SFB 1551 Seminar Series Event – Prof. Dr. Shikha Dhiman

Methods talk by Prof. Dr. Shikha Dhiman, Chemistry Department, Johannes Gutenberg University

Harnessing Competitive Interactions to Regulate Supramolecular Assembly

Abstract:
Understanding the interplay between supramolecular polymerization and phase separation is key to unraveling the formation of biomolecular assemblies such as protein fibers and membraneless organelles. I will present a minimal synthetic system—comprising a BTA-based monomer, surfactant, and water—that mimics biological condensates through a micelle-to-droplet-to-fiber transition. This pathway, governed by competitive interactions, is reversible under external stimuli like temperature and guest molecules. Our findings offer a framework for controlling supramolecular order and dynamics, with implications for synthetic biology and therapeutic design.