Nuris Figueroa | Aronson Group
We have found that mucus, a slimy viscous substance protecting our respiratory, digestive, and reproductive tracks, can be turned into an effective liquid crystal through mechanical stress. Bacterial penetration of mucus can be relevant in the context of respiratory, intestinal and sexually-transmitted infections. In addition, bacteria can turn common passive materials into novel active materials, with emergent properties. In this talk, I will discuss our research on bacterial transport in non-isotropic liquids, like mucus and liquid crystals. Our results provide clues in the propagation of bacteria-borne diseases, as well as insight into the design and control of new active materials.