Max Planck Institutes and Experts

Bioorganic-synthetic polymers are readily available in rather large quantities through modern methods of metal-free polymer synthesis and modification. Polymers based on polypeptides and saccharides can form “smart” biofunctional membranes and also hierarchical structures. Current studies deal with the understanding of fundamental mechanisms of bioinspired structure formation and with possible applications in biomedicine and materials science.

Natural and synthetic genetic circuits are always coupled to the physiological state of the cell in which they reside. For example, the concentrations of RNA polymerases and ribosomes that are available for the readout of the genetic information depend on the cellular growth rate. Theoretical studies can help to investigate the coupling of regulatory mechanisms and growth and to uncover principles that underlie the efficient use of molecular machines.

A concept is put forward which should allow for the realization of functional nano-systems by means of self-assembly of soft matter. The choice of soft matter suggests itself from the fact that nature chose that class of materials for the development of life. It is demonstrated that gel-emulsions with a well-defined droplet size, which self-assemble in defined geometric environments in a predictable way, are in fact suitable for the implementation of complex function.

To increase the efficiency of medication, carrier particles could soon deliver pharmaceutical substance exclusively to special target cells in an organism. For an understanding of these targeting processes model-based simulation studies are very helpful. The modeling of the biocolloidal systems is based on foundations from particle technology. Result: Despite substantial scattering of the experimental data, central parameters were identified. It was found that most drug targeting processes are rate limited due to the low receptor concentration on the surface of the target cells.

Whether the future of automotive mobility lies in hydrogen fuel cell technology is still unclear – corrosion, however, is a serious problem in many areas of technology, because not only if you rest, you rust. While the two processes seem very different they have an important chemical reaction in common: the oxygen reduction reaction. At the Max Planck Institute for Iron Research GmbH in Düsseldorf this reaction is investigated in detail within an interdisciplinary project to make fuel cells better and corrosion protection more efficient.