Force exertion by light-fueled self-assembly: synthetic polymer motors

Vital cellular functions rely on dynamic soft materials known as microtubules and actin filaments. The role of these polymerization motors consists in converting the free energy of supramolecular polymerization into mechanical forces, through which purposeful motion can be generated, for example chromosomes separation or cell movement.
The goal of this PhD project is to create fully artificial and waste-free polymerization motors capable of converting light into mechanical forces at the nanoscale and beyond. The first challenge is to control the aqueous supramolecular polymerization of dynamic tubular self-assemblies (artificial microtubules) and dynamic networks of helical supramolecular polymers (artificial actin networks) by light. The second challenge is to demonstrate the exertion of mechanical forces generated by their light-fueled self-assembly.