Christian Schmelzer is Interim Institute Director at the Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems (Fraunhofer IMWS, Germany) and Head of the department “Biological and Macromolecular Materials.” His research focuses on extracellular-matrix–inspired biomaterials for regenerative and translational medicine, with a particular emphasis on elastin and elastic fibers. For more than two decades, he has investigated elastin structure–function relationships, including post-translational modifications, cross-linking chemistry, and aging-related changes, and how these factors affect molecular assembly, microstructure, and bioactivity. Building on this mechanistic understanding, he develops functional elastin-based materials such as tunable hydrogels, electrospun fibers, and crosslinked scaffolds designed for soft-tissue repair and regenerative microenvironments. His group combines biomaterials engineering with advanced microstructure characterization and proteomics/mass spectrometry to analyze ECM composition, modification patterns, and elastin-derived peptides relevant to tissue remodeling and degeneration. He is also a co-founder of a spin-off translating medical-grade elastin materials toward practical applications.