On July 7 and 8, 2026, the Lower Saxony Center for Biomedical Engineering, Implant Research, and Development (NIFE) hosted approximately 135 researchers from Germany and abroad for the 18th „Engineering of Functional Interfaces“ (EnFI 2026) conference, which was held in conjunction with the 3rd International SIIRI Symposium. The joint event brought together early-career scientists and established researchers working at the intersection of medicine, engineering, and information technology. Over the course of two days, the participants explored current developments in the fields of functional interfaces, implant technologies, and related interdisciplinary research areas, thereby strengthening international scientific collaboration. The scientific program featured four keynote presentations by internationally recognized experts on topics ranging from physics-based machine learning for computer-aided engineering to the electrochemical deposition of functional surfaces and mechanicalneural interfaces for human-machine integration, as well as advances in the fields of microfluidics, cell technologies, and organoids. In addition to the keynote presentations, participants presented their latest research findings in the form of flash talks and poster presentations. The presentations covered the fields of electrochemistry, analytics and sensor technology, materials and structures, artificial intelligence, biomedical and systems engineering, as well as microfluidics and organoids. Hosting this joint event in Hanover once again provided a platform for scientific dialogue, knowledge transfer, and interdisciplinary collaboration. The event underscored the importance of integrating engineering, the life sciences, and medicine to advance innovative solutions for future biomedical applications.
