Leonardo Ricotti

Leonardo Ricotti, Ph.D. (b. 02/03/1982), is an Associate Professor of Bioengineering at Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna and Head of the Regenerative Technologies Lab at the BioRobotics Institute. He teaches courses in Micro-Nano Robotics and Biomaterials at the M.Sc. in Bionics Engineering and oversees undergraduate and PhD programs. His research integrates robotics, biomaterials, molecular biology, and nanotechnology to address challenges in regenerative medicine and biohybrid systems. He has supervised 13 PhD students and 43 M.Sc. theses, focusing on biomaterials, artificial organs, and bioartificial systems.

Key achievements include:

• Recipient of the 2012 Massimo Grattarola Award for Best PhD Thesis in Bioengineering
• 2014 European Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Doctoral Award
• Regional/national prizes via spin-off company Relief s.r.l. (2018)

Research Focus: Ricotti's work spans regenerative medicine, nanocomposite materials, and ultrasound-driven therapies. His lab develops piezoelectric materials for cardiac repair, injectable hydrogels for cartilage regeneration, and biohybrid robots powered by engineered muscle tissues. He also pioneers remote ultrasound diagnostics for osteoarthritis and inflammatory conditions.

Current Projects: Coordinates the EU-funded ADMAIORA project (H2020) and leads initiatives in implantable device refilling via ingestible capsules. His work bridges lab-to-clinic applications, including a pilot study on urinary incontinence devices.

Awards Section:

• Massimo Grattarola Award (2012)
• European Biomaterials Doctoral Award (2014)
• Relief s.r.l. Prizes (2018)

Advising/Grants: Supervised 13 PhD students and 43 M.Sc. theses. Principal Investigator for EU, INAIL, and industry-funded projects, including ADMAIORA (H2020).

Labs/Teams: Leads the Regenerative Technologies Lab at Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, focusing on biohybrid robotics, piezoelectric biomaterials, and ultrasound-driven therapies.