Scientific Highlights from Network Area 1 Archives

25th November 2025

Two charged rods in water and counterions, generated with AI, ChatGTP, by the authors of the paper

25th November 2025

Rod-Shaped Colloids Form Wigner Crystal

A long-standing scientific belief has been overturned: researchers from a SoftComp collaboration including Ca’ Foscari Univ. of Venice, Italy, and Univ. of Bordeaux, France, have observed a Wigner crystal forming in rod-like colloidal... (Read more)

6th February 2025

Figure 1: Aspect ratio is a crucial network building block property, defining network formation, architecture, and mechanics in synthetic and living systems. (Left) Schematic representation of the aspect ratios (AR) of protein L polyprotein constructs and fibrin proto-fibers. (Middle) A schematic representation of the two dominated formation regimes: translation diffusion limited (TDL) where building blocks can only interact by translating their centre of mass; and rotationally diffusion limited (RDL) where building blocks are able to interact purely via rotation about their centre of mass. (Right) The fitted increase in mechanical rigidity as a function of aspect ratio with inserted schematics showing the change in structural topology as the system transitions from TDL to RDL formation above the critical aspect ratio, ARc. Copyright: Image partly published in Hughes M. D. G. et al., Nat. Commun. 14, 5593 (2023) under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

6th February 2025

Biology Exploits Geometry

Impact of Aspect Ratio on Protein Network Assembly: Scientists at SoftComp partner University of Leeds and STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, UK, have made an exciting discovery about the functional advantages of high aspect... (Read more)

5th February 2025

Fi. 1: Schematic illustrating the role of GRP phase transitions in the formation of the tick cement cone. Copyright: authors

5th February 2025

Tricks from Ticks

Phase separation and ageing of glycine-rich protein: A study has shed new light on the mysterious adhesive mechanisms of ticks. The research delves into the phase separation and ageing of glycine-rich protein from... (Read more)

27th January 2025

Figure 1: The formation of stress granules in human cells upon the addition of Sodium Arsenite. Green regions show the location of G3BP, a protein which is known to localise in stress granules. Scale bar: 20 μm. Copyright: Published in Law J. O. et. al., Sci. Adv., 9, eadg0432 (2023) under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

27th January 2025

Unlocking Cell Secrets with Flicker Spectroscopy

Novel Technique to Measure Properties of Sub-cellular Compartments: Scientists from SoftComp partner University of Durham, UK, and other European research institutes have developed a new technique to measure the properties of biomolecular condensates... (Read more)