Georg Fantner

Georg Fantner is an Associate Professor at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), affiliated with the Department of BIO. His research focuses on instrumentation, micro- and nano-fabrication, biophysics, nano-characterization, nano-positioning, microscopy, and biomaterials. He is involved in teaching and supervising PhD students, including courses on metrology and structural mechanics. Fantner is also active in administrative roles, such as co-director of IBI-SV and member of several committees at EPFL.

Georg E. Fantner's research focuses on biophysics, nanotechnology, microengineering, instrumentation, and nanocharacterization. His work explores the mechanical behavior of biological materials, such as bone and collagen, using advanced techniques like high-speed atomic force microscopy and nanocharacterization. He investigates energy dissipation mechanisms in mineralized fibrils during fracture and the role of sacrificial bonds and hidden length in tough materials. Fantner also examines the structural organization of biological systems, including the siliceous skeletal lattice of sponges and the mechanical properties of cancer cells. His research bridges nanotechnology and biophysics to understand and engineer biomaterials with enhanced mechanical performance.