Wednesday, 4 March 2020 – 11:00 am in LT4, Level 2, School of Chemistry [Map].  (Special seminar)

Dr Alex Mason, Eindhoven University of Technology, [Email: A.F.Mason@tue.nl]

Host:  Dr Markus Müllner

Abstract:

Coacervate-based artificial cells: hierarchical self-assembly enabling lifelike behaviours

Cells, the discrete living systems that comprise all life on Earth, are a boundless source of inspiration and motivation for many researchers in the natural sciences. In the field of bottom-up synthetic cells, researchers seek to create multifaceted, self-assembled, chemical systems that mimic the properties and behaviours of natural life. In this seminar, I will describe the relatively recent application of complex coacervates to synthetic cells, and how we have developed a polymer-based solution to an ubiquitous challenge when working with liquid-liquid phase separated systems: droplet coalescence. The resultant protocell platform combines the best of membrane-bound protocells, being discrete, cell-sized, and stable; while also bringing the benefits of membrane-free protocells, strongly sequestering functional (bio)materials and opening up a number of interesting applications

Bio: https://research.tue.nl/en/persons/alexander-mason