Eindhoven University of Technology opens new incubator facility for breakthrough research
Institute for Complex Molecular Systems gets new accommodation in an architecturally and historically special building
The Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS) at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) opens its new facility. The university has transformed its former boilerhouse dating back to 1959 into an architecturally special building for a special user: ICMS. Named the Ceres building, this highly transparent and spacious accommodation is intended to become a focal point for international synergies among scientific researchers. And it will be the location at which ICMS will work further on its mission: reaching breakthroughs in the engineering of complex molecular systems.
The Ceres building
Knowledge of molecular self-assembly is a relatively new and exciting field of scientific research, which takes nature itself as its major source of inspiration. In nature, molecules are able to organize themselves in very special ways so that processes take place as if by themselves. Just two examples are the healing of wounds and the division of cells. ICMS, founded in 2008 by TU/e, aims to gain a deeper understanding of complex molecular self-assembly processes of this kind. This will enable the development of completely new materials and functional molecular systems such as cultured kidney tissue and molecular ‘motors’. To do this the institute brings together knowledge of chemistry, mathematics, physics, biology and engineering. The scientific director is Spinoza Prize winner prof. Bert Meijer, and around 120 researchers are members of ICMS.
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