Precision-built dynamic and functional polymer vesicles (2019-2023)
Abstract
Inspired by Nature's design, the project aims to mimic the cytoskeleton of the cell by incorporating a polymer scaffold, providing a solution to build the first artificial polymer vesicle with controlled size, long-term stability, precise location of catalysts, and rapid on-demand bilayer responsiveness. The project expects to generate new knowledge on the dynamic interplay between the polymer and its bilayer to mimic some of the key dynamic functions of the cell, including on-demand activated polymerizations and reactions, logic gates and in situ sensors. Expected outcomes of this project include new synthetic polymer techniques and new quantitative insights into the role of compartmentalisation on chemical reactions and polymerizations.
