Soft Materials Initiative Seminar

ABSTRACT: Living systems are distinguished by dynamic and hierarchical assemblies of macromolecules far from equilibrium. My group studies phenomenon spanning the single-molecule to single-cell length scales, roughly 0.1 - 10 um, with the goal of controlling where biomolecules go and how they interact with each other. To do this, we develop new microfluidic techniques to manipulate biomolecules and cells with extraordinary precision and speed. I will describe our active projects in this area, which include high throughput “cell surgery” by ultra-fast membrane stretching; biomolecular phase separation and self-assembly far from equilibrium; and biomolecular coacervates or ‘condensates’ as tools for engineering biology.