Research team

Prof. Arnaud Delcorte (PI – Spokesperson) 

An expert in ion-beam matter interactions and surface analysis and treatment. His scientific activities encompass the theoretical and experimental study of molecular emission and transfer induced by energetic clusters, of plasma-surface interactions, and his team continues to develop new approaches for improved 2D/3D molecular characterization of surfaces (SIMS, XPS). In the last decade, his research has been expanding in new directions with the development of innovative approaches for the (nano)fabrication of materials and thin films. He currently heads the Bio and Soft Matter division of the Institute of Condensed Matter and Nanoscience and chairs the board of the Surface Characterization facility of UCLouvain. 

Research group
* 5 PhD students, 1 postdoc, 1 engineer
* 1 PhD student and 1 postdoc funded by the project

Prof. Christine Dupont-Gillain (co-PI)

An expert in biointerfaces. This is a multidisciplinary field, which requires to both develop surface analytical methods adapted to biological systems, and to consider the continuum between a material, its surface in contact with biological objects, and the biological medium. Through her career, she has mostly addressed scientific questions related to biomedicine. This was focused on protein-surface and cell-surface interactions and their consequences on applications in biomaterials science, tissue engineering, drug delivery, diagnostics etc. She has also been involved in other research topics through collaborations, such as the natural fiber-matrix interface in biocomposites or the elaboration of nano-objects based on biomolecules. She is currently the Dean of the Faculty of bioscience engineering.

Research group: 
* 5 PhD students, 1 engineer, 1 technician
* 1 PhD student funded by the project

Prof. Michael Singleton

An expert on foldamer directed self-assembly and surpamolecular chemistry. His group has developed an expertise in synthetic chemistry and the use of coordination and supramolecular chemistries for the design of complex molecular architectures and the study of their self-assembly properties.  His research includes the synthesis and study of folded or conformationally controlled oligomers and their use for self-assembly and generating precise functional group arrays. These systems have allowed the development of enzyme active site mimics, protein sized synthetic molecules, molecular hosts or sensors for selective recognition of different chemical species, and new approaches for controlled step-wise self-assembly.

Research group: 
* 5 PhD students, 1 postdoc, 1 technician
* 1 PhD student funded by the project