The new LINXS theme, Soft Matter in Life, aims to build knowledge on self-assembly
Self-assembled structures are ubiquitous in nature. Understanding how and why biological molecules self-assemble into complex structures is key to explaining many biological functions in living cells and tissues; and can help us develop new applications in food science, pharmaceuticals and biobased materials. The new LINXS theme: Soft Matter in Life: Biological self-assembly across time and length scales (SMILE) aims to promote the use of neutron and X-ray scattering to understand self-assembly in soft biological and bio-inspired systems.
“While self-assembly has been studied for many decades in non-biological soft matter, we still have much more to learn about how living organisms exploit self-assembly to organise biomolecules into functional structures,” says theme leader Hanna Wacklin-Knecht, Associate Professor in Physical Chemistry, Lund University and Head of Scientific Support at ESS.
Developing and advancing neutron and X-ray techniques for life science together with large scale research facilities is at the heart of the theme states Hanna Wacklin-Knecht.
Bridge knowledge gaps by transferring methodologies from the soft matter to the life science community
Hanna Wacklin-Knecht was motivated to start the theme to bridge this knowledge gap; with a specific focus on transferring some of the methodologies developed in the soft matter community to the life science community to promote new approaches to investigating biological systems from the molecular and nanoscale up to the micrometre length scale of cells.
“Self-assembly in complex biological systems, composed of a large number of different constituents that organise themselves at multiple length scales, cannot be adequately understood through only studying simple model systems. Methodologies urgently need to be developed to probe real biological systems,“ says Hanna Wacklin-Knecht.
“Our strategic goal is to push the frontiers in fundamental and applied life science by developing a concerted and international effort anchored at LINXS for using neutrons and X-rays for explaining biological function and developing new biotechnological applications. To achieve this aim, SMILE collaborates with international networks and centres such as the newly funded Danish lighthouse project Caiff, the SwedNess national PhD school, the CLIMB MSCA Doctoral Network, and SoftComp.”
Focus on identifying commonalities among self-assembly
Hanna Wacklin-Knecht explains that in order to optimize the potential for new high impact research, SMILE takes the approach of inspecting the relationship between structure and dynamics evolution across length and timescales, with focus on identifying commonalities among self-assembly mechanisms, rather than focusing on specific systems or compounds.
The theme organisation draws inspiration from the Challenge-based approach of the COMMONS Center of Excellence at Lund University, to explore three overarching questions: nanoscale vs macroscopic phase separation, coupling molecular to cellular level behaviour, and connecting molecular dynamics with the kinetic evolution of structures.
Push neutron and X-ray techniques for life science forward
Developing and advancing neutron and X-ray techniques for life science together with large scale research facilities is at the heart of the theme, with a strong focus on the development of both experimental and data-analysis methodologies for complex biological systems.
“Being able to bring together an international network of researchers from both academia and research infrastructures is an exciting opportunity,“ says Hanna Wacklin-Knecht.
She hopes that the theme’s work will result in a tool box that will enable and encourage the life science community to use more neutron and X-ray techniques than today to study complex biological phenomena. That she is placed at ESS is a great strength for developing the research and methodologies together, as well as for making the tools accessible for the broader user community.
“The theme is a great opportunity to advance questions connected to biological self-assembly hand-in-hand with developing new methodologies to probe them.”
She adds:
“This work will require detailed examination of both practical and theoretical issues, for example, how we apply currently available methods to more complex systems, or how we can best combine information from techniques that study vastly different length scales – such as imaging and scattering experiments.”
What can more knowledge on self-asssembly mean for life science and other societally important sectors?
“From a biological perspective we want to understand better fundamental cellular function, but this can also help us design better medicines or plant based foods for example. The most important thing about fundamental research and method development is that you never know what they will enable in the long run!”