The Itai Cohen Group - Complex Matter Physics

It is an exciting time to study soft condensed matter. We are now living out what was merely science fiction in past decades. Whether it's using shear thickening colloidal suspensions to design flexible yet bulletproof protective gear, or using polymer shells that rupture on command to make drug delivery devices, the message is clear: Designing adaptable materials whose optical and mechanical properties can be tuned through their response to various stimuli will have a profound effect on our society.

We focus on three areas at the forefront of this broad field:

• Colloidal suspensions – where microscopic and nanoscopic particles are suspended in a fluid.
• Biological tissues – where fibers, cells, and other biomolecules form complex hierarchical structures.
• Fluid-membrane interfaces – where fluids interact with an interface or flexible membrane.