Exact schedule: 10:20--11:00
Soft materials can profoundly alter the state and dynamics of water, with direct consequences for transport and biochemical function. My research investigates how confinement, interfaces and self-assembly generate these effects. I will present our work on lipidic mesophases, where nanoscale confinement maintains liquid-like water and biochemical activity far below the freezing point of bulk water. These findings motivate a broader framework linking structure, dynamics and function in hydrated soft matter. I will extend this framework to artificial cell-like compartments, light-driven biochemical systems and hydrated soft electrolytes, connecting fundamental soft matter physics with health, sustainability and emerging materials technologies.