Dresden 2026 – scientific programme

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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 14: Poster Session II

BP 14.87: Poster

Tuesday, March 10, 2026, 18:00–21:00, P2

Wetting of Chemically Active Condensates on Membranes — •Mengmeng Wu and David Zwicker — Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Am Faßberg 17, 37077 Göttingen, Germany

Droplets undergo partial spreading, division, merging, engulfment, and exocytosis in cellular environments. When these droplets are chemically active, as is common for many condensates in cells, the resulting long-range fluxes further enrich and modify these behaviors. To analyze the interplay between chemically active droplets and membranes, we develop a coarse-grained molecular dynamics model together with a continuum theory based on Cahn-Hilliard reaction-diffusion dynamics coupled to membrane curvature elasticity. Our approach demonstrates how chemical reactions and the resulting fluxes control both droplet morphology and membrane deformation, providing physical insight for cellular condensates as well as for the design of synthetic responsive membrane-droplet systems.

Keywords: Biomolecular Condensates; Chemical Reaction; Membrane; Active Droplet; Molecular Dynamics Simulation