GRK 2670:  Beyond Amphiphilicity: Self-Organization of Soft Matter Via Multiple Noncovalent Interactions

• Subject Area: Physical Chemistry
• Term: since 2021
• Website: Homepage
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 436494874

RTG 2670 combines science and research projects that start off from the well-known and simple concept of amphiphilicity. We take an innovative look at multiple noncovalent interaction patterns beyond amphiphilicity and how they shape soft matter systems. In the second funding period, we focus on chemical and physical transition processes – such as (nanoscale) phase transitions, dissolution/solvation, catalysis, crystallization, or molecular aggregation/switching. Our qualification program, measures for recruiting, gender equality, increasing diversity, and family friendliness are equally innovative and ambitious – and are created with the goal of finding the best young researchers early and of empowering all graduates to become proficient in research and be well-equipped for the job market. We have proven in the first funding period that we can reach this while achieving complete gender equality on the level of funded and associated doctoral researchers, undergraduate student talents, and associated postdocs. This forms an excellent basis to improve our program further by selected, innovative amendments to the training program and the overall work culture at the RTG in this funding period. The scientific vision of the RTG BEyond AMphiphilicity – BEAM - is to extend the concept of amphiphilicity to achieve structuring soft matter through multiple noncovalent interactions and a quantitative description that reconciles the static thermodynamics and a dynamic molecular view on soft matter. We have thus created a look at a large variety of soft matter systems built from such polyphilic molecules or polyphiles from a “BEAM point of view” by integrating the diverse fields of synthesis, quantum chemical simulations, mathematical understanding and modeling, molecular thermodynamics, complementary spectroscopies and biochemical methods. After laying the foundation, we will jointly work on understanding how multiple noncovalent interaction patterns and their dynamics affect and potentially govern transition processes. Built on this understanding, we want to rationally tune such processes, e.g. by designing multiple interaction patterns or polyphiles differently to change the transition process. Hence, by tweaking the molecular interactions, the transition process is tuned. The structure of the research program itself evolved into four Theme Clusters that focus on different aspects of polyphilic molecules, materials, processes and topics in general. These Themes Clusters are i) small polyphilic molecules in solution, ii) high symmetry structures from solution to the solid state, iii) polyphiles for catalysis, and iv) polyphilic proteins and protein-like nanoparticles.

• DFG Programme: Research Training Groups
• Applicant Institution: Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg
• Participating Institution: Leibniz-Institut für Pflanzenbiochemie (IPB)
• Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Dariush Hinderberger
• Participating Researchers: Professorin Dr. Kirsten Bacia; Professor Dr. Wolfgang Binder; Professor Dr. Frederik Haase; Professor Dr. Robert Langer; Professor Kay Saalwächter; Dr. Mariana Schuster; Professor Dr. Daniel Sebastiani; Professor Dr. Carsten Tschierske; Professorin Dr. Rebecca Anne Hedwig Waldecker; Professor Dr. Martin Weissenborn