Active materials such as bacteria, molecular motors and self-propelled colloids are Nature's engines. They extractenergy from their surroundings at a single particle level and use this to do work. Active matter is becoming an increasingly popular area of research because it provides a testing ground for the ideas of non-equilibrium statistical physics, because of its relevance to the collective behaviour of living creatures from cells to starlings, and because of its potential in designing nanomachines.
Our research has focused on understanding the behavior of non-equalibrium thermal dynamic systems, using experimental and computational approaches, with a particular focus on bacterial active matter. Besides, we are also interested in the fundamental aspects of surface-associated microbial life with in vivo and in situ experimental techniques, aiming to elucidate the biophysical principles underlying microbe-environment interactions. Specifically, we are currently studying the following topics:
- Self-organization and pattern formation in living active matter;
- Autonomous motion in living active solids and nematics;
- Mechanical/chemical signaling in living systems;
- Numerical Simulations of Active Matter;
These studies will provides a testing ground for the development of non-equilibrium physics and guide the engineering of novel materials that are self-assemble and self-renew.