Rui M. A. Domingues is Research Group Leader at the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL), where he leads interdisciplinary research at the interface of nanotechnology, biomaterials science, and regenerative medicine.

His work integrates molecular imprinting, cell mechanobiology, and bioengineering concepts to create intelligent platforms for tissue regeneration and in vitro modelling. He has coordinated multiple national and EU projects, including the ERC Consolidator Grant FORTIFy. He is recognized internationally for his pioneering work on nanostructured and hierarchical biomaterials for tendon tissue engineering, especially for creating molecularly designed biomaterials for targeted cell-instructive therapies, with impactful applications in mechanosensing and stem cell fate control.

Rui is a Chemist with a PhD in Chemical Engineering (2012) from the University of Aveiro. His academic path includes postdoctoral research at 3B’s Research Group, University of Minho, and the University of Texas at Austin. He later returned to 3B’s as Assistant Researcher and Invited Professor before joining the INL in 2025.

Selected list of recent publications

[1] Teixeira, S.P.B; Pardo, A.; Bakht, S.M.; Gomez‐Florit, M.; Reis, R. L., Gomes, M.E.; Domingues*, R.M.A., Guiding Stem Cell Tenogenesis by Modulation of Growth Factor Signaling and Cell-Scale Biophysical Cues in Bioengineered Constructs. Advanced Functional Materials, 34 (2024): 2312961. DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202312961

[2] Bakht, S.M.; Pardo, A.; Gomez-Florit. M.; Caballero, D.; Kundu, S.C.; Reis, R.L.; Domingues*, R.M.A.; Gomes, M.E., Human Tendon-on-Chip: Unveiling the Effect of Core Compartment-T Cell Spatiotemporal Crosstalk at the Onset of Tendon Inflammation. Advanced Science, 11 (2024): 2401170. DOI: 10.1002/advs.202401170

[3] Monteiro, R.F.; Bakht, S.M.; Gomez‐Florit, M.; Stievani, F.C.; Alves, A.L.G.; Reis, R.L.; Gomes, M.E.; Domingues*, R.M.A.; Writing 3D In Vitro Models of Human Tendon within a Biomimetic Fibrillar Support Platform, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 23 (2023): 50598–50611. DOI:10.1021/acsami.2c22371.

[4] Bakht, S.M.; Gomez-Florit. M.; Lamers, T.; Reis, R.L.; Domingues*, R.M.A.; Gomes, M.E., 3D Bioprinting of Miniaturized Tissues Embedded in Self-Assembled Nanoparticle-Based Fibrillar Platforms. Advanced Functional Materials, (2021), 31, 46, 2104245. DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202104245. Included in Virtual Issue of Editor´s Choice of Biofabrication 2021 Highlights.

[5] Teixeira, S.P.B, Reis, R. L., Peppas, N.A., Gomes, M.E., Domingues*, R.M.A., Epitope-imprinted polymers: Design principles of synthetic binding partners for natural biomacromolecules". Science Advances, (2021), 7, 44, eabi9884. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abi9884.