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COMMONS is pleased to welcome three visiting scientists during the summer of 2026. Their visits aim to stimulate scientific discussion, initiate new collaborations, and contribute to the COMMONS research environment.Kevin Roger (CNRS Toulouse) will visit in June. He is an expert in colloidal and physical chemistry, with research focused on emulsification, drying, and precipitation in complex collo

https://www.commons-center.lu.se/article/three-international-scientists-visit-commons-summer-2026 - 2026-10-07

What is it that causes something to transform? And what is a transformation, really? Sometimes we speak of tipping points or boiling points—critical states where a small change can cause an entire system, ultimately even the whole planet, to change form. In physics and chemistry, such phase transitions can be observed and predicted, but the larger the context, the harder it becomes—and the more is

https://www.commons-center.lu.se/article/transformations-forvandlingar - 2026-10-07

Milka Doktorova and Alessandra Luchini recently led a COMMONS Challenge focused on membrane asymmetry. The event brought together researchers with diverse expertise to discuss current questions and emerging perspectives in membrane biology. Online participation enabled colleagues from different locations to join the conversation.A follow-up discussion is planned for later this summer to continue e

https://www.commons-center.lu.se/article/commons-challenge-membrane-asymmetry - 2026-10-07

Interest in the LLPS2026 Workshop and PhD School has been very high. Both events reached full capacity within just a few days of opening registration, reflecting the growing interest in liquid–liquid phase separation and related self-assembly phenomena across disciplines.Taking place during the last week of August in Lund, the LLPS2026 program will bring together researchers from the fields of lif

https://www.commons-center.lu.se/article/llps2026-workshop-and-phd-school-attract-strong-interest - 2026-10-07

Two collaborative research projects involving researchers from COMMONS have been awarded funding through the Röntgen-Ångström Cluster (RÅC) programme, supporting new Swedish–German research collaborations in soft matter and life science.The RÅC programme promotes long-term scientific collaboration between Sweden and Germany in areas including structural biology, materials science, and related fiel

https://www.commons-center.lu.se/article/two-commons-linked-projects-awarded-rontgen-angstrom-cluster-funding - 2026-10-07

Researchers affiliated with COMMONS continue to contribute to contemporary essayistic writing in both international and Swedish publications.Three essays by COMMONS researchers have recently been published in English by the European cultural journal Eurozine:Fredrik Höök, "Competing for the Origin of Life"Joakim Stenhammar, "On Starlings and the Thermodynamics of Life"David Dunér (COMMONS Scientif

https://www.commons-center.lu.se/article/commons-researchers-publish-essays-eurozine-and-glanta - 2026-10-07

In the last week of August, COMMONS organized LLPS2026, bringing together researchers to explore liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) from a wide range of perspectives.The event began with the first intensive LLPS PhD Summer School, followed by a three-day workshop. International experts contributed to both the summer school and the workshop, sharing their knowledge and perspectives through lectu

https://www.commons-center.lu.se/article/connecting-perspectives-phase-separation-llps2026 - 2026-10-07

COMMONS welcomes Sabrina Leslie from the University of British Columbia (UBC) for a one-week visit to Lund.Sabrina will give a seminar on Monday and spend the week collaborating with COMMONS scientists around her CLiC (Convex Lens-induced Confinement) microscopy method. She is also keen to interact with researchers across COMMONS and explore new ideas and collaborations.In conjunction with the vis

https://www.commons-center.lu.se/article/commons-welcomes-sabrina-leslie-lund - 2026-10-07

Sketches in Science, organized together with Skissernas Museum, turns to the role of sketching in scientific practice. How do scientists use sketches to think, explore, test ideas and communicate what they see? And what can sketches tell us about the process of scientific discovery itself?The evening brings together chemist George Attard and philosopher of science Helena Cleeve, followed by a pane

https://www.commons-center.lu.se/article/what-role-does-sketching-play-scientific-thinking - 2026-10-07

Ewa Andrzejewska: Condensate-mediated amyloid nucleationFerdinand Fandrei: Membrane-induced liquid-liquid phase separationSajitha Sasidharan: Impact of Nanoparticle Binding on Lipid Redistribution and Membrane Deformation in Cellular MembranesNicole Galenkamp started her COMMONS postdoc in 2024. She investigates a-synuclein coopreative binding to biological membranes. The COMMONS postdocs work bet

https://www.commons-center.lu.se/article/march-2025-four-commons-postdocs-board - 2026-10-07

April 8: Release event of Glänta magazine issue "What is Life". Time and place: 17.00 @ Pufendorf Institute. The program includes: reading, panel discussions, mingle & light food. The presentations will be run in Swedish, while questions and discussion in English are welcome!The issue is made in collaboration with the COMMONS Center. 

https://www.commons-center.lu.se/article/what-life-how-did-it-start - 2026-10-07

During last week of August, we explored the physics of electron microscopy, cryo-specimen preparation, and a range of applications to soft matter. We also shared unforgettable experiences together, from in-depth technical lectures, lab visits and visiting the Cryo-EM@MAX IV facility in Lund.This week was not just about learning but also about building a community at the frontiers of cryo-EM resear

https://www.commons-center.lu.se/article/cryo-em-summer-school-august-2025 - 2026-10-07

Joakim Stenhammar’s essay ”On starlings and the thermodynamics of life” is now published at EuroZine.  The essay was originally published in Glänta’s issue ”Life ” as part of the collaboration with COMMONS  Academic Forum.

https://www.commons-center.lu.se/article/academic-forum-publication - 2026-10-07

On September 18, the ESS Lighthouse: Colloids and Interfaces in Food and Pharma (CaIFF), lead by COMMONS-PI Professor Martin Malmsten, was officially inaugurated.CaIFF focuses on out-of-equilibrium multi-phase colloidal systems, their investigation with large-scale neutron- and synchrotron methods, and their application in pharmaceutical and food products (https://pharmacy.ku.dk/research/caiff/).W

https://www.commons-center.lu.se/article/inauguration-ess-lighthouse-25-09-18 - 2026-10-07

Our COMMONS co-worker Julia Ravanis has recieved the prize "Forskarfyren" for “for her innovative way of spreading knowledge across generations through a unique combination of poetry, the humanities, and the natural sciences.”We are very happy to have Julia with us driving forward activities in the COMMONS Academic Forum, and thereby following in particular the lines outlined as motivation for the

https://www.commons-center.lu.se/article/julia-ravanis-awarded-forskarfyren - 2026-10-07

Nov 19, 2025The idea is to not only discuss the important aspect for chemistry's notion in the society, but also experience the seminar format hands-on as a possible teaching and examination method.13.00-13.45Gain insights into the seminar as a knowledge practiceOpen lectures by Julia Ravanis (CTH and LU, Academic forum), Lovisa Brännstedt (LU, History) and Felix Roosen-Runge (Physical Chemistry,

https://www.commons-center.lu.se/article/seminar-societal-misconceptions-chemistry - 2026-10-07

MARCH 19, 2024Two speakers present research that fall under one overall theme;   providing two perspectives on a common underlying phenomenon. The aim is to create an interactive thinking and collaboration process focusing not only on specifics, but rather on the commonalities. More informationTheme: CooperativitySpeakers: Sara Linse (LU)  & Mikael Lund (LU)Time: March 19 at 14.15-16.00 

https://www.commons-center.lu.se/article/1st-commons-challenges-24-03-19 - 2026-10-07

From intefaces to nanostructures:  Lipid self-assembly in non-equilibrium conditions14.00   Adam Squires (University of Bath, UK)Lyotropic lipid phases in the open air: films, droplets and aerosols14.30   Mark Rutland (KTH, Sweden)Bending the water – air interface with self assembly: Langmuir films in a new light15.00 Break 15.15   Anan Yaghmur (Copenhagen University, Denmark)Cubosome and hexosome

https://www.commons-center.lu.se/article/minisymposium-4-december - 2026-10-07

COMMONS postdoc Ferdinand Fandrei took the stage in Helsingborg in front of 500 upper secondary school students to explain their research in the most engaging way possible — in just four minutes!The occasion? Forskar GrandPrix Sweden’s national competition in research communication, where researchers are challenged to combine clarity, storytelling, and stage presence. The topic of the presentation

https://www.commons-center.lu.se/article/commons-postodoc-forskargrandprix - 2026-10-07

September 2025Last month, our COMMONS postdoc Nicole Galenkamp spent a few days in the north of Sweden with the another Center of Excellence, Icelab @ Umeå during their IceLab Camp. The camp brings together early-career researchers from many different fields to do something we rearly get to do in science: to slow down.Instead of chasing results or ticking off deadlines, the week was about giving c

https://www.commons-center.lu.se/article/commons-postdoc-icelab-camp - 2026-10-07