Agenda

22 Apr 2026 16:00

We Hear from the ECLT Network | Jitka Cejkova & Marek Grzelczak

Online

We Hear from the ECLT Network | 2026

April 22, 2026 |  4 PM CEST - Online 

Double seminar with:
"Life-Like Behaviour in Chemical Systems: Droplets as Liquid Robots”
Jitka Cejkova
and 
"Colloidal Systems Chemisty”
Marek Grzelczak

Will follow a joint Q&A period. 

Zoom link:
https://unive.zoom.us/j/82341747228?pwd=Y80ynG0RewxZvsBrLpcsrbuhbXp866.1

ID: 823 4174 7228
Passcode: 20EcLt26

----

Life-Like Behaviour in Chemical Systems: Droplets as Liquid Robots 

Jitka Cejkova
University of Chemistry and Technology Prague

Artificial life seeks to understand the principles of living systems by recreating life-like behaviour in artificial substrates. Chemistry provides a powerful platform for this exploration, enabling the study of how complex behaviour can emerge from simple non-living components. In this talk, I will present experimental research on organic droplets in aqueous surfactant solutions. Despite their simplicity, these droplets exhibit a range of life-like properties, including self-propulsion, chemotaxis, shape transformations, and adaptive behaviour in response to their environment. These systems motivate the concept of liquid robots—minimal chemical entities capable of autonomous action and interaction. By studying such systems, we can explore the fundamental principles underlying life-like behaviour and bridge the gap between non-living matter and living systems. Beyond their relevance to artificial life and the origins of life, liquid robots also offer potential applications in areas such as environmental sensing, targeted transport, and unconventional computing.

---

Colloidal Systems Chemistry

Marek Grzelczak
Centro de Física de Materiales CSIC-UPV/EHU

The development of synthetic chemical entities that exhibit life-like features is a central aim of systems chemistry, which is progressively expanding towards other disciplines. 1–3 The three-decade progress in nanoscience has made it possible to deliver proof of concept experiment on replication, reproduction, and selection using nanoparticle and colloids as building blocks. Nanotechnology, thus, has expanded the repertoire of new tools reinforcing systems chemistry and thus further development of living technologies. I will discuss recent advances in the use of nanoscience and colloidal science within the context of systems chemistry. 4 In particular, I will review our recent works on the development of stimuli-responsive dynamic assemblies featuring self-oscillatory patterns. 5,6

References
1 E. Mattia and S. Otto, Nat Nanotechnol, 2015, 10, 111–119.
2 C. M. E. Kriebisch, et al., Chem, DOI:10.1016/j.chempr.2024.102399.
3 G. Volpe, et al., J. Phys.: Condens. Matter, 2025, 37, 333501.
4 M. Grzelczak, J. Colloid Interface Sci., 2019, 537, 269–279.
5 S. A. Mezzasalma, J. Kruse, S. Merkens, E. Lopez, A. Seifert, R. Morandotti and M. Grzelczak, Adv. Mater., 2023, 35, 2302987.
6 A. Rao, A. Sánchez-Iglesias and M. Grzelczak, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2024, 146, 18236–18240.

Language

The event will be held in English

Organized by

ECLT

Search in the agenda