Objective
It is the overall aim of this project to use responsive catalysts to introduce signal transduction cascades in soft materials, enabling autonomous, programmable and amplified response of soft materials to chemical signals from their environment. 'Smart' soft materials could find many important applications ranging from personalized therapeutics to soft robotics. However, as most molecular materials are unable to communicate, or even respond to, changes in their environment, truly smart materials are still far out of reach. Signal transduction is one of the primary processes used by living cells to react to events taking place in their environment, often involving a signal triggering enzymatic activity, leading to a cellular response. Such rudimentary communication is entirely non-existent in synthetic materials. I here propose the introduction of catalysis-based signal transduction between chemical systems to enable synthetic materials to respond autonomously to events taking place in their environment. Key to achieving this objective will be the development of switchable catalysts, using signals originating from chemical events to change catalytic activity, and coupling changes in catalytic activity to responses in soft materials. In achieving these objectives, I will develop new design strategies for responsive soft materials, enabling control over material formation and response in time and space, through autonomous reaction to chemical signals. This will allow the development of new actuators, self-healing materials, sensors, therapeutics and self-regulation and self-correction of material assembly. It will also constitute an entirely new role for catalysis, as catalysis will be engaged to constitute a first step towards achieving communication between artificial chemical systems.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- engineering and technology electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering electronic engineering robotics soft robotics
- engineering and technology electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering electronic engineering sensors
- natural sciences chemical sciences catalysis
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
ERC-COG - Consolidator Grant
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2016-COG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
2628 CN DELFT
Netherlands
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.