García-Márquez, A.; Glatzel, S.; Kraupner, A.; Kiefer, K.; Siemensmeyer, K.; Giordano, C.: Branch-like iron nitride and carbide magnetic fibres via electrospinning technique. Chemistry – A European Journal 24 (19), pp. 4895 - 4901 (2018)
Gupta, S.; Altin, B.; Giordano, C.; Gradzielski, M.; Mehta, S. K.: Noble metal/silica "raspberry" type hybrids: synthesis and functionalization. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects 472, pp. 50 - 56 (2015)
Lei, W.; Willinger, M. G.; Antonietti, M.; Giordano, C.: GaN and GaxIn1−xN nanoparticles with tunable indium content: synthesis and characterization. Chemistry – A European Journal 21 (52), pp. 18976 - 18982 (2015)
Ma, L.; Ting, L. R. L.; Molinari, V.; Giordano, C.; Yeo, B. S.: Efficient hydrogen evolution reaction catalyzed by molybdenum carbide and molybdenum nitride nanocatalysts synthesized via the urea glass route. Journal of Materials Chemistry A 3 (16), pp. 8361 - 8368 (2015)
Chieffi, G.; Giordano, C.; Antonietti, M.; Esposito, D.: FeNi nanoparticles with carbon armor as sustainable hydrogenation catalysts: towards biorefineries. Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2 (30), pp. 11591 - 11596 (2014)
Kaur, R.; Giordano, C.; Gradzielski, M.; Mehta, S. K.: Synthesis of highly stable, water-dispersible copper nanoparticles as catalysts for nitrobenzene reduction. Chemistry – An Asian Journal 9 (1), pp. 189 - 198 (2014)
Milke, B.; Wall, C.; Metzke, S.; Clavel, G.; Fichtner, M.; Giordano, C.: A simple synthesis of MnN0.43@C nanocomposite: characterization and application as battery material. Journal of Nanoparticle Research 16 (12), 2795 (2014)
Molinari, V.; Giordano, C.; Antonietti, M.; Esposito, D.: Titanium nitride-nickel nanocomposite as heterogeneous catalyst for the hydrogenolysis of aryl ethers. Journal of the American Chemical Society 136 (5), pp. 1758 - 1761 (2014)
Corbiere, T. C. M.; Ressnig, D.; Giordano, C.; Antonietti, M.: Focused radiation heating for controlled high temperature chemistry, exemplified with the preparation of vanadium nitride nanoparticles. RSC Advances 3 (35), pp. 15337 - 15343 (2013)
Giordano, C.; Corbiere, T.: A step forward in metal nitride and carbide synthesis: from pure nanopowders to nanocomposites. Colloid and Polymer Science 291 (6), pp. 1297 - 1311 (2013)
Glatzel, S.; Schnepp, Z.; Giordano, C.: From Paper to Structured Carbon Electrodes by Inkjet Printing. Angewandte Chemie-International Edition 52 (8), pp. 2355 - 2358 (2013)
Gupta, S.; Giordano, C.; Gradzielski, M.; Mehta, S. K.: Microwave-assisted synthesis of small Ru nanoparticles and their role in degradation of congo red. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science 411, pp. 173 - 181 (2013)
Liu, X. F.; Antonietti, M.; Giordano, C.: Manipulation of phase and microstructure at nanoscale for SiC in molten salt synthesis. Chemistry of Materials 25 (10), pp. 2021 - 2027 (2013)
Petkov, V.; Hessel, C. M.; Ovtchinnikoff, J.; Guillaussier, A.; Korgel, B. A.; Liu, X. F.; Giordano, C.: Structure-properties correlation in Si nanoparticles by total scattering and computer simulations. Chemistry of Materials 25 (11), pp. 2365 - 2371 (2013)
Challenge: It's not just whether a membrane is in a "solid" or "liquid" state that matters—how tightly its molecules are packed also influences how protein-rich droplets (condensates) stick to it Finding: More tightly packed membranes push away condensates, while loosely packed ones attract them Impact: Understanding these interactions is key to grasping essential cellular functions and disease progression
Scientists can now predict structural colors in bacteria. By sequencing a wide range of bacterial DNA and developing an accurate predictive model, reseachers uncovered how bacteria organize themselves into specific patterns within colonies to interfere with light and create iridescence.Their findings hold great promise for sustainable, pigment-free color production.
Biomolecular condensates may play a crucial but overlooked role in remodeling membrane structures within cells. Rumiana Dimova and her team demonstrated that these droplets can shape parts of the endoplasmic reticulum into nanotubes and double-membrane discs without the need for specific curvature-molding proteins.
Imagine switching on a light and being able to understand and control the inner dynamics of a cell. This is what the Dimova group has achieved: by shining lights of different colors on replicates of cells, they altered the interactions between cellular elements. Controlling these complex interactions enables us to deliver specific drugs directly into the cells.
Little is known yet about the interaction between these biomolecular condensate droplets and the membrane-bound organelles. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Potsdam developed synthetic membraneless organelles and visualized what happens when they meet a membrane.
Prof Silvia Vignolini, Ph.D. is establishing the new Department "Sustainable and Bio-inspired Materials". She is working at the interface of physics, chemistry, biology and materials science and perfectly complements the institute's profile of research on chemistry, materials and sustainability.