Pepijn Moerman is an assistant-professor in the Self-Organizing Soft Matter Lab, interested in active soft matter and biomimetic systems. His group uses methods from DNA nanotechnology to develop experimental soft matter systems that mimic cell-cell communication, adhesion, and mechanics. They answer fundamental biological questions by systematically varying parameters in these cell mimics and quantifying their effects on the system’s self-organization. With this approach, the team aims to both better understand the way cells interact to form tissues and develop smart materials that can mimic life-like behaviors. Quantitative experimentation and critical comparison to theory play a central role in this approach.

I believe that the most fundamental insights are gained by critically comparing quantitative experiments and theory.

Pepijn Moerman did his PhD in Physical Chemistry at Utrecht university. He studied the dynamics of self-propelled droplets and freely jointed colloidal particles in a joint project between Chemistry and Physics department. He did a postdoc in DNA nanotechnology at Johns Hopkins University, where he studied how ATP-dependent enzymes could be used to improve DNA-based reactions. Now, as an assistant-professor at the TU/e he combines his expertise in DNA nanotechnology and soft matter to develop experimental model systems for living matter.