We study self-assembly processes in (biological) soft matter and translate fundamental insights into rational design strategies for novel functional soft materials. 

Creating materials that create themselves

The research group Self-Organizing Soft Matter at Eindhoven University of Technology studies self-assembly processes in (biological) soft matter. As an interdisciplinary team of chemists, physicists, biologists, and engineers, we strive to obtain fundamental insights and translate these into rational design strategies for novel functional soft materials. We are especially interested in colloidal self-organization, polymer assembly and folding, and protein biophysics. Examples of our research include revealing the key structure-property relations of intra- and intermolecular (co)polymer assembly; packaging fragile biomolecules; developing artificial enzymes; enhancing colloidal stability; and tailoring smart materials.

The research of the Self-Organizing Soft Matter group develops along three lines:

• Polymer assembly: Supramolecular and block (co-)polymers in a different light
• Colloidal assembly: Orchestrating large colloids with small molecules
• Biological soft matter: Protein biophysics