but have a decreased teaching load in order to dedicate more time towards research activities at AMI. Current Research Groups Polymer Chemistry & Materials (Prof. Christoph Weder) BioNanomaterials (Prof. Alke Fink and Prof. Barbara Rothen-Rutishauser) Biophysics (Prof. Michael Mayer) Soft Matter Physics (Prof. Ullrich Steiner) Former Research Groups Soft Nanoscience 2008-2010 (Prof. Peter Schurtenberger) Nanoparticle Self-Assembly 2012-2017 (Prof. Marco Lattuada) Macromolecular Chemistry 2013-2018 (Prof. Nico Bruns) Research Activities AMI's research revolves around soft nanomaterials, such as such as nanoparticles, colloids, polymers, nanostructures, and nanopores, and emphasizes bio-inspired materials design, stimuli-responsive materials, optical materials, energy materials, sensing, the detection of nanoparticles in complex media, and the investigation of the interactions of nanomaterials with biological systems. The Polymer Chemistry & Materials group is conducting research on stimuli-responsive or smart polymers, supramolecular systems, bio-inspired materials, nanocomposites, and polymer mechanochemistry. The BioNanomaterials group's research focuses on bioprinting, hazard assessment of nanomaterials, nanoparticle analysis and nanobiomechanics. The BioPhysics group's research includes nanopores for single molecule analysis, bio-inspired voltage generation and pore forming peptides. The Soft Matter Physics group is investigating and manufacturing nanostructured materials made by polymer self-assembly, energy materials for solar cells and batteries, photonic and plasmonic effects arising from structured materials, bio-inspired materials and surfaces. In 2017 the institute had 33 active research projects. Topics of investigation include color-generation in insects, the effect of graphene on human lungs, bio-inspired drug delivery, record-breaking perovskite solar cells, and electric eel-inspired energy devices. Education For the master's students there is a strong early focus on 'hands-on' work in the AMI laboratories as well as the opportunity to join one of the research groups for their master's thesis. In 2015 AMI launched an interdisciplinary master's program at the interface of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology that emphasizes bio-inspired materials. A summer internship program for undergraduate students from universities in other European countries or The United States is also present and is run in collaboration with the National Center of Competence in Research (NCCR) Bio-Inspired Materials of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF). Collaborations AMI is conducting both fundamental as well as application-oriented research in the field of soft nanomaterials, receiving part of its funding through industrial partnerships. In 2018 AMI spawned its first startup NanoLockin. NCCR Bio-Inspired Materials AMI is involved with and headquarters the National Center of Competence in Research Bio-Inspired Materials, an interdisciplinary center for research and education around materials inspired by nature. Partnerships for International