COMMONS-Commonalities in membrane molecular interactions

Biological processes and drug formulations rely on finetuned biomolecular interactions.

A vast amount of current research is spent on very important discoveries and characterization of the biomolecules that cooperate in specific systems and processes.

In COMMONS we aim to complement this view with a more general formalism and with an aim and ambition to find general molecular driving forces and principles that recur in most of these systems.

We will create a Center with appointed visiting professors and internationally recruited postdocs that are directly involved in this research endeavor, and create a research school with associated PhD students centered on eye opening courses, seminar series and workshops.

The students will become competent in fundamental physicochemical principles and trained to see how these principles govern seemingly disparate biological functions and medical interventions.

We will provide the fundamental knowledge base required (i) to aid the emerging revolution in nanomedicine following the success of mRNA-based vaccines, (ii) provide new solutions to the pressing societal challenges connected with antibiotic resistances, as well as (iii) the strive to combat neurodegenerative diseases for which there are still no cure.

We will also create a channel for in-depth dissemination of the research results in academic discussions across natural science and humanities, and facilitate mutual intellectual exchange on the broad societal impact of the research.