Stefano Palagi

Stefano Palagi is an Associate Professor at the BioRobotics Institute of Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies (Pisa, Italy), where he leads the Microscale Robotics Laboratory and serves as vice-coordinator of the PhD in BioRobotics. He earned a PhD in Innovative Technologies (Biorobotics) from Sant'Anna School in 2013.

His research focuses on microrobotics, developing bioinspired soft microrobots for minimally invasive medicine. He utilizes stimuli-responsive materials and additive manufacturing to create intelligent microscale systems capable of navigating complex environments like biological fluids and tissues.

His recent publications highlight advancements in

• light-controlled micromotors
• ultra-deformable magnetic microrobots
• 3D-printed hierarchical actuators
• bioinspired artificial muscles
• cavitation-driven microchambers

spanning applications from targeted drug delivery to surgical simulation phantoms.

Scientific awards include:

• ERC Starting Grant 2020 (CELLOIDS project)

He has held postdoctoral roles at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems and Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, with expertise in magnetic propulsion, structured light actuation, and peristaltic locomotion mechanisms.