Georgios Palasantzas

Georgios Palasantzas is a Full Professor at the University of Groningen, holding positions in both the Faculty of Science and Engineering within the Nanostructured Materials and Interfaces group and the Faculty of Medical Sciences/UMCG in the Nanotechnology and Biophysics in Medicine (NANOBIOMED) program. His research spans multiple disciplines at the intersection of physics, materials science, and medical applications.

Palasantzas earned his PhD in the group of Prof. J. Crimea in the USA, followed by mandatory military service in Greece and a postdoc at Delft University of Technology/DIMES (NEXT Lab). He joined the University of Groningen as a Metals Fellow within the Netherlands Institute of Metals Research (NIMR), became a Lecturer at the Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials in 2000, was promoted to Associate Professor, and has served as a Full Professor since 2019.

His research focuses on fundamental nanoscale phenomena with applications in multiple fields. Key areas include Nanoscale surface roughness, Casimir forces, Nano/microelectromechanical systems, Nanoparticles, Kinetic roughening, Scanning probe microscopy, Adhesion, and Wetting. His work has significant implications for both fundamental physics and practical applications in nanotechnology and medicine.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on Casimir force phenomena across various materials and conditions, with increasing interdisciplinary applications in medical contexts, particularly in understanding cellular mechanics and developing neuromorphic computing systems using nanoparticle networks. His research demonstrates a consistent trajectory from fundamental surface physics toward practical applications in nanotechnology and biomedicine.

• NWO/ENW-M1 grant on Surface roughness effects on DLVO forces between functionalized surfaces (Ranked 2, 2020)
• NWO/ENW-M1 grant on Casimir force control by reversible amorphous-crystalline phase transitions (Ranked 1, 2021)
• NWO/Open Technology Program (OTP) grant on Repulsive Casimir forces from topological insulators towards device actuation (Ranked 3, 2022)
• GogiCron/RUG grant on Neuromorphics with nanoparticles (2020)

Professor Palasantzas leads research in the Nanostructured Materials and Interfaces group, with significant collaboration between the Faculty of Science and Engineering and the Faculty of Medical Sciences. His work bridges fundamental physics with practical applications in medical diagnostics and nanotechnology, particularly through the NANOBIOMED initiative which explores the intersection of nanotechnology and biophysics in medical contexts.