Objective Structural colour arises from constructive interference of light that is reflected at interfaces within periodic arrays of transparent materials. Their optical response is well understood and widely described in various biological organisms. Despite the maturity of the research field, many important questions remain completely unsolved.In order to elucidate the design principles that underlie the development of such structures in nature, I aim to study the assembly and optical response of both natural and bio-mimetic materials made by using the same materials as nature: cellulose and chitin. Bio-mimetic using natural building blocks will also reveal if disorder, always present in natural structures, is a direct consequence of intrinsic material limitations or if it has a biological significance.Furthermore, understanding the assembly of natural materials will also allow the production of low cost, biodegradable photonic materials. Fields of science engineering and technologymaterials engineeringcolors Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme Topic(s) ERC-StG-2014 - ERC Starting Grant Call for proposal ERC-2014-STG See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-STG - Starting Grant Host institution THE CHANCELLOR MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE Net EU contribution € 1 500 000,00 Address TRINITY LANE THE OLD SCHOOLS CB2 1TN Cambridge United Kingdom See on map Region East of England East Anglia Cambridgeshire CC Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 1 500 000,00 Beneficiaries (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all THE CHANCELLOR MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE United Kingdom Net EU contribution € 1 500 000,00 Address TRINITY LANE THE OLD SCHOOLS CB2 1TN Cambridge See on map Region East of England East Anglia Cambridgeshire CC Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 1 500 000,00