Benedetto Marelli

Benedetto Marelli is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at MIT, with a dual appointment in the Institute for Medical Engineering and Science. As Mission Director of the MIT Climate Project's 'Wild Cards' initiative, he leads high-risk, high-reward research to address climate challenges through innovation. His interdisciplinary work integrates biomaterials science, nanofabrication, and environmental engineering to develop solutions for food security, sustainable agriculture, and planetary health.

Education: B.Eng. (Biomedical Engineering, Politecnico di Milano), M.Sc. (Biomedical Engineering, Politecnico di Milano), Ph.D. (Materials Engineering, McGill University), Postdoctoral Scholar (SilkLab, Tufts University).

Research Focus: Bio-inspired materials leveraging structural biopolymers and self-assembly principles. Key projects include silk-based edible coatings to extend food shelf life, microneedle delivery systems for plant nutrients, and biocomposite materials for environmental remediation. His lab develops scalable technologies like drought-resistant seed coatings and sensors for plant stress monitoring.

Awards: 2022 BioInnovation Institute & Science Prize, PECASE Award, ONR Young Investigator Award, NSF Early Career Award, National Academies New Voices Program.

Grants & Collaborations: Leads projects funded by MIT Climate Initiative, NSF, and industry partners. Collaborates with SMART Center (Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology), MIT J-WAFS, and startups like Mori (food preservation).

Labs & Teams: Director of the Laboratory for Advanced Biopolymers (L.A.B.) at MIT, fostering cross-disciplinary research between materials science and agricultural innovation.