The development of nanotechnology-based medicines and vaccines relies on modern interdisciplinary approaches that integrate physical chemistry, biology, materials engineering, and more recently, Artificial Intelligence. A central role in these approaches is played by the self-organization of nanosystems, through which lipidic and polymeric nanostructures assemble into ordered architectures with controlled morphology and functionality. The liquid crystalline state enables the formation of lipid domains (lipid rafts), which significantly influence the functionality of nanocarriers such as liposomes and lipid nanoparticles. Artificial lipid raft-like domains within nanosystems exhibit behaviors that resemble those of biological membranes, whose structure and function serve as a fundamental model for the rational design of innovative drug delivery systems and next-generation vaccines.

The seminar will present and discuss key concepts including self-organization, complexity, liquid crystalline behavior, and thermodynamics of nanoscale drug delivery systems. In addition, currently marketed nanotherapeutic products and vaccines will be presented, illustrating the translation of nanoscience into clinical and commercial applications.

Finally, the seminar will address the challenges posed by the regulatory frameworks of international drug and vaccine approval authorities, with a focus on the need for robust scientific evidence to capture the complexity of nanotechnology-based medicinal products. This is critical both for the development of innovative originator drugs and for the production of their “similar” counterparts.

We report a comprehensive study on the molecular structure and dynamics of large polyethylene-oxide (PEO) rings in the melt and in symmetric ring/linear blends. The investigation of the ring conformation were performed by Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS): For all rings we observed a cross over from a compact structure at large distances to Gaussian conformations at shorter distances. The cross over occurs at a distance along the ring of N_e,0=45±2.5 monomers providing evidence for the theoretically predicted elementary loops that build the ring conformation. The radius of gyration  R_g(N)  follows the result of numerous simulations. However, other than claimed the cross over to mass fractal behavior is not reached. The self-similar ring dynamics was accessed by PFG-NMR and neutron spin echo (NSE) spectroscopy: We find center of mass diffusion taking place in three dynamic regimes starting (i) with a strongly sub-diffusive domain <r²_com (t)> ~ t^a (0.4 < a < 0.65) (ii) a second sub-diffusive region <r²_com (t)> ~ t^0.75 that (iii) finally crosses over to Brownian diffusion. While the exponent 0.75 was predicted by theory, we attribute the first to the effect of cooperative dynamics resulting from the correlation hole potential. The internal dynamics at scales below the elementary loop size is well described by ring Rouse motion. At larger scales the dynamics is self-similar and follows very well the predictions of the scaling models with preference for the self-consistent fractal loopy globule (FLG) model. Ring/linear blends were studied over the full concentration range. Both the blend viscosity as well as the microscopic dynamics were studied. Applying neutron spin echo (NSE) spectroscopy on samples containing a fraction of labelled rings, we essentially observed the internal ring dynamics and its modifications as function of ring volume fraction φ_R. We observe an increased enslavement of the ring dynamics with higher linear volume fraction. The increasing ring enslavement well correlates with the relative increase of the blend viscosity.  At a ring volume fraction φ_R = 0.5 where the viscosity increase attains its maximum, the spectral shapes are still local reptation type, however the entanglement network is diluted.

In my talk I will present an overview of the structure and dynamics investigation of soft matter performed at the JCNS by neutron scattering and complementary methods. In particular, I will focus on polymer nanocomposites consisted of nanoparticles and grafted polymer chains (1-3) studied by SAS techniques and neutron spin-echo spectroscopy (NSE). As an example of applying the complementary methods I will present the pulsed field gradient (PFG) NMR study of blends of topologically different polymers (ring and linear) and passive macromolecular translocation mechanism through lipid membranes (4,5).

1. A. Sharma et al. Phys. Rev. Mater. 2022, 6 (1), L012601
2. M. Kruteva et al., Soft Matter, 2025, 21, 4378-4392
3. A. Sharma et al. Macromolecules 2023, 56 (13), 4952–4965
4. M. Kruteva et al. Macromolecules 2017, 50 (23), 9482–9493
5. E. Kostyurina et al. J Am Chem Soc 2022, 144 (33), 15348–15354

Optically active quantum defects are a leading platform for generating the many-photon entangled states needed for photonic quantum computing, quantum networks, and sensing. Generation rates can be increased if the defect spin can be coupled to quantum memories such as nuclear spins in the host material. Protocols that take advantage of this capability require a detailed quantitative understanding of electron-nuclear spin entanglement dynamics. I’ll discuss our recent progress in obtaining a better understanding of these dynamics and describe how the ability to control these dynamics can be used to improve the creation of many-photon entangled states.