Materials Research Science and Engineering Center

The Brandeis Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) seeks to create new materials that are constructed from only a few simplified components, yet capture the remarkable functionalities found in living organisms. In addition to opening new directions in materials science research, these efforts will elucidate the minimal requirements for the emergence of biological function. The center unites the efforts of over fifty faculty, students and staff from six different universities and supports four shared facilities centered around computation, microfluidics fabrication and device operation, advanced optical microscopy, and biomaterials preparation.

Research

Our researchers combine elemental building blocks — such as motor proteins and DNA origami — to understand the emergence of biomimetic functionalities that are highly sought-after in materials science and to synergistically engineer life-like materials.

The research is organized into two Interdisciplinary Research Groups (IRGs) composed of Brandeis faculty who, with their students and postdoctoral associates, investigate fundamental scientific questions and pathways to reach significant technological goals that can only be properly explored in a collaborative, multidisciplinary mode. These problems are too large in scope to be addressed by individual faculty members and their students. The research goals and accomplishments are reviewed regularly so that appropriate adjustments can be made to insure the quality of the Center's research effort. The current active Brandeis MRSEC IRGs are IRG 1 Self-Limiting Assembly and IRG 2 Soft Active Materials.

Publications supported by Brandeis MRSEC’s research

Education, and Workforce Development

The Brandeis MRSEC offers a broad range of education, outreach and workforce development programs for K-12 students and teachers, undergraduates, graduate students and postdocs.