Cécile Bidan

Dr. Cécile Bidan is a Research Group Leader in Biological Materials Science at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Potsdam, Germany. She leads research on biofilm-based materials, matrix architecture, and tissue growth, with a focus on the mechano-stimulation of biological systems. She is also an Associated Investigator in the Cluster 'Matters of Activity' at Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, a Principal Investigator in the InterDent Research Unit at Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, and part of the Max Planck Queensland Center for the Materials Science of Extracellular Matrices, collaborating across Germany and Australia.

Education:

• PhD in Biophysics, Berlin-Brandenburg School for Regenerative Therapies / Potsdam University, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces (2009–2012)
• Engineering / Master’s Degree in Materials Science, PHELMA Grenoble INP, France (2006–2009)

Her research integrates materials science, biophysics, and regenerative biology, exploring how geometric and mechanical cues influence tissue organization. Her work spans fundamental biophysical mechanisms to applied biomaterials, with a strong interdisciplinary approach involving optics, mechanics, and biofilm engineering. She has been active in the CurvoBio network since 2018, focusing on curvature in biology.

Dr. Bidan has held postdoctoral positions at University Grenoble-Alpes (CNRS, LIPhy), Groningen University, and Harvard Medical School, where she studied mechanotransduction and airway biomechanics. Her international experience and leadership in multiple collaborative research initiatives highlight her standing in the field of biological materials.

Scientific Affiliations and Roles:

• Research Group Leader, Biological Materials Science, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces (2017–present)
• Associated Investigator, Cluster 'Matters of Activity', Humboldt Universität zu Berlin (2019–present)
• Principal Investigator, Research Unit 'InterDent', Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin (2021–present)
• Principal Investigator, Max Planck Queensland Center for Extracellular Matrix Science (2022–present)
• Active Member, CurvoBio Network (2018–present)

She advises on interdisciplinary research projects and contributes to collaborative grants across institutions in Germany, the Netherlands, the USA, and Australia. Her lab focuses on engineering biofilm-based materials and understanding the physical regulation of tissue growth. The team employs advanced imaging and mechanical stimulation techniques to probe biological responses at the cellular and matrix levels.