ESF Research Conferences

ESF-EMBO Symposium

Biological Surfaces and Interfaces

26 June - 1 July 2011

This conference is organised with support from:

CCMX MatLife – Materials for the Life Sciences


The mission of CCMX is to link the needs of industry with academic research. The  focus is pre-competitive research, training, multilevel interactions and networking opportunities for all the actors of the materials science scene in Switzerland. From tissue engineering and biosensors to more  efficient and safer drug delivery, a wide range of potential applications lie in waiting. The vision of MatLife is to build an  extensive research and education network around Swiss research groups as well as fostering strong industrial contacts.

A particular focus is on soft materials with molecular structure designed in consideration of their biological interactions and in the integration of novel enabling technologies in  devices and systems, with application in fields such as implantology,  tissue engineering, drug delivery and biosensing/diagnostics. MatLife is also dedicated to advancing educational  opportunities, particularly for PhD students and postdoctoral fellows through educational workshops. Another aspect of the educational  programme of MatLife is to provide partial financial support for  students from foreign countries to take part in the Master Programmes at ETHZ and EPFL.

ETH Zurich

The Materials Research Center is a platform for all materials-related research at ETH Zurich. The MRC provides a platform for presenting the materials research activities at ETH Zurich and it enhances cross-fertilization between research projects in different departments. It also seeks to enhance the dialogue between academia and industrial partners for the creation of a strong collaborative network.

Biolin Scientific AB
Biolin Scientific is a leading provider of analytical instruments for the nano-scale and molecular study of interfaces and interaction on surfaces.

Layerlab AB
Solutions for advanced and improved biosensing

MicroVacuum Ltd
Provider of biosensor and chemical sensor chips and instrumentation, high-purity gas distribution and vacuum systems and nuclear instrumentation

NANOLANE
Specialised in optical solutions at nanoscale. Provides equipment for the visualisation and the measurement of nano-objects and ultra-thin films

Carl Zeiss AG
A global player in the field of state-of-the-art technology

JPK Instruments AG
A leading manufacturer of nano-analytical instruments - particularly based on atomic force microscope (AFM) and optical tweezers systems

Chalmers University of Technology
Chalmers is one of Sweden’s largest and most highly acclaimed universities of technology

Poster Prizes provided by:

Soft Matter
An international journal publishing fundamental research at the interface between physics, materials science, biology, chemical engineering and chemistry

Nature Materials
A multi-disciplinary journal aimed at bringing together cutting-edge research across the entire spectrum of materials science and engineering