Mission: Training the next generation of interdisciplinary scientists
The unique aim of RTG 3120 ‘Biomolecular Condensates’ is to establish an interdisciplinary educational and research framework that unites biophysicists, soft matter physicists, polymer physicists, biologists, biochemists, and computational biologists in the quest to understand biomolecular condensates from physical principles to biological functions.
Current news by our research groups
Agnes Toth-Petroczy receives Schering Young Investigator Award 2025
According to the Schering Stiftung website: "The Schering Stiftung annually awards the Schering Young Investigator Award, honoring scientists who have demonstrated outstanding achievements in basic research across the spectrum of life sciences... It carries a prize money of € 10,000." Agnes…
New Study: Molecular dynamics investigation of polymer-decorated nanoparticles with co-nonsolvent: Structural transitions from isotropic layers to heterogeneous patches
A new study by Sommer and colleagues in the Journal of Chemical Physics investigates how polymer-decorated nanoparticles (PDNPs)—tiny particles coated with grafted polymer chains—undergo structural changes in mixed-solvent environments. Using detailed molecular dynamics simulations, the authors…
Intra-condensate demixing of TDP-43 inside stress granules generates pathological aggregates
A new study from the labs of Honigmann, Hyman, and Alberti in Dresden, in addition to colleagues in Texas A&M University, Mayo Clinic, Brown University, and Saint Louis University investigates the mechanism behind pathological outcomes of protein aggregation inside stress granules. The authors…
Impact of Coiled-Coil Domains on the Phase Behavior of Biomolecular Condensates
A new Study from the Harmon and Sommer Labs in ACS Macro Letters entitled 'Impact of Coiled-Coil Domains on the Phase Behavior of Biomolecular Condensates' addressed how the geometry and structure of folded domains impact condensate formation. They used coarse-grained simulations to determine that…
Why Study Biomolecular Condensates?
Cells are not just bags of molecules; they are exquisitely organized, with biochemical reactions coordinated in space and time. One of the most exciting discoveries of the last decade is that many cellular processes are orchestrated by biomolecular condensates—dynamic, membraneless compartments that form through phase separation. These condensates challenge our traditional understanding of how cells work, opening up a new frontier at the intersection of physics, chemistry, and biology.
Learn the basics of Biomolecuar Condensates
Go to the Science Sketches page for more cool explanatory movies.