Spider silk is an extremely versatile and tear-proof bioplastic. What favours, what limits the evolution of such supermaterials in nature? Which role do evolutionary changes to physiological processes, inherent behaviour and the differentiation of silk-spinning organs play in this process? Are spiders able to create a particular variety of material characteristics by combining various types of fibres during the spinning process? Dr. Jonas Wolff’s ERC-funded research group will address these questions in the next five years.
The initial stage of the project will investigate composites that occur naturally and simulate ‘artificial’ combinations on computers in order to clarify fundamental biological questions. This is a prerequisite for the successful development of new materials later on in the project.
A novel interdisciplinary experiment will be tested for the first time: Evolutionary biologists and materials scientists will work hand in hand to combine empirical and theoretical approaches of the two subject disciplines and thus create a completely new understanding of the functionality of biological materials. This will not only help to clarify fundamental biological questions, but also deliver approaches that can be used to improve the function and sustainability of fibre-based materials.
Dr. Jonas Wolff completed his doctorate at Kiel University with a doctoral scholarship from the ‘Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes’ – German Academic Scholarship Foundation and then continued to work at Kiel University as a postdoc and lecturer.
He was a research follow at Macquarie University in Sydney (Australia) from 2016 to 2020. He has been project leader at the University of Greifswald’s Zoological Institute, funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, since 2021.
Further information
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Contact at the University of Greifswald
Dr. Jonas Wolff
Zoological Institute and Museum
Loitzer Straße 26, 17489 Greifswald
Tel.: +49 3834 420 4243
j.wolffuni-greifswaldde
www.researchgate.net/profile/Jonas-Wolff-2
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