Peter Fratzl studies hierarchical structure and mechanical behavior of biological and bioinspired materials, contributing to solving problems in medicine and engineering. He obtained an engineering degree from Ecole Polytechnique in Paris, France, and a doctorate in Physics from University of Vienna, Austria. He is director at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, heading the Department of Biomaterials, and honorary professor at Potsdam University and at Humboldt University Berlin. He also co-directs an interdisciplinary Cluster of Excellence between sciences, humanities and design (www.matters-of-activity.de). He is member of several Academies of Science, of the German National Academy of Science and Engineering (acatech) and the US National Academy of Engineering (NAE).