Molecular geometry tweak opens new way for smart biomaterials

Researchers at the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), Bengaluru, an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), have demonstrated that a minor modification in molecular structure can significantly influence peptide self-assembly and function. By introducing a single methylene (–CH₂–) spacer between a peptide and a fluorescent pyrene unit, researchers altered molecular geometry, leading to different molecular packing, supramolecular chirality, fluorescence lifetime behaviour, and nanoscale organization. This strategy offers a new method for programming functional soft materials and designing next-generation responsive biomaterials for applications in biosensing, bioimaging, smart photonic materials, optoelectronics, and molecular electronics.