Assistant Professor Max Clabbers, iNANO, Aarhus University

In situ structural characterization of nanocrystalline samples using electron diffraction

In recent years, electron diffraction has become an increasingly valuable technique for structure determination of nanocrystals, offering unique advantages including sensitivity to the electrostatic potential and the ability to visualize hydrogen atoms. Advances in sample preparation and improved MicroED data collection strategies, leveraging electron counting and energy filtering, have significantly enhanced data quality, enabling high-resolution structural analysis of small crystals from biomolecules, inorganics, and materials. However, there is still plenty of room for advancement to further broaden the scope of electron diffraction-based applications in both structural biology and materials science. A key focus will be in situ electron crystallography, which will allow us to study naturally occurring crystalline proteins as well as functional materials in their native, physiologically relevant environments. The underlying structures of these crystalline assemblies can be probed using MicroED, while 4D-STEM enables mapping structural heterogeneity and understanding disorder in complex mixtures at the nanoscale. With increasingly powerful hardware, high-throughput and serial strategies will be critical, not only for making sense of sparse data, but also for ligand screening in drug discovery, understanding molecular dynamics of reaction mechanisms in a time-resolved manner, and rapid phase identification or compositional analysis of materials. Finally, exploring the charge distribution and hydrogen bonding networks underlying structural integrity and function may provide better insights into charge-related phenomena in protein interactions and functional materials. By integrating these advancements, electron diffraction has all the potential to evolve into an even more versatile and indispensable method for both life and materials sciences.

Assistant Professor Miguel Ramos, iNANO, Aarhus University

Animate matter: from polymer-driven nanomotors to optoswitches for neural regeneration

Animate matter encompasses a broad class of systems that exhibit motion, self-organization, or responsiveness by consuming energy. Within this framework, active matter consists of self-propelled units that consume energy to generate motion, which can be either biological (e.g., swarming bacteria) or synthetic (e.g., artificial micromotors). Another specialized subset, namely living materials, integrates biological and synthetic components to enable self-repair, adaptation, and growth.

In this talk, I will highlight some efforts regarding active matter systems, such as micro- and nanomotors that self-propel by harnessing (de)polymerization reactions, mimicking the motility of natural microorganisms. Specifically, the focus will be on micromotors moving on collagen fibers and actin-polymerizing nanomotors that can form cytoskeleton-like assemblies inside lipid vesicles. Building on this foundation, I will introduce the vision for my future research bridging between active matter and living materials throughout nanoactuators, which show potential as light-responsive switches to stimulate neural repair in 3D arrangements.

In short, living materials and active matter are two interconnected fields that harness biological and physical principles to create dynamic, self-sustaining systems. By leveraging active matter’s self-organization and adaptive properties, living materials can achieve functionalities beyond passive materials, providing new avenues for designing intelligent, bioinspired systems.