The integration of innovative concepts and principles of supramolecular chemistry, particularly unorthodox or “exotic” interactions, is a unifying theme in the group, covering different functions. Much current emphasis on anion-π interactions, chalcogen, pnictogen bonds, dynamic covalent exchange cascades and mechanical bond untwisting is highlighted separately. These topics emerged from the use of the same interactions to transport ions across lipid bilayer membranes (rigid-rod molecules, artificial beta barrels, slides, stacks, voltage gating, ligand gating). This original interest in transport across membranes has also lead to extended periods of research on artificial photosystems (surface architectures, SOSIP, OMARG, surface-initiated ring-opening disulfide exchange polymerization, self-sorting, zipper assembly), and on sensors (biosensors, differential sensing, aptamer-immunosensing, artificial tongue, artificial nose). Experience from these topics reemerge here and there in ongoing research, sometimes on special request by group members or collaborators.

Some graphical abstracts: