Two New Fellows Join the Matter to Life Network

Meet our newest faculty members and discover their research

We are excited to welcome Dora Tang and Kevin Jahnke as Fellows of the Max Planck School Matter to Life! Their expertise will enrich our interdisciplinary community and offer our PhD candidates new opportunities for research projects, supervision, and mentoring.

Our lab aims to define the physico-chemical principles of living systems through bottom-up approaches combined with quantitative biophysics, biochemistry and analytical chemistry. We investigate the role of reactions, compartments and communication as the primary features to enable molecular systems to transition to living matter. Here, compartmentalisation is the primary feature to support reactions and facilitate communication to co-ordinate compartmentalised reactions across scales.  In particular we define how these features can support out-of-equilibrium behaviour and evolution as hallmarks of living systems. We are motivated to take our fundamental understanding to application through the engineering of soft materials and biological systems.

Visit Dora’s website to find out more!

 

My group's research focuses on engineering synthetic compartments made from lipids, polymers or other biomimetic building blocks. By understanding their biophysical properties, we aim to design tailor-made synthetic cells and nanostructures for drug delivery. In particular, we investigate how leaflet asymmetry shapes membrane behavior and function or how lipid-based compartments enter and exit cells. Building on such biophysical insights, we translate our findings into biotechnological applications, particularly the rational design of synthetic nanostructures for efficient drug loading, uptake and controlled release. Going forward, we thus aim to position our research at the interface of synthetic cell engineering and drug delivery, contributing to a deeper understanding of how matter becomes alive.

Visit Kevin’s website to find out more!