Active Matter: From Fundamental Science to Technological Applications

Project Information

ActiveMatter

Grant agreement ID: 812780

DOI

10.3030/812780

Project closed

EC signature date 10 May 2019

Start date 1 September 2019

End date 29 February 2024

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 4 012 080,12

EU contribution

€ 4 012 080,12

Coordinated by

GOETEBORGS UNIVERSITET
Sweden

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - ActiveMatter (Active Matter: From Fundamental Science to Technological Applications)

Reporting period: 2021-09-01 to 2024-02-29

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

ActiveMatter MSCA-ITN (Innovative Training Network) arised from the need to train a new generation of physicists and engineers in the highly interdisciplinary fields related to active matter, which encompasses a variety of disciplines from physics, chemistry, micro-and nanotechnology to biology and medicine, and provides options to perform tasks not easily realizable with other standard techniques on the micro- and nanoscale. Active matter keeps on attracting interest because its study sheds light on far-from-equilibrium physics. Active materials exhibit striking similarities with the dynamical properties of living systems, providing an ideal model system to understand the behavior and (self-)organization of motile organisms, and potentially providing tools to understand and replicate complex biological processes (like the working of cells, their organization in cellular tissues, or mitosis and embryogenesis) on the base of general and universal physical concepts.

During the 54 months of activity of the network, ActiveMatter MSCA-ITN has allowed a deeper understanding of the following fundamental challenges associated with far-from-equilibrium physics, and with key technological issues of great societal and economic impact, namely:
1. to develop biocompatible active particles, reducing their footprint by scaling them down towards the nanoscale.
2. to understand their emergent and synergistic behaviors in complex and crowded environments.
3. to study self-assembly in dense active and living matter systems.
4. to translate the results obtained until now by the active matter community to real-life applications of societal and economical value.

Among the main achievements of ActiveMatter MSCA-ITN, we have the:
• Contribution to the training of a new generation of physicists and engineers in the highly interdisciplinary fields related to active matter.
• Bringing the active matter community together to organize the available knowledge in a format that can be used to train a new generation of scientists and engineers in active matter.
• Better understanding of far-from-equilibrium physics
• Use of the knowledge gained to address key technological issues of great societal and economic impact: starting the development of biocompatible active particle; understanding the emergent and synergistic behaviors of active particles in complex and crowded environments such as, e.g. the environment in cells and living tissues; study the self-assembly in dense active and living systems; and use the results and knowledge obtained to develop real-life application of societal and economical value.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Research wise, the progress of the network has been affected by the covid-19 pandemics, which caused a delay in the recruiting of the ESRs. However, all the ESRs were recruited and could carry out their research project.
All the deliverables have been submitted as planned, and the research progress of the network proceeded according to the plans.

The initial training events (on numerical, experimental, theoretical methods for active matter) were held online, due to the covid19 pandemics. In total, approximately 50 experts in the field of active matter have given lectures in the training events.

Starting 2022, the planned network-wide training events have been held in person.
Lisbon (2022) focused on the updates on the ESRs research projects, on the development of soft skills and communication abilities, and on outreach. During this event the first round of activities meant for a public of primary and secondary education students were designed by the ESRs. One of the activity (“The game of active matter”) was deemed to have a great potential for development and was brought further during the next meetings in 2023.
Messina (spring 2023) featured an update on the progress of the projects and focused on the development of soft skills. In this event, the ESRs were also able to develop further the game of active matter and tried a first version of the game.
Gothenburg (fall 2023) included un update on the status of the ESRs projects and focused on entrepreneurship and career development. This event we tried in a tournament the final version of the game of active matter.

The networking has been partially hindered by the travel and gathering restrictions during the pandemics. However, once the situation started normalizing, the ESRs have been able to meet in person and their connection has grown significantly in quality. Half of the ESRs were able to have at least one secondment.

ActiveMatter has tried to reach out to a wider community despite the initial challenges related to the pandemics.
On the website and on the YouTube channel of ActiveMatter one can find the updates on the research activities of the ESRs, as well as the information about the training events.

The book on active matter is in its final stage and is expected to be published in the end of 2024.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

From the beginning of the network, ActiveMatter has 30 published articles to its credit (see Publications entered in the F&T portal), and several preprints.

The network, by combining cutting-edge experimental, theoretical, and computational approaches, provided a new synergic approach to active matter that enhanced transfer of research results and technologies between sectors.
The cooperation with the companies in our network had succeeded to translate the research progresses into real-life applications, mainly concerning microfluidics applications.

The network was successful in the training of the 15 ESRs in R&D topics that cover the multiple disciplines required in the fast-evolving field of active matter.
Already 4 of our ESRs have successfully defended their PhD and the remaining ones are expected to defend within the coming year.

The outcome of the ActiveMatter packages, training structure and ESR projects has had the following impact on the European and international scientific and technological landscape:
• a fundamental scientific understanding of active matter beyond the state of the art by starting to develop biocompatible active particles, by exploring and understanding their emergent and synergistic behaviors in complex and crowded environments, and by studying self-assembly in dense active and living matter systems.
• the exploitation of the new possibilities that active matter offers for technological and industrial applications like the design and fabrication of biomimetic active materials, and the targeted localization, pick-up and transport of nanocargoes in chemical sensing, drug delivery and bioremediation (see publications)
• developed guidelines and materials (including a graduate textbook, to be published open access end of 2024 with Springer) needed to start study programs in active matter – from outreach activities to fully fledged graduate (Master and PhD) study programs.
• help train a new generation of researchers with cross-disciplinary competences within the active matter field. These researchers will be uniquely positioned to take advantage of this blossoming field of research obtaining leadership positions within both academia and industry and driving its future direction. This will have the beneficial effect of keeping the European Research Area at the very forefront of active matter.

New logo for ActiveMatter, designed by the ESRs of ActiveMatter (Color)

New logo for ActiveMatter, designed by the ESRs of ActiveMatter (BW)