Physics of Soft and Partially Ordered Matter

Theory and Simulation Group

Our research explores selected topics in the general field of soft matter, especially,  focusing on complex soft materials, topology and geometry, active matter and bio-systems, soft- and bio-photonics, and their applications. Specifically, our main research topics include topological defects in soft matter, colloids and complex fluids, soft matter optics and photonics, active matter, dynamics of complex fluids, liquid crystal emulsions, protein aggregation in biopharmaceuticals, liquid crystal elastomers, interactions on spherical lattices and caloric effects in soft matter. The methodological approaches include macroscopic phenomenology, topology, and microscopic molecular modeling.

Latest News

Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences 

January 2024 - Gregor Pirnat, Matevž Marinčič, Miha Ravnik, and Matjaž Humar published a paper in PNAS: Quantifying local stiffness and forces in soft biological tissues using droplet optical microcavities

 


The Golden Plaque award

November 2023 - Miha Ravnik received the Golden Plaque award for outstanding scientific and pedagogical contributions at the University of Ljubljana.


Physical Review Letters

March 2023 - Nika Kralj, Miha Ravnik, and Žiga Kos published a paper in Physical Review Letters on Defect line coarsening and refinement in active nematics.