Francesca Bono

École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

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About

Francesca Bono is a rising leader at the intersection of soft robotics and tissue engineering, pioneering the use of granular hydrogels as multifunctional materials. Her research focuses on designing biocompatible, mechanically robust hydrogel systems that can be 3D printed, injected, or cast into complex structures—bridging the gap between synthetic scaffolds and living tissue. Her most cited work, “Mechanical reinforcement of granular hydrogels” (2022, 75 citations), established foundational principles for strengthening microgel-based inks, enabling their use as load-bearing tissue engineering scaffolds. Bono’s contributions extend into soft robotics with her 2025 study on mechanoreceptive molluscoids, where she engineered double-network granular hydrogels with a Young’s modulus of 1.4 MPa and low hysteresis. These materials, integrated into a soft robot, demonstrated stable sensor signals with minimal drift, allowing the robot to detect its own position—a critical step toward autonomous, bio-inspired machines. By merging organoelectronics with granular hydrogels, Bono is redefining what soft, biocompatible materials can achieve, from regenerative medicine to adaptive robotics.