Dr. Maria Villiou
Maria graduated from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR in 2014 with a BSc in Chemistry, spending a summer semester at the Centre Microélectronique de Provence, FR, in the research group of Prof. Malliaras. As a postgraduate student in "Biomedical Sciences" at the University of Patras, GR, she specialised in stem cells and regenerative medicine in the group of Prof. Taraviras. Awarded a Marie Skłodowska-Curie ITN fellowship, Maria completed her PhD at the INM-Leibniz Institute for New Materials, DE, focusing on the development of innovative photodegradable hydrogels for 3D cell encapsulation and release to support tissue regeneration, under the supervision of Prof. Del Campo Becares and Dr. Paez. After her PhD, Maria became a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Max Planck School "Matter to Life" and a Collaborative Postdoctoral Member of the 3DMM2O Cluster of Excellence. She worked with Prof. Christine Selhuber-Unkel at the Institute for Molecular Systems Engineering and Advanced Materials (IMSEAM) at the University of Heidelberg, DE, on the development of biomaterials for biofabrication, creating 3D printable platforms for tissue engineering models. Since January 2024, Maria leads the Biofabrication and Biomaterials Innovation Group in the department of Prof. Landfester at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, DE, continuing her impactful contributions to bioengineering and materials science.
Research interests
The collective focus of the group is the integration of materials science, nanotechnology and biology, with a strong emphasis on biomaterials and biofabrication. Our primary aim is to advance the field of tissue engineering by using advanced multifunctional biomaterials alongside different cell types and artificial cells. Specifically, we are exploring biofabrication techniques to construct complex hierarchical scaffolds using polymeric materials with tunable properties. This strategic approach promises to elicit precise cellular responses and create systems with bio-instructive properties, representing a significant advance in the vast field of bioengineering.