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DY: Fachverband Dynamik und Statistische Physik

DY 32: Complex Fluids and Soft Matter (joint session DY/CPP)

DY 32.1: Hauptvortrag

Mittwoch, 3. April 2019, 15:00–15:30, H3

Phase-separation in an elastic matrix: from living cells to synthetic materials — •Eric Dufresne — ETHZ

In order to function effectively, living cells need to compartmentalize myriad chemical reactions. In the classic view, distinct functional volumes are separated by thin oily-barriers called membranes. Recently, the spontaneous sorting of cellular components into membraneless liquid-like domains has been appreciated as an alternate route to compartmentalization.

I will review the essential physical concepts underlying these phenomena and outline some of the fundamental questions in soft matter physics that they inspire. Then, I will describe our recent experiments exploring the impact of mechanical stresses on the condensation of droplets. This work spans experiments with living cells and synthetic polymer networks, with an eye toward useful new materials.