Principal Investigator Mathias Kolle
Many organisms have mastered the controlled growth of hierarchical, multifunctional nano- and microstructures that show strong, optimized interactions with light. To do this, living systems employ unique physical phenomena and control mechanisms to precisely produce these functional material morphologies. We are studying the wings of the Painted Lady butterfly during metamorphosis with the aim of tracking scale development with high temporal and spatial resolution during chrysalis metamorphosis, in order to elucidate the underlying physical phenomena and control mechanisms. Our goal is to reveal key factors that we can adjust to modify structure formation in the organisms in-vivo, or in isolated cultures of scale-forming cells in-vitro.