Development of novel methods to investigate soft and biological materials

The study of soft and biological systems requires methodological innovation to capture their multiscale complexity. The SoMeX Lab has pioneered the development of optical techniques, with a particular focus on Differential Dynamic Microscopy (DDM) and related approaches. These tools combine the advantages of scattering methods with the spatial resolution of microscopy, in a wide range of scattering wave-vectors, enabling experiments that would be difficult or impossible with standard light scattering techniques. Through ongoing refinements, we continue to push the boundaries of what is measurable, enabling novel insights into the dynamics of colloids, polymers, and biological assemblies. In addition to DDM, the lab is intensely active in developing novel rheomicroscopy tools. Rheomicroscopy, an innovative methodology that integrates traditional rheological measurements with high-resolution optical microscopy, enables the simultaneous assessment of a material’s macroscopic mechanical response and its microscopic structural and dynamic rearrangements, widening the scope of classical rheology.