Soft and Living Matter at Surfaces and Interfaces

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Over the past decade we have been able to establish an internationally competitive laboratory to study soft and living matter at surfaces and interfaces. The physics of soft materials is distinct from hard matter as the weaker intermolecular bonds result in a large response to external stresses. We study mainly polymeric materials, but also C. elegans (a small nematode), bacteria, living cells and soft-colloidal systems. Understanding material properties at a fundamental level is crucial to the development of new technologies. A surprising aspect of these materials is that on small length scales, like in thin films or coatings, these materials can have properties that differ vastly from those of bulk systems. The differences can be the result of molecules being confined or because the interface plays a greater role in smaller systems. While retaining significant activity in the areas that have helped us to establish an international presence, in recent years our research has moved into new directions. These include greater efforts at the interface of biology and soft matter, as well as a bourgeoning emphasis on complex fluids beyond polymeric. The future direction of our research in soft and living matter can be summarized under four broad and overlapping areas. 1) Biophysics: micro-swimmers and vesicles. 2) Complex fluids at interfaces: elastocapillarity and soft colloids 3) Fluids on the micro/nanoscale: nanorheology, confinement, the glass transition. 4) Self assembly and patterning.***The broad range of problems studied in the research team is largely the result of a somewhat opportunistic approach to research. Simply stated, we often stumble upon interesting detours that have resulted in exciting research. Over time some diversions have developed into fully established research directions. Though the projects are diverse, they share a common theme of small length scales, surfaces, and interfaces, with a common physical foundation. The main experimental tools used focus on characterization of surfaces, imaging, and force measurement. Our work is at an exciting transition and the tools and techniques have opened up directions that are invigorating. While we will have continued success in our contributions to science, some of the more ambitious and exciting studies, for example vesicle fusion, collective motion, nanorheology and elastocapillarity, have the potential to be of exceptional importance.