Seminar Lucas Sixdenier

Center for Soft Matter Research, Department of Physics, New York University, New York, 10003, NY, USA

Bioinspired reconfigurable colloidal assemblies

Living matter achieves complex functions with remarkable robustness through hierarchical and dynamic self-organization, guided by specific molecular interactions and biochemical cues. Translating these principles into synthetic soft matter offers a route towards a new generation of programmable and reconfigurable materials. To illustrate this paradigm, I will introduce a system of emulsion droplets coated with mobile DNA binders that assemble into structures with controlled valence, reversible binding, and the ability to rearrange locally. I will first discuss the formation and folding of droplet chains as a toy model of protein folding, showing how non-native contacts can accelerate folding and increase the yield of specific rigid structures. I will then introduce enzyme-driven reaction networks that dynamically program DNA interactions and direct droplet assembly pathways. By controlling the strength and temporal sequence of interactions between droplets we form transient clusters with diverse shapes and drive their reorganization from floppy checkerboards into rigid core-shell clusters, reminiscent of cell segregation through differential adhesion in biological tissues. Together, these results demonstrate how interfacial mobility, reversible binding, and spatiotemporal control of interactions can guide reconfigurable self-assembly across scales. Beyond providing minimal analogs of biological organization, this platform opens a path towards programmable soft materials capable of sensing, evolving, and adapting to their environment.