Our mission
The Soft Condensed Matter group focuses on the development and characterization of new model colloids and the quantitative 3D real-space analysis and manipulation of their self-assembly. Motivation comes both from the use of these systems as condensed matter model systems, and from their use as advanced materials in applications like photonic crystals and electronic-ink.
In addition, we perform computer simulations and theory on soft condensed matter systems and try to bring these together with the experiments in a strongly synergistic approach.
Contact
Email: science.secr.scmbf@uu.nl
Phone: +31 30 253 2952 (secretary)
Princetonplein 1
3584 CC Utrecht
The Netherlands
The Molecular Biophysics group is fascinated by how biological macromolecules (DNA, RNA, and proteins) adopt their three-dimensional shapes, make specific interactions, can deform under external forces and torques, and undergo conformational transitions to carry out the biological functions they have evolved to do. We use a range of biophysical tools, in particular single-molecule magnetic tweezers and solution X-ray scattering, to provide insights into the structure and mechanisms of these biological machines.