Animate materials have the potential to transform the world, they could allow us to create materials that grow, self-repair, and even manufacture clothing that can detect illness. Although no truly animate materials have yet been created, these are possible and research within the BSI is at the forefront of this field.
Animate materials don’t merely mimic living systems, as seen in today’s smart materials, they possess some of their properties. To be truly animate a material would be active, adaptive (i.e. can react to external stimuli and self-heal), and would even be able to regulate itself autonomously.
In 2021 the Royal Society commissioned the Animate Materials Perspective publication, which shed light on the research landscape in this field and its potential. An illustration of this huge potential is this short video from the Royal Society (right) featuring the BSI's Dr Margarita Staykova (Durham, Physics).
Our animate materials research falls into three broad areas: Bio-Inspired Design; Materials for Life and, Synthetic Living Interfaces.
Bio-Inspired Design
Research in this area utilises our strengths in artificial biology and the development of molecular mimics to build new artificial and semi-artificial systems. These are being studied to give fresh insights into fundamental biological systems and have huge potential for a wide range of applications.
Materials for Life
Fabrication of new artificial and semi-artificial biological systems is resulting in new materials with exciting properties. Our research into the synthesis of these new materials and their properties brings together researchers from across the Departments of Physics, Chemistry and Mathematical Sciences.
Synthetic Living Interfaces
The study of membranes, bio-interfaces and their behaviour makes use of synthetic interfaces. These systems, containing biological and artificial components, are synthesised within our community. They display some of the properties of living systems and have the potential to be used in the fabrication of new materials with exciting applications such as new therapeutic delivery systems.
Sharing our research goals and outcomes as they emerge, is very important to us. Not only to share accurate information about our research and our enthusiasm for this emerging field, but also to develop new approaches to innovation. We have a programme of activities to foster conversations across communities and disciplines to explore potential ways of applying these new materials and their social and ethical implications.
To engage with a variety of sections of the general public on the topic of animate materials we have been leading on a range of activities. These include a Royal Society of Chemistry funded project between Prof. Steven Cobb (Durham Chemistry) and the Cap-A-Pie theatre company (2022), the IAS funded project Material Imagination project with Dr Margarita Staykova (Durham Physics) as the scientific lead (2020), and a residential art-science summer school planned for 2024.
Aufderhorst-Roberts, A., Cussons, S., Brockwell, D.J., & Dougan, L., 2023. Diversity of viscoelastic properties of an engineered muscle-inspired protein hydrogel. Soft Matter, 19, 17.
Aufderhorst-Roberts, A., & Staykova, M., 2022. Scratching beyond the surface - minimal actin assemblies as tools to elucidate mechanical reinforcement and shape change. Emerging Topics in Life Sciences, 6, 6.
Freer, M., Darling, N., Goncalves, K., Mills, K.J., & Przyborski, S., 2023. Development of a mammalian neurosensory full-thickness skin equivalent and its application to screen sensitizing stimuli. Bioengineering and Translational Medicine, 8, 3.
Goncalves K.E., Phillips S., Shah D.S.H., Athey D., Przyborski S.A., 2023. Application of biomimetic surfaces and 3D culture technology to study the role of extracellular matrix interactions in neurite outgrowth and inhibition. Biomaterials Advances, 144, 213204.
Haghighian N., Kataky R., 2023. Rapid fingerprinting of bacterial species using nanocavities created on screen-printed electrodes modified by β-cyclodextrin. Sensors and Diagnostics, 2(5), 5.
Le Nagard, L., Brown, A.T., Dawson, A., Martinez, V.A., Poon, W.C.K., & Staykova, M., 2022. Encapsulated bacteria deform lipid vesicles into flagellated swimmers. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 119, 34.
Stępień P., Świątek S., Robles M.Y.Y., Markiewicz-Mizera J., Balakrishnan D., Inaba-Inoue S., De Vries A.H., Beis K., Marrink S.J., Heddle J.G., 2023. CRAFTing Delivery of Membrane Proteins into Protocells using Nanodiscs. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, 15, 49.
Silwane, B., Wilson, M., & Kataky, R., 2023. An Electrochemistry and Computational Study at an Electrified Liquid–Liquid Interface for Studying Beta-Amyloid Aggregation. Membranes, 13, 6.
Stupka I., Biela A.P., Piette B., Kowalczyk A., Majsterkiewicz K., Borzęcka-Solarz K., Naskalska A., Heddle J.G., 2023. An artificial protein cage made from a 12-membered ring. Journal of Materials Chemistry B, 12(2), 2.
Szablewski, M., Thompson, R.L., & Pålsson, L.-., 2022. Modulated Fluorescence in LB Films Based on DADQs—A Potential Sensing Surface? Molecules, 27, 12.
Areas of Expertise: Soft Matter Physics
Research Interests
Area of Expertise: Biomedical Engineering, Biomechanics
Areas of Expertise: Synthetic Chemistry, Peptoid and Peptide Chemistry
Areas of Expertise: Electrochemistry, Sensors
Areas of Expertise: Synthetic Chemistry, Supramolecular Chemistry & Functional Molecules
Areas of Expertise: Mathematical and Computational Modelling
Areas of Expertise: Polymer Chemistry, Molecular Recognition, Biological Chemistry
Areas of Expertise: Chemical physics, Biophysics
Areas of Expertise: Structural Biology
Areas of Expertise: Bioengineering Human Tissues, Development and Translation of Advanced Cell Technologies, Cell and Tissue Differentiation in Health and Disease, 3Rs – Developing Alternatives for Animals in Research
Areas of Expertise: Biophysics, Biological Membranes, Functional Interfaces, Living Materials
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