About Me

Prof. Michele Bianchi earned his Master's degree in Photochemistry and Material Chemistry (110/110) in 2007 from the University “Alma Mater Studiorum” of Bologna. He completed his Ph.D. in Chemical Sciences in 2011 at the same university, working at the Institute for the Study of Nanostructured Materials (ISMN) on the development of micro/nanopatterned biomaterials by unconventional fabrication techniques able to guide cellular growth and differentiation. His dissertation was published in the “Springer Thesis” series, which collects a selection of the best doctoral dissertations from around the world across the various scientific disciplines.

From 2011 to 2018, he was a Researcher at the Rizzoli Orthopedic Institute (Bologna), specializing in bioactive and biomimetic nanostructured coatings for orthopedic prostheses and multifunctional scaffolds for bone tissue regeneration. In 2012 he was a Visiting Researcher in the biomaterials group of Prof. John Jansen at the Radboud University Medical Center (Nijmegen, Netherlands), where he advanced his expertise in calcium phosphates for bone tissue replacements.

In 2018, he became Researcher at the Italian Institute of Technology (Ferrara, Italy), where he focused on the design, development and in vitro/in vivo testing of novel neural interfaces based on micro- and nanostructured conducting polymers. Then, in 2022, he was appointed assistant professor of chemistry at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, where he currently holds the teachings of “General Chemistry” and “Advanced Biomaterials” to students in bachelor's and master's degree programs in biotechnology, respectively.

Currently, his research focuses on the development of multifunctional biomaterials that can direct cell adhesion, proliferation and differentiation for applications in the field of regenerative medicine. In addition, he is interested in studying the migration of cancer cells in microstructured environments under the application of external stimuli, such as electrical and mechanical stimuli, for the fabrication of novel in vitro diagnostic devices.

Prof. Bianchi has authored 71 peer-reviewed publications, presented his work at over 60 conferences, including several invited talks, and holds three patents. He is a co-founder of the start-up "Organic Bioelectronics Srl" and has collaborated on several nationally and European funded projects in the field of biomaterials and regenerative medicine.

Patents

• 2012. Method for the creation of complex structures on a micrometric or nanometric scale, and the complex structure thus obtained
  M Bianchi, M Cavallini, F Biscarini, F VALLE
  US Patent App. 13/327,102
• 2014. METODO PER LA PRODUZIONE DI IMPIANTI ORTOPEDICI ANTI-USURA
  R Alessandro, B Michele, M Marcacci
• Dispositivo per la trasduzione di segnali elettrici
  L Fadiga, M Di Lauro, F Biscarini, M Bianchi
  IT Patent App. 102,021,000,007,277

Role in Funded Projects

• “Promoting the differentiation of retinal rod-like cells by topographical and mechanical guidance: towards a high-throughput platform for tackling Inherited Retinal Degenerations” Role: Principal investigator. Call: UNIMORE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FUND YEAR 2025. Sep 2025-Aug 2026.
• “Piezo-driven theramesh: A revolutionary multifaceted actuator to repair the injured spinal cord (PIEZO4SPINE)”. Role: Collaborator. Call: EIC Pathfinder OPEN 2022. Jan 2023 - Dec 2026
• Advanced Fermentations with Yeasts Immobilized in Electrospun Fibers” Role: Principal investigator. Role: Collaborator. Call: UNIMORE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FUND YEAR 2024. Oct 2024-Sep 2025
• “Design of novel micropatterned and conductive bioresorbable blends for muscle tissue engineering” Role: Principal Investigator. Call: UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FUND FOR THE YEAR 2023. Sep 2023-Aug 2024
• “Nanostructured osteochondral scaffold: novel biomimetic triggers for enhanced bone regeneration (NANO-SCORES)”. Role: Key personnel. Grant provider: EuroNanoMed III Joint Transnational Call for Proposals 2017. Years: Apr 2018 - Mar 2020
• “Novel nanostructured antibacterial films for applications in the biomedical field (NanoCoatings)”. Role: Key personnel; Responsible for the scientific activity and for project drafting. Grant provider: Regione Emilia Romagna and European Commission (Bando POR-FESR 2014-2020). Years: Apr 2016 - Mar 2018
• “Nanobiosensors on functionalized polymer matrix: smart devices for in-line monitoring of extracorporeal treatments, assisted breathing and oxygen therapy (NanoSens4Life)” Role: Responsible for the scientific activity and for project drafting. Grant provider: Regione Emilia Romagna and European Commission (Bando POR-FESR 2014-2020). Years: Apr 2016 - Mar 2018
• “Innovative coatings of prosthetic materials with antibacterial phytocompounds”. Role: Key personnel; Grant Provider: Rizzoli Orthopedic Institute 5x1000 2015. Years: Jan 2018- Dec 2018
• “Nanostructured Coatings Enhancing Material Performances in Joint Arthroplasty”. Role: Key personnel; co-responsible for the scientific activity and project drafting. Grant Provider: Italian Minister of Health (Giovane Ricercatore 2010). Years: Dec 2012 - Jun 2016
• “PEEK bone implants covered with nanostructured biomimetic hydroxyapatite for osteoporotic patients”. Role: Co-responsible for the scientific activity and project drafting. Grant Provider: Fondazione del Monte di Bologna e Ravenna. Years: Gen 2014 – Dec 2014

Major Research Achivements

• Springer Thesis Prize 2011. Title of the PhD thesis: “ Multiscale Fabrication of Functional Materials for Regenerative Medicine” (https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-642-22881-0)
• First application of Pulsed electron deposition (PED)/Ionized Jet Deposition in the biomaterial field (Bianchi et al. “Pulsed plasma deposition of zirconia thin films on UHMWPE: proof of concept of a novel approach for joint prosthetic implants” Journal of Materials Chemistry B 1 (3), 310-318, 2013)
• Demonstration of the role of surface concavities on in vitro mineralization of calcium phosphates substrates (Bianchi et al. “Substrate geometry directs the in vitro mineralization of calcium phosphate ceramics” Acta biomaterialia 10 (2), 661-669, 2014)
• First demonstration of fully biogenic apatite coating obtained by plasma assisted deposition (Bianchi et al. “Plasma-assisted deposition of bone apatite-like thin films from natural apatite” Materials Letters 199, 32-36, 2017)
• Demonstration of the key role of areal capacitance as figure of merit for PEDOT:PSS capacitance (Bianchi et al. “Scaling of capacitance of PEDOT: PSS: volume vs. area”, Journal of Materials Chemistry C 8 (32), 11252-11262, 2020)
• First example of neural interfaces based on soft PEDOT:PSS coated micropillar array (Lunghi et al. “Flexible neural interfaces based on 3D PEDOT: PSS micropillar arrays” Advanced Materials Interfaces 9 (25), 2200709, 2022)
• irst example of multifunctional supports for neural tissue engineering synergically combining PEDOT:PSS and nanotopography 2023 (Bianchi et al. “Synergy of nanotopography and electrical conductivity of PEDOT/PSS for enhanced neuronal development” ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 15 (51), 59224-59235, 2023)
• Demonstration of the possibility of using diatom shells to transport multiple cells at time for biomedical applications (Lunghi et al. “Magnetic diatom shells: nature's blueprint for cellular transport”, Journal of Materials Chemistry B 13 (24), 7024-7033, 2025)
• First example of multifunctional biodegradable supports for muscle tissue engineering based on MXene/PLA blends (Lunghi et al. “MXene-based Conductive Micropatterned Composites Promote Myogenic Differentiation of Muscle Cells” Small structure, in press, 2026)