Biological Applications and Biologically-Inspired Liquid Crystals
A special issue of Crystals (ISSN 2073-4352). This special issue belongs to the section "Liquid Crystals".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2017)
Special Issue Editor
Interests: structure-based thermodynamics of biomolecules and biomolecular interactions; liquid-crystalline and soft nanostructured materials
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Liquid-crystal science has affected our understanding of phase stability, molecular organization and even interaction mechanisms in biological systems. From cellular membranes, to the supramolecular ordering of DNA, to the self-assembled structures of filamentous proteins and to the complexes of cationic liposomes with nucleic acids, long-range orientational, smectic- or hexatic-like order has been critical in advancing our scientific knowledge on distinct structures and functional interactions encountered in biological processes and pathways.
Over the last few decades, intense research efforts have focused on biological applications of liquid crystalline materials with remarkable results. Their unique physical and mechanical properties, their ability to establish long-range order sensitive to surface interfaces and their ability to respond to external fields that are comparable in magnitude to those generated in cells have all proven to be of importance. However, when it comes to “synthetic” liquid-crystalline order with functionality and complexity inspired by biological systems, highly sophisticated approaches may be required.
The Special Issue on “Biological Applications and Biologically-Inspired Liquid Crystals” aims at covering a broad spectrum of results in this highly interdisciplinary field. Scientists working in a wide range of disciplines are invited to contribute to this cause.
Dr. George Nounesis
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Crystals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- Liquid-crystalline order in biological structures and assemblies
- Biological applications of thermotropic and lyotropic liquid crystals
- Biomimetic liquid-crystal materials
