Material properties such as topography, surface chemistry, architecture, and electrical conductivity influence cell fate. Present knowledge on the interaction between materials and cells is, however, predominantly based on cultivation conditions that bias cells away from a physiological state. The proposed project is therefore directed towards research into the preparation of 1) planar materials with defined surface properties, and 2) scaffolds with a defined architecture and composition, and the testing of their interactions with pluripotent stem cells (including induced human pluripotent stem cells) under in vivo simulated conditions. For the preparation of biomaterials, advanced techniques, e.g. the 3D printing of plastics and metals, phase separation, plasma etching, laser patterning, and 3D laser sintering, will be employed. In vivo conditions will be simulated by specially designed and fabricated cultivation chambers and commercial bioreactors. The results should fill a gap in knowledge crucial for successful tissue engineering.