Description
Nature builds materials, cells, tissues, and organisms by the dynamic assembly of building blocks spanning multiple scales and hierarchies, leveraging complexity and emergence to confer unparalleled functionality, selectivity, adaptability, and interactivity far beyond synthetic materials. Our network aims to study, emulate, and create materials that embody key traits of living matter, forming a new field we call “Quasi-living systems.”
These materials can be designed with enhanced precision to exhibit self-repair properties, responsiveness, adaptability and interactivity. This innovative strategy will give us a unique opportunity to generate a completely new class of responsive systems with the potential to overcome some of the current limitations and safety concerns associated with living cells. The possibility of learning by merging synthetic and natural blocks will not only allow us to generate unprecedented systems but will also provide valuable insights into how biology tackles complex challenges, guiding the design of versatile, adaptive materials.
NET-QUASI counts on the participation of the following IBEC research groups:
- Bioinspired Interactive Materials and Protocellular Systems
- Cellular and Molecular Mechanobiology
- Integrative cell and tissue dynamics
- Molecular Bionics
- Smart nano-bio-devices
Contact us:
Main contact: nkostina@ibecbarcelona.eu
Additional contact: aleroux@ibecbarcelona.eu
Network Members
The members of this network have very complementary scientific backgrounds, ranging from chemistry (Kostina, Guillamat), membrane biochemistry, and biophysics (Le Roux, Kostina) to self-assembly (Kostina, Guillamat, Crespo, Gosh) and collective behaviors (Guillamat, Crespo), as well as diverse technical skills, including cell membrane mechanics (Le Roux), and advanced imaging (Kostina, Guillamat, Le Roux).
Network Coordinator:
Nina Kostina
Ramon y Cajal Senior Researcher
She pioneers synthetic models of cell membranes.
Network Representatives:
Anabel-Lise Le Roux
Senior Scientist
She studies cell membrane mechanics using advanced microscopy.
Pau Guillamat
Postdoctoral Researcher
He works on synthetic living materials.
Subhadip Ghosh
Beatriu de Pinós Fellow
He focuses on hybrid vesicles for bioimaging and chemotaxis.
María Crespo-Cuadrado
Postdoctoral Researcher
She develops 3D tissue models for biomedical applications.
Network Programme
NET-QUASI will organize 4 workshops (WS) and a final retreat. Each workshop will feature a distinguished national or international expert and IBEC speakers. Each workshop will consist of a half day of presentations starting with the combined presentation of the IBEC group and then be dedicated to the invited speaker talks, followed by “meet the speaker catering”.
Workshops information.
The final retreat will feature two invited speaker talks, a selection of presentations from postdocs and senior researchers, and a career development roundtable discussion with senior PIs and speakers.
All IBEC groups are welcome to join the network and actively participate by sharing their insights.