Molecular Machines Functioning in Cells

ended

The main motivation of BIOMOLMACS training network is to establish a multidisciplinary training network on the emerging topic of molecular machines and to train the next generation of highly-skilled researchers in this exciting field. In the last decade, great efforts have been spent on the development of synthetic strategies for the creation of molecular machines, and these efforts have been acknowledged by the Nobel committee in 2016. In parallel, synthetic and polymer chemistry fields have made significant advances in the last decade, to the point that we are able to design and control the sequence of individual repeat units along synthetic macromolecules. Sequence controlled polymers open up greater possibilities in the precise formation of nanoparticles such as polymersomes, and even support the new generation of artificial cells. The synthetic combination of molecular machines and precisely designed synthetic macromolecules will open new avenues for innovative nanobiomedical applications. Early Stage Researchers of BIOMOLMACS will be trained on the design, chemical synthesis, and biophysical characterization of such complex macromolecular architectures as well as their incorporation in artificial and living cells. Finally, biophysical understanding of the molecular interactions in living/synthetic systems will be able to bridge the gap between fundamental and applied research in this exciting field.