Summer School 2026 Innovative Materials for Health

In 2026, the ITI HiFunMat will organize a 3-day summer school dedicated to materials for health.

This summer school will be aimed at young researchers from local, national, and international levels, at the Master's, PhD, and postdoctoral levels, whether or not they are members of the ITI HiFunMat.

Open to all, the school will be conducted in English. The chosen theme is one of the scientific pillars of the ITI HiFunMat, whose ambition is to advance research in materials science for health, in response to a major societal challenge: contributing to better health for all.

Thematic lectures

The summer school "Innovative Materials for Health" will address three promising research themes related to materials for health: i) materials for tissue engineering, ii) materials and infections, and iii) nanomedicine.
The program will be structured so that these three themes are presented by three expert researchers in the field, each of whom will lead a three-session course (3 x 1 hour) throughout the week. The first session will lay the groundwork for the topic, the second will delve into more specific concepts, and the third will be a scientific presentation showcasing the researcher's work and projects.

Interdisciplinary aspects for health applications

The school will also include a session addressing the cross-cutting issue of innovative approaches to the biological evaluation of materials prior to in-vivo applications: from in-vitro to ex-vivo.
Since research on materials for health relies on strong interdisciplinarity—from materials science and chemistry to biology, including numerous biomechanical, biophysical, and biochemical approaches—the courses will be designed to be accessible to all participants, regardless of their academic background. Emphasis will be placed on putting theoretical concepts into perspective with their concrete research applications.

Poster sessions

The scientific program will be complemented by two poster sessions, during which participants will be invited to present and discuss their research projects with their peers and the speakers. This will also promote networking and give participants the opportunity to develop their scientific network. The scientific committee will award two prizes for the best presentations.

Transversal workshops 

The summer school will be completed by three professional development workshops. Each workshop will be preceded by a presentation, illustrating the discussions that took place during the workshop and extending the exchanges that occurred during the discussions.

The first workshop will address the differences in perspective between academic and industrial research, as well as the challenges related to innovation and the commercialization of research. The participation of SATT Conectus, as well as startups created from academic research, is planned.

The second workshop will focus on science communication and careers in science outreach and dissemination to the general public, in order to raise participants' awareness of the societal challenges of knowledge transmission.

The third workshop will address the participatory and citizen-led research on the impacts of gender / diversity bias in biological assays and healthcare pathways. 

1 gala dinner

• Henk. J. Busscher | University Medical Center Groningen, Netherlands, Infection prevention - Biomaterials - Surface modification
• Halima Alem  | IJL Nancy, France, Functional nanomaterials - Nanomedecine
• Marco Costantini | Institute of Physical Chemistry, PAS, Warsaw, Poland, Tissue engineering - Functional porous materials.
• Halima Kerdjoudj  | Université de Reims, France, Bone regeneration - Cell/materials interactions
• Fiorenza Rancan  | La Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany Ex vivo models of human skin
• Geoffrey Cotin | Start-up Superbranche, Strasbourg, France, Nanomedecine
• Jérémie Fournier  | SATT Conectus, France, Health applications
• Alain Wagner | Laboratory of Functional ChemoSystems (LFCS), University of Strasbourg, France, CNRS Innovation Medal 2025
• Betty Rouland | OPUS, Strasbourg, France   

Come join our summer school to : 

• Acquire foundational knowledge, specialized concepts, and an up-to-date overview of the state of the art in the three key areas of materials for health: i) materials for tissue engineering, ii) materials and infections, and iii) nanomedicine.
• Recognize the key challenges of innovation and entrepreneurship in materials for health, through a dedicated workshop exploring the translation of research into practical and industrial settings.
• Appreciate the role of scientific communication and its relationship with society, and develop basic skills in science outreach through a hands-on popularization exercise.
• Understand the importance of diversity and gender considerations in biological studies, and critically assess the societal impact of gender-related research in health and materials science.
• Build meaningful professional networks with peers and established researchers, facilitating their integration into the broader international scientific community.
• Collaborate effectively in interdisciplinary environments
• Promote inclusivity and diversity in research practices, contributing to a more equitable and responsible scientific culture.

This summer school is open to all national and international students and researchers interested in the multi-disciplinary and transversal fields of health.

Registration is mandatory, and participants are expected to stay for the duration of the entire program!

At the end of the summer school all participants that have been present for the duration of the whole program, and have actively participated in the seminars, discussions, and exercises, will receive a certificate of successful participation.

This certificate could help students to validate ECTS or hours for the doctorate school of their home university. (ED182 : 12 h ; ED222 : 11h ; ED 269 : 9h)

The summer school is organized by the interdisciplinary thematic Institute of Hierarchical and Functional Materials, which gathers a Master-Doctorate training program and a cluster of excellence, and is dedicated to the development of advanced composite materials with appealing and outstanding properties for health, environment, and energy applications. The Master-Doctorate program trains young researchers in the multidisciplinary domain of Material Science.

The summer school is supported by the University of Strasbourg Initiative of Excellence, and partner institutions (Institut Charles Sadron, Institut de Science de Matériaux de Mulhouse, Institute for Chemistry and Processes for Energy, Environment and Health, Laboratoire d'Innovation Moléculaire et Applications, ED 182, ED 222, ED 269). Their support underlines the formidable links between ITI HiFunMat and its partners, the strong collaborations, and the strength of the alsacian site in Material science.

Organization committee

• Dr Jennifer Rodon-Fores
• Dr Damien Mertz
• Dr Lydie Ploux
• Dr Melodie Galerne
• Dr. Caitlyn Dussart 

Participating Institutions