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Soft and Living Matter Physics
Last Updated: 2026-06-03 00:14:06
Abstract
Soft matter physics is the study of materials that are “soft” and have behaviours between liquids and solids. Many every-day materials around us, like plastics, cosmetics, and food are soft. Soft materials also play a key role in biology: living matter is for the large part soft matter. In this course we will cover the fundamental concepts of soft and living matter physics.
Objective
Soft matter physics is fantastically interdisciplinary, as it borrows concepts from various areas of physics (including statistical physics, thermodynamics, and continuum mechanics) and applies them to problems far afield, including biology, biomedicine, materials science and food technology. As such, the main outcome of this course is the ability to bring together several ideas (from statistical physics, thermodynamics, continuum mechanics and electromagnetism) to capture and predict the physical behaviour of complex soft and living matter systems driven simultaneously by mechanical, electromagnetic, and entropic forces. Students will be able to make order of magnitude estimates for predicting such a behaviour, isolate the main physical factors and discard the less relevant influences that affect such a system. Consolidation of learning will be through examples and solution of exercise problems.
Content
-Elements of fluid dynamics -Viscoelasticity and complex fluids -Brownian motion -Biological matter and elements of non-equilibrium physics -Surfaces and interfaces -Phase separation and multiphase flows -Polymers and biological macromolecules -Molecular self-assembly (including protein aggregation in Alzheimer's) -Surfactants and biological membranes -Colloids -Gels and elastomers -Liquid crystals -Emulsions and foams -Granular matter -Active matter
Resources
Lecture Notes
Lecture notes available in English.
Literature
- R.A.L. Jones, Soft Condensed Matter, Oxford University Press, 2002. - M. Doi, Soft Matter Physics, Oxford University Press, 2013. - R. Phillips, J. Kondev, J. Theriot, and H.G. Garcia. Physical biology of the cell, Garland Science, 2012. - S.A. Safran, Statistical Thermodynamics of Surfaces, Interfaces and Membranes, Addison Wesley, 1994. - P. Nelson, Biological Physics, Freeman, 2003.
Learning Materials (Links)
- Moodle course
- Moodle-Kurs / Moodle course
General Information
- Language
- English
- Levels
- BSC , MSC
- Frequency
- Yearly recurring
Examination
- Type
- session examination
- Mode
- oral 20 minutes
Course Components
| Type | Title | Time & Place | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| lecture | Soft and Living Matter Physics |
|
2 h weekly |
| exercise | Soft and Living Matter Physics |
|
1 h weekly |