Polymer Globules: Beyond the Homopolymer Model

This research aims to substantially increase our knowledge of a broad range of polymers. Polymers are of undoubted importance, both as synthetic structural materials and as the basis for all life, through DNA and proteins. In spite of their importance these materials are very poorly understood. It is true that for the simplest flexible chains consisting of one monomer (the so called homopolymers) we do have an excellent understanding. However, almost all polymers of importance consist of more than one monomer and have a significant bending stiffness - DNA and proteins being the most obvious examples. This research will radically improve our knowledge of these kinds of polymers.