Phase transitions in biological soft matter (BIOMATRA)

Phase transitions are transformations of a system from one phase into another, such as the melting of an ice crystal into liquid water or the evaporation of liquid water turning it into steam. Intriguingly, a tiny change in temperature, ionic strength, or pH, can trigger a phase transition which may yield energy and dramatically alter a systems structure, dynamics, properties, and functionality. Phase transitions represent an unique opportunity to establish the necessary tuneable, controllable, and stimuli-responsive switching between different states of matter needed when different circumstances require different properties and functionalities, especially when these requirements change during the lifespan of an organism or the production process of a material. Surprisingly, phase transitions have been little investigated when it comes to biological soft matter. "BIOMATRA" aims to bridge this gap, investigating phase transitions in systems of biological origin. The planned in vitro studies should reveal novel insights into mechanisms that play an important role in both in vivo and in vitro systems. On the longer term, I hope to extend this line of research with studies on aggregation, crystallization, and phase separation within living organisms. BIOMATRA will deal with the questions when, where, how, and why phase transitions occur in biological soft matter and how they can be functional. I will focus on phase transitions of proteins, protein solutions, and solvents mediated by proteins. Of particular interest are phase transitions under or towards crowded, concentrated, and/or confined conditions, as these represent situations where the material properties will undergo the most dramatic changes as the available volume becomes sparse. The principle aim is to achieve a better understanding of the stability, function, performance, dynamics, and interaction forces of complex biological and (bio)technological systems, ranging from living organisms to food products, and from biomimetic materials to (infectious) protein aggregates.