University Research Fellowship award for Davide Michieletto

The University Research Fellowship scheme supports outstanding scientists who have the potential to become leaders in their field.

The Royal Society’s University Research Fellowship scheme is aimed at outstanding scientists who are in the early stages of their research career and have the potential to become leaders in their field.

Davide is based in the School’s Institute for Condensed Matter and Complex Systems, and his main research areas are biophysics and soft matter. He is interested in understanding how DNA organisation and topology – that property of a line that tells you if it is knotted - are regulated in vivo. In spite of the extreme confinement of DNA in vivo (we have 2 meters of it in each human cell!) an army of sophisticated and vitally important proteins keep DNA free of knots and entanglements. Ultimately, he aims to draw inspiration from these mesmerising mechanisms to create “topologically active” complex fluids and materials with novel properties that exploit DNA’s unique capabilities. Potential applications include DNA-based bio- and nano-technology such as novel drug delivery carriers, hydrogels and sensors.

Davide said:

I am extremely pleased and honoured to have received this prestigious award from the Royal Society. I am looking forward to start this new adventure and particularly thrilled by the fact that I will be able to perform experiments as well as theory and simulations.