, and Turku University as associated institutions.
Since its inception in 2014, the Center has led the development of “smart” materials inspired by Nature, focusing on mechanoresponsive materials, photonic materials, and bio-interfaces. Read more about the NCCR Bio-inspired Materials HERE.
Sponsors
This conference is sponsored by the NCCR Bio-inspired Materials and the Swiss National Science Foundation
