Instrument for characterization of biomolecular phase transitions

Like houses, living cells are divided into different rooms with different functions. These "rooms" are known as organelles. Recently, a fundamentally new type of organelle has been discovered that is not bounded by membranes, which is akin to a room without walls. Instead, these organelles form by spontaneous assembly of biological macromolecules: proteins, RNA and DNA. To study such organelles, we need new equipment that can describe the self-assembly of into liquid-like droplets. This grant will enable us to acquire an instrument that can track the self-assembly of macromolecules and the tiny protein droplets formed. The instrument will be used in a range of projects describing how such membrane less organelles are perturbed in disease as well as engineering of new biomaterials.