Synthetic and Living Soft Matter

Curiosity-driven, we conduct interdisciplinary and exploratory research across a wide range of topics, both within and at the interface of several disciplines (chemistry, physics, biology, materials science, nanoscience, microfluidics, biomaterials), all of which involve soft matter, whether synthetic or living. We are mainly exploring novel concepts and idea in various topics rather than in-depth investigating a subject of specialty.

This includes interest in dynamic phenomena, self-organization, interfaces, and soft objects (colloids, polymers, membranes, cells, tissues), with internationally recognized expertise in soft-matter actuation (stimuli-reponsive surfactants, light-driven microfluidics, and DNA photocontrol), interfacial phenomena (coffee-ring effect, Marangoni flows, colloidal crystallization), reconstituted systems (membrane models, biomimetic substrates, organs-on-a-chip), dynamic DNA nanotechnologies (isothermal self-assembly, adaptive DNA origami, DNA-protein nanogels), and synthetic biology (cell-free expression of proteins of interest, synthetic cell development). We are currently more specifically exploring within, but not limited to, the following research directions:

• DNA-encoded active matter: dynamic DNA origami at the living cell interface, reconfigurable DNA-protein nanomachines, nanostructure self-optimization by evolution, genetically encoded active interfaces
• Soft bioanalytical tools: quantitative AFM imaging of protein assemblies, colloidal bio-sensing, coffee-ring diagnostics at no cost
• Soft synthetic biology: informational co-acervation, enhanced synthetic cell fabrication (polarization, emergent self-assembly), gene networks for live cell reprogramming , synthetic antibody discovery
• Spatiotemporal control in/for biology: Vascularized brain organoids on a chip, biomimetic substrates, gradient generation, smart trapping.