A Dialogue Between Research, Industry, and Clinical Practice: The Program for [MEET THE EXPERT] Implants 2026
How can innovative implants be developed faster, more safely, and more cost-effectively? What role do novel materials, functional surface technologies, additive manufacturing, and evolving regulatory requirements play?
These and many other questions are at the heart of [MEET THE EXPERT] Implants 2026. The final scientific programme features an outstanding line-up of speakers from leading companies, universities, and clinical institutions, offering the latest insights into technologies, research, and real-world applications shaping the future of implant development.
New production concepts, antimicrobial surfaces, innovative materials, and current market and regulatory issues—these four topics shape the program of [MEET THE EXPERT] Implants 2026. With nine high-profile keynote addresses, complementary short presentations, and posters, the conference offers a concise overview of the developments shaping the implant industry today and tomorrow.
| 08:30 | Registration, Welcome Coffee, and Exhibition | |
| 09:00 | Welcome Message | |
| New Production Concepts | Chairperson: Francisco Faoro | |
| 9:15 | Keynote: Raphael Wagner (Straumann) | Insights from the Industry |
| 9:35 | Keynote: Adrien Rodrigues (CHARMILLES) | Digital Five-Axis Laser Blasting: An Alternative to Conventional Blasting Processes for Orthopedic Implants |
| 09:55 | Flash Presentations, Exhibitors, and Posters | (1 min. each) |
| 10:25 | Break, Exhibition, and Posters | |
| New Production Concepts | Chairperson: Martin Stöckli | |
| 11:10 | Loïc Mosser (ICube) | Robotized additive manufacturing of technical paste-like materials on curved and moving surfaces |
| 11:20 | Keynote: Michaela Maintz (Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery | 3D Print Lab – University Hospital Basel) | Patient-Specific Solutions – 3D-Printed Implants and Computational Bone-Implant Modeling |
| Market Challenges | Chairperson: Christiane Jung | |
| 11:40 | Keynote: Nora Schweizer (J&J / Expert Group Market Access Swiss Medtech) | Access to Innovation: A Swiss Regulatory and Reimbursement Perspective |
| 12:00 | Keynote: Tobias Bodenmüller (medmix) | PPWR and Its Impact on the Industry |
| 12:20 | Lunch, Exhibition, and Posters | |
| Antimicrobial Surfaces | Chairperson: Katharina Maniura | |
| 1:50 p.m. | Keynote: Benjamin Fischer (Oerlikon Balzers) | A Journey to the Surfaces of Operating Rooms |
| 2:10 | Keynote: Pune Nina Paqué (Clinic of Reconstructive Dentistry, UZH) | Oral Biofilms—Bridging Science, Technology, and Clinical Application |
| 2:30 | Thomas Schaer (University of Pennsylvania) | Aerosolized Bacteria Model of Operating Room Contamination of Orthopedic Implants |
| 2:40 | Christopher Hartl (OFI - Austrian Research Institute for Chemistry and Technology) | Test Strategies for the Characterization of Antimicrobial Surfaces and Materials: Insight, Overview, and Outlook |
| 2:50 p.m. | Keynote: Andrea Montali (AO Foundation, Innovation Translation Center, Davos) | A Look into the Surgeon’s Toolbox: Antibacterial Coatings |
| 3:10 | Keynote: Qun Ren (Empa Biointerfaces) | Materials-Based Antimicrobial Solutions and Testing |
| 3:30 p.m. | Break, Exhibition, and Posters | |
| Materials and Surfaces | Chairperson: Michael de Wild | |
| 4:15 p.m. | Keynote: Leopold Berger (Kairos Medical) | Biodegradable Magnesium Implants: Current Developments and Future Challenges |
| 4:35 | Maxence Hannard (Empa) | Trace iron in body fluids: a hidden driver of magnesium implant degradation |
| 4:45 p.m. | Martina Cihova (Empa) | Hidden Heterogeneity at the CoCrMo Surface: A Spatially Resolved View on Implant Biocorrosion |
| 4:55 p.m. | Benjamin Kruppke (Institute for Bioprocess and Analytical Measurement Technology e.V.) | Bioinspired Hydration Coatings to Reduce Friction and Wear in Hip Resurfacing Arthroplasty |
| 5:05 p.m. | Keynote: Arnaud Scherberich (Department of Biomedicine / University of Basel) | Translational and Material Aspects in the Engineering of Hypertrophic Cartilage Organoids for Bone Regeneration |
| 5:25 p.m. | Roundup | |
| 1 | Sven Zaugg (University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland FHNW) | Batch Variability of Albumin-Based Scaffolds for Cartilage Tissue Engineering |
| 2 | Endre Horvath (University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland FHNW) | Micro- and Nanomechanics of BSA-Loaded PLGA Microspheres |
| 3 | Yanik Streit (Empa) | Laser-Induced Oxide Heterogeneity on Titanium: Implications for Implant Surface Function |
| 4 | Irina Ilic (Surgical Fusion Technologies) | Computational Modeling of an Ultrasonically Assisted Subcortical Anchoring System |
| 5 | Nicolas Bouduban (Swiss m4m Center) | Medical Device Integrated Hybrid Manufacturing |
| 6 | Jiri Nohava (Anton Paar TriTec SA) | Interesting Applications of Pin-on-Disc in Biotribology |
| 7 | Jean Geringer (Mines Saint-Étienne) | Cationic coatings for titanium implants: A novel approach using plasma electrolytic oxidation and So |
Sponsorship & Exhibition: As a sponsor or exhibitor, you have the opportunity to present your company to an expert audience. Secure your spot early!
Group Discount: Groups of four or more participants benefit from an attractive discount.
Look forward to an inspiring day featuring high-caliber technical presentations, engaging discussions, and numerous opportunities for personal networking. We are looking forward to welcoming you on September 15, 2026, in Solothurn!
