Chemically Fueling Self-Assembly: From Controlling Molecular Self-Assembly, Phase Separation to the Synthesis of Life

How can we build lifelike systems from inanimate matter? This talk explores how chemical fuels can drive molecular self-assembly and phase separation far from equilibrium, enabling us to control structure, dynamics, and function in soft matter systems. I will highlight how time-programmed assembly, chemically active droplets, and dissipative coacervates offer new routes to mimic cellular behaviours. Ultimately, these strategies bring us closer to constructing synthetic cells capable of growth, division, and evolution—key steps towards the synthesis of life.

With his group, Job Boekhoven is developing tools to regulate the self-assembly of molecules like how biology does. They are best known for their work on chemically fueled reaction cycles that control the ability of molecules to assemble or phase separate. The resulting assemblies or phase-separated droplets exhibit exciting new properties, including their intrinsic ability to self-heal and their controllable lifetime. Moreover, the chemically fueled assemblies exhibit features typically associated with living cells, such as the ability to emerge, decay, or even self-divide.

Moderation: Professorin Dr. Sabine Müller