Gordon Research Conference — Self-Assembly and Supramolecular Chemistry

The theme of the 2023 Self-Assembly and Supramolecular Chemistry GRC will be Structure and Motion Across Length Scales. Encoding sophisticated functions in supramolecular and/or self-assembled systems relies on multiple nanoscopic objects working together in space and time and can give rise to collective effects at the macroscopic level. Recent breakthrough research has provided the underpinnings for increasingly complex functionalities in dynamic and ultimately life-like materials. Nevertheless, continued efforts are required, e.g., in understanding how the formation of hierarchical structures can be controlled across increasing length scales, how supramolecular systems and higher-order entities can be encoded to form when and where needed, and how they can exhibit continuous motion. Life is the ultimate example of self-assembly and supramolecular chemistry; synthetic chemists can thus draw inspiration from the complex chemical phenomena found in biological systems. For example, biomolecular machines ultimately promote the emergence of function at higher levels of organization. Furthermore, self-assembly at higher levels of organization can be used for the dynamic control of chirality. The field of self-assembly and supramolecular chemistry is timely and highly interdisciplinary, and this conference will reflect the diversity of approaches developed so far.

Topics: Structure and Motion Across Length Scales