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Dresden International Graduate School for Interdisciplinary Life Sciences

PhD Winter Selection 2027

currently open – call closes:
15 October 2026 15:00 CEST (GMT+2)

More information

RTG 3142 - Research Projects

The Research Training Group compares material formation across a diverse set of organisms, including zebrafish, fruit flies, nematodes, diatoms, sponges and spiders, each of which produces materials with unique mechanical, optical, or structural properties. These systems give rise to different classes of biological materials and allow us to search for shared as well as system-specific principles of materials formation.

We work across molecular, subcellular, cellular and organismal scales. Our research combines molecular and cell biology, genetics, biochemistry and proteomics and connects this with materials characterization, advanced imaging, bioinformatics, mathematical modeling and numerical simulation.

See the list of our research projects

© Vinolia Dmello

Core scientific questions

  • Which biomolecules drive self-assembly of biological materials and what are their precise properties?
  • How do active and passive subcellular and cellular processes determine the texture and morphology of biological materials?
  • How does collective cell behavior influence the structures and properties of the materials being formed and vice versa?

From understanding to future applications

Traditional manufacturing methods of materials are often unsustainable and resource-intensive1. In contrast, biological systems produce advanced materials under ambient conditions, using minimal energy and renewable resources2–7. By understanding how nature builds materials, we will foster the development of bioinspired materials processing and design emphasizing performance and sustainability.

 

1. Raabe, D., Tasan, C. C. & Olivetti, E. A. Strategies for improving the sustainability of structural metals. Nature 575, 64–74 (2019).

2. Horn, R. et al. Bio-inspiration as a Concept for Sustainable Constructions Illustrated on Graded Concrete. J Bionic Eng 16, 742–753 (2019).

3. Ha, N. S. & Lu, G. A review of recent research on bio-inspired structures and materials for energy absorption applications. Composites Part B: Engineering 181, 107496 (2020).

4. Sviben, S. et al. Epidermal Cell Surface Structure and Chitin-Protein Co-assembly Determine Fiber Architecture in the Locust Cuticle. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces 12, 25581–25590 (2020).

5. Sanchez, C., Julián, B., Belleville, P. & Popall, M. Applications of hybrid organic–inorganic nanocomposites. J. Mater. Chem. 15, 3559 (2005).

6. Wegst, U. G. K., Bai, H., Saiz, E., Tomsia, A. P. & Ritchie, R. O. Bioinspired structural materials. Nature Mater 14, 23–36 (2015).

7. Studart, A. R. Towards High‐Performance Bioinspired Composites. Advanced Materials 24, 5024–5044 (2012).