All the matter around us is made up of atoms of varying degrees of organization and structure. Understanding how this matter assembles and organizes itself, the possible phase diagrams as a function of the size of the system, and the properties at macroscopic scale based on those at atomic scale, remains a major challenge for fundamental research, which can be tackled with the tools of statistical physics.
In its fluid form, matter can flow, and turbulence phenomena, or the transition to the solid state, still pose fundamental problems of the highest order.
Understanding the structure and activity of complex macromolecules (protein, DNA, etc.), or how materials interact with the constituent elements of living organisms, holds the key to understanding biological functions, or their potential toxicity.
- Structure, dynamics and phase transitions, soft matter
- Glass and disordered materials
- Non-equilibrium and multi-scale phenomena & statistical physics
- Fluids and turbulence
- Growth and self-organization mechanisms, controlled assembly, microfluidics
- Biophysics – biochemistry, nanomaterials / biological molecules interaction, toxicity.
Find out more about the research activities of the IRAMIS Research Units.