Brujic Group

Research

Our research develops emulsion droplets for the study of diverse physics problems: the liquid to solid jamming transition in particulate matter, the molecular basis of adhesion, nonequilibrium pattern formation, memory effects in active matter, and principles of self-assembly. What unifies this body of work is not merely the experimental system, but a consistent physical approach: using minimal, well-controlled model systems to quantify mechanisms that are otherwise obscured in complex materials or living systems.

We develop emulsions amenable to 3D imaging and force measurements to test fundamental theories of jamming, rigidity, and flow. We transform these emulsions into programmable building blocks, functionalizing their surfaces with adhesion proteins to make biomimetic tissues. We also explore how nonequilibrium processes—phase separation and chemical activity—can be harnessed to generate patterns and motility far from equilibrium. Finally, we are also working on programming droplet interactions, valence, and self-assembly into predesigned architectures via DNA linkers. More details on each of these fronts can be found in the subsections below.