idw – Informationsdienst Wissenschaft
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
idw - Informationsdienst
Wissenschaft
23–25 September 2025 | Hamburg & Online
Bringing Biology and Engineering Together
The NextGen Materials 2025 conference, happening from 23 to 25 September 2025 in Hamburg and online, will focus on how materials science is merging biology and engineering. This event offers students, researchers, and industry professionals an opportunity to explore the latest developments in creating materials that mimic and enhance natural systems, paving the way for innovative applications.
Engineered Living Materials: Materials That Grow and Evolve
One key topic will be Engineered Living Materials (ELMs). These are hybrid materials that include living cells as active components. The living cells act like small factories, using resources from their environment to create materials that can adapt, self-assemble, and even repair themselves. Such materials could have major impacts in areas like sustainable manufacturing and healthcare, for instance in the development of smart prosthetics or responsive drug delivery systems.
Discussions will center on how ELMs can be programmed to have sensory abilities, dynamic properties, and long-lasting functionality. Contributions from researchers working on ELMs will shed light on how this new material class is being developed and applied.
Quasi-Living Systems: Adaptive Materials Without Living Cells
Quasi-living material systems mimic biological adaptability without containing living cells. These systems can adjust to their environment, recover from damage, and harvest energy. They have potential applications in sustainable energy and environmental technology.
Conference sessions will also address societal and ethical questions about these systems. Experts from biomimetics, microsystems engineering, and energy research will present their findings, offering a broad perspective on the possibilities and challenges of quasi-living materials.
Programmable and Functional Metamaterials: Redefining Material Properties
Programmable Materials and Functional Metamaterials will also be featured. Programmable Materials can change their shape, properties, or behavior when exposed to specific stimuli like temperature, light, or magnetic fields. This ability opens up new possibilities in fields like robotics and mobility.
Functional Metamaterials are designed with internal structures that allow them to exceed the properties of traditional materials. For example, ultralight mechanical metamaterials combine strength and resilience with adaptability. These innovations are being explored for applications in health, mobility, and energy systems.
Innovative Design Methods for Sustainable Materials
To fully harness the potential of NextGen Materials, advanced design methods are necessary. Topics like multiscale modeling, machine learning, and high-throughput simulations will be discussed as tools that accelerate the development of new materials. These techniques not only enhance efficiency but also support the creation of environmentally friendly and sustainable materials.
The interdisciplinary nature of these methods—drawing from fields like physics, chemistry, and data science—will be a major focus of the sessions, highlighting how collaboration is driving innovation in materials research.
A Platform for Collaboration and Innovation
NextGen Materials 2025 is designed as a space for students, researchers, and professionals to engage with groundbreaking ideas and solutions. With leading experts such as Prof. Dr. Aránzazu del Campo Bécares, Prof. Dr. Chris Eberl, and Prof. Dr. Markus Kästner shaping the program, attendees can expect valuable insights and discussions.
Whether you attend in Hamburg or join online, this event offers a chance to learn about and contribute to the future of materials science. For more information and to register, visit https://dgm.de/nextgen/2025
Prof. Dr. Aránzazu del Campo Bécares (Leibniz-Institut für Neue Materialien gGmbH)
Prof. Dr. Chris Eberl (Fraunhofer-Institut für Werkstoffmechanik IWM)
Prof. Dr. Markus Kästner (Technische Universität Dresden)
NextGen Materials 2025
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