Edouard Hannezo's research sits at the interface of theoretical physics and biology, asking how living tissues acquire their complex shapes and functions. His group develops mathematical and computational models to understand the physical principles that govern morphogenesis — the process by which cells self-organise into the intricate architectures of organs and embryos. Crucially, this theoretical work is always pursued in close collaboration with experimental groups, combining physical modelling with quantitative imaging, genomics, and mechanochemical perturbations to test and refine predictions in living systems.

A central theme of Hannezo's work is the interplay between mechanical forces and biochemical signalling. His group has shown that mechanochemical feedback — in which cells both sense and generate physical forces that in turn regulate molecular pathways — underlies a wide range of biological phenomena, from the propagation of mechanical and signalling waves across epithelial tissues to the self-organised branching patterns of glands, kidneys, and mammary ducts. A key insight from this work is that robust biological form can emerge from surprisingly simple local rules, without the need for pre-patterned blueprints.

More recently, Hannezo's group has turned to the physics of tissue flows and the mechanics of early embryonic development, studying how groups of cells collectively migrate, deform, and transition between solid-like and fluid-like states. Working alongside developmental biologists, his team has uncovered how mechanical competence windows — transient periods during which tissues are susceptible to shape changes — are coordinated with cellular fate specification to ensure robust morphogenetic outcomes.

By combining tools from statistical physics, continuum mechanics, and quantitative biology, Hannezo's research builds bridges between disciplines to illuminate how life builds itself.

Edouard Hannezo studied chemistry and physics at École Normale Supérieure in Paris before completing his PhD at the Institut Curie. After postdoctoral research at the University of Cambridge, supported by a Wellcome Trust Fellowship, he joined the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) in 2017, where he has led a research group at the intersection of theoretical physics and tissue biology. He has been a full Professor at ISTA since 2022. His research has been recognised through ERC Starting and Consolidator Grants, as well as membership of EMBO since 2025.