For this inaugural episode, we're joined by my dear friend Oscar Cipolato, a brilliant scientist whose work in photonics and nanotechnology is pushing the boundaries of biomedical engineering. Oscar shares his journey from a curious child in a multicultural family to a researcher in laser tissue soldering, exploring how scientific methods can deepen our understanding of the world, the human body, and ourselves.
Topics we discussed:
Love for museums and storytelling
An interdisciplinary scientific journey—from physics to laser-tissue soldering
Unrelenting curiosity for science, art, and history
Doing good and the appreciation for altruistic work
A life well-lived
Would aliens find flowers beautiful?
About Our Guest
Oscar Cipolato is a research scientist working in physics and medical engineering. Born in Venice, Italy, Oscar grew up in a half-Italian half-Taiwanese household. After earning his master’s degree in physics from the University of Padova, he conducted research at DESY in Hamburg and Imperial College London, focusing on advanced physics applications.
Oscar recently completed his PhD at ETH Zurich, Empa, and Balgrist Clinic, where his work centered on Intelligent Laser Tissue Soldering. This included developing techniques like robotic laser tissue soldering for atraumatic soft tissue fusion, guided by fluorescent nanothermometry. His research combined robotics, photonics, and nanotechnology to advance minimally invasive medical procedures. His contributions earned him the Empa Entrepreneur Fellowship, enabling him to transform his research into a startup.
In addition to his technical achievements, Oscar is passionate about science communication, receiving the Nature “Science in Shorts” award for explaining his work on tissue soldering to a broader audience.
Read more about Oscar’s work
1. The Economist: Never mind stitches—it is possible to solder wounds closed
2. Nature Science in Shorts: Closing Wounds... with Lasers?
3. Advanced Science: Robotic Laser Tissue Soldering for Atraumatic Soft Tissue Fusion Guided by Fluorescent Nanothermometry
Share this post