Focus Articles Archives

2022-10-18T16:45:56+02:000000005631202210

Investigating protein solution dynamics using XPCS at an XFEL

Novel experiment opens up possibility of studying collective dynamics providing insight for better drug... (Read more)

2022-03-11T17:40:44+01:000000004431202203

Figure 2: Membrane deformations induced by actin assembly. A membrane bilayer (pink) constituting an initially spherical liposome is deformed through the growth of a branched actin network (blue marks the colour of the end of actin filaments) at its surface. Spikes (inward) and tubes (outward) are formed during this process. Note that compared to the cell geometry, the geometry here is inside out, as the ingredients of the cytoskeleton are outside the liposome. Bar 5 μm. Copyright: Cécile Sykes, CNRS

2022-03-11T17:40:44+01:000000004431202203

How Active Biopolymer Networks Shape the Cell Membrane

Experiments on active deformations of a cell membrane by an actin assembly may inspire new materials and approaches. Cécile Sykes from the Laboratoire de Physique de l‘Ecole Normale Supérieure reports on results raising... (Read more)

2022-03-09T14:59:42+01:000000004231202203

$Figure 1: Simulated state diagram illustrating various membrane structures for different Peclet numbers (Pe) characterizing particle propulsion strength and volume fractions (ϕ) of active particles. The three main regimes are tethering (red symbols), fluctuating (blue symbols) and bola/prolate (brown symbols) vesicle shapes. Each dot containing a grid pattern indicates the position of the nearest snapshot within the shape diagram. Simulations mimic a nearly tensionless flaccid vesicle. Copyright: authors$

2022-03-09T14:59:42+01:000000004231202203

From Soft Active Systems to Synthetic Cells

Scientists from the ETH Zurich and Forschungszentrum Jülich highlight their recent collaborative study on a novel active system of self-propelled particles (SPPs) enclosed in a lipid vesicle, which exhibits dramatic shape changes resembling... (Read more)

2020-08-07T12:48:44+02:000000004431202008

Surface pattered with 3D soft mushroom features showing adhesion via mechanical interlocking of mushroom features onto a textile fabric. Copyright: Wageningen University & Research

2020-08-07T12:48:44+02:000000004431202008

3D Printed Bioinspired Surface Patterning for Soft Robotics

Research work by Wageningen University and Groningen University shows that 3D mushroom-shaped surface features have desirable mechanical functionality to adhere to soft and rough surfaces such as fabrics via mechanical... (Read more)