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Laboratory of Molecular Materials (m2Lab)

Gruppbild på Molekylära material

The Laboratory of Molecular Materials (m2Lab) is an interdisciplinary research group at ҳ developing adaptive biomaterials, molecular technologies, and bioengineered platforms that dynamically interact with biological systems. By integrating molecular engineering, biomaterials science, biofabrication, stem cell biology, biosensing, and tissue engineering, we create innovative technologies that address challenges in healthcare, biotechnology, and life science research.

Our research spans multiple length scales, from the molecular design of peptides, polymers, and nanoscale materials to drug delivery systems, biosensors, engineered tissues, and advanced in vitro models. A common theme across our research is the development of adaptive systems capable of sensing, responding to, and actively interacting with their biological environment.

We combine fundamental studies of molecular and cellular interactions with the development of enabling technologies for diagnostics, regenerative medicine, advanced therapies, and physiologically relevant models of human development and disease.
The laboratory brings together expertise across chemistry, engineering, materials science, and the life sciences, creating a highly interdisciplinary environment where researchers with diverse backgrounds work closely together.

Close collaborations with clinicians, hospitals, industry, and international research partners are an integral part of our research, enabling us to translate fundamental discoveries into technologies with societal impact.

Our long-term vision is to engineer adaptive materials and biointerfaces that dynamically interact with biological systems by sensing, interpreting, and modulating biological processes, ultimately enabling functional communication between synthetic materials and living tissues.

The Laboratory of Molecular Materials (m2Lab) is part of the Division of Biophysics and Bioengineering at Linköping University.

Lab in Brief

Founded in 2011

Daniel Aili started m2lab as a multidiscplinary research team, both doing fundamental research and collaborating with health care and industry to use lab-results for innovation. 

Research

Molecular Engineering

Picture of graphics for abstract.
The ability to engineer molecular interactions with high precision underpins much of our research. We design and synthesize peptides, polymers, and hybrid molecular systems with tailored structures and functions to create adaptive materials and technologies capable of interacting with biological systems.
Peptides constitute a central molecular building block in many of our research projects. We develop peptides as structural components for biomaterials, synthetic receptors for molecular recognition, membrane-active therapeutics, cell-instructive ligands, molecular crosslinkers, and protein-mimetic building blocks. By controlling molecular recognition, folding, self-assembly, and bioorthogonal conjugation, we engineer systems with programmable chemical and biological functions.

Beyond developing new molecular tools, we investigate the fundamental principles governing molecular interactions and self-assembly, using this knowledge to create increasingly sophisticated biomaterials, therapeutic systems, and biointerfaces.

Key papers:

S. Naeimipour, F. Rasti Boroojeni, P. Lifwergren, R. Selegård, D. Aili, ”, Mater. Today Adv., 2023, 19, 100415.

C. Aronsson, M. Jury, S. Naeimipour, F. Rasti Boroojeni, J. Christoffersson, P. Lifwergren, C.-F. Mandenius, R. Selegård, D. Aili, "", Biofabrication, 2020, 12, 035031.

C. Aronsson, S. Dånmark, F. Zhou, P. Öberg, K. Enander, H. Su, D. Aili, "”, Sci. Rep., 2015, 5, 14063.

Adaptive Biomaterials and Biofabrication

Picture of adaptive biomaterials
Adaptive biomaterialsprovide the foundation for many of our research activities. We develop biomaterials that actively communicate with cells and tissues by sensing, responding to, and modulating biological signals. These dynamic interactions enable materials that better mimic the complexity of living tissues while providing new opportunities for diagnostics, regenerative medicine, and advanced therapeutic technologies.

Our research combines synthetic polymers, natural biomaterials, peptides, and bioorthogonal chemistries to engineer hydrogels, nanocellulose-based materials, injectable biomaterials, and advanced wound dressings with programmable biological functions. A major focus is understanding how material properties, including stiffness, degradability, viscoelasticity, and molecular architecture, influence cellular behavior and tissue regeneration.

We are also developing next-generation biofabrication technologies for engineering complex biological systems. By combining innovative bioinks, granular biomaterials, 3D bioprinting, and modular fabrication strategies, we create physiologically relevant tissue models for studying human development and disease, as well as engineered tissues for regenerative medicine and advanced therapies.

Key papers:

P. Lifwergren, V. Schoen, S. Naeimipour, L. Khare, A. Wunder, H. Blom, J. G. Martinez, P. Pagella, A. Fridberger, J. Junker, D. Aili, “”, Adv. Healthcare Mater., 2025, 2502262.

R. Shamasha, S. K. Ramanathan, K. Oskarsdotter, F. Rasti Boroojeni, A. Zielińska, S. Naeimipour, P. Lifwergren, N. Reustle, L. Roberts, A. Starkenberg, G. Kratz, P. Apelgren, K. Säljö, J. Rakara, L. Kölby, D. Aili, J. Junker, “”, Adv. Healthcare Mater., 2025, 2501430.

M. Jury, I. Matthiesen, F. Rasti Boroojeni, S. Ludwig, L. Civitelli, T. E. Winkler, R. Selegård, A. Herland, D. Aili, "", Adv. Healthcare Mater., 2022, 11, 2102097.

Biointerfaces and Biosensing

Wound dressing
Communication between synthetic materials and biological systems is fundamental to many emerging technologies in healthcare and biotechnology. We develop molecular biointerfaces that enable materials to sense, interpret, and respond to biological information, creating dynamic interactions between living systems and engineered materials.

Our research combines molecular recognition, peptide engineering, surface chemistry, nanotechnology, and advanced transduction principles to develop biosensors and molecular sensing platforms for biomolecular interaction analysis, disease diagnostics, therapeutic monitoring, and environmental sensing. We investigate both label-free and affinity-based sensing technologies, including nanoplasmonic biosensors, while also developing bioresponsive materials capable of directly reporting or responding to changes in their biological environment.

Beyond conventional biosensors, we explore how molecular communication can be integrated into adaptive biomaterials and therapeutic systems, enabling materials that not only detect biological signals but also actively interact with and influence biological function.

Key papers:

O. Eskilson, E. Wiman, N. Reustle, J. Langwagen, Z. Sotra, A. Svärd, R. Selegård, Y. Baş, L. Berglund, K. Oksman, T. Bengtsson, J.P.E. Junker, H. Khalaf, D. Aili ”", ACS Sensors, 2025, 10, 3953-3963.

O. Eskilson, E. Zattarin, L. Berglund, K. Oksman, K. Hanna, J. Rakar, P. Sivlér, M. Skog, I. Rinklake, R. Shamasha, Z. Sotra, A. Starkenberg, M. Odén, E. Wiman, H. Khalaf, T. Bengtsson, J. P.E. Junker, R. Selegård, E. M. Björk, D. Aili, ””, Mater. Today Bio., 2023, 19, 100574.

T. Tran, E. Martinsson, S. Vargas, I. Lundström, C.-F. Mandenius, D. Aili, “”, Anal. Chem. 2022, 94, 15754−15762.

Programmable Molecular Therapeutics

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Many biological processes are controlled through highly dynamic molecular interactions. We engineer programmable molecular systems capable of selectively interacting with biological membranes, proteins, and cells to regulate biological function with high spatial and temporal precision.

A major focus of our research is the development of programmable membrane-active peptides and molecular therapeutics whose activity can be modulated by disease-associated biological signals, such as protease activity or changes in the local biochemical environment. By combining peptide engineering, molecular recognition, and responsive delivery systems, we develop therapeutic strategies that remain inactive until activated at their intended site of action, thereby improving specificity while minimizing unwanted side effects.

These molecular technologies are applied to address challenges in infectious diseases, advanced drug delivery, tissue regeneration, and precision medicine, while simultaneously providing new tools for studying fundamental biological processes and molecular communication within living systems.

Ultimately, we aim to develop therapeutic systems capable of establishing functional molecular communication with living tissues, enabling therapies that adapt their activity to the biological environment in real time.

Key papers:

E. Zattarin, W. B. Kebede, Z. Sotra, R. Shamasha, A. Starkenberg, V. Guerrero-Florez, L. P. Khare, T. Bengtsson, H. Khalaf, E. M. Björk, J. Rakar, J. P. E. Junker, D. Aili, “., 2026, 61. 150–171.

A. Iversen, J. Utterström, B. Kanti Das, R. Selegård, L. P. Khare, D. Aili, “”, J. Mater. Chem. B, 2025, 13, 10267-10277.

A. Iversen, J. Utterström, L. Khare, D. Aili, ””, J. Mater. Chem. B., 2024, 12, 10320 – 10331.

Bioengineering human oral tissues and disease models

Emulate & understand: two faces of one coin. In our team, we strive to understand how tissue-resident cells, extracellular matrices, innervation, vasculature and immune cells cooperate and modulate each other’s responses to ensure organ-level functions and topographies. We use this information to create complex, complete 3D models of human organs and diseases. At the same time, we exploit these tools to advance our understanding of tissue development, homeostasis, and the onset of diseases. Our current focus is on the emulation of human dental tissues, human oral cancers, and the human trigeminal complex.

News 

Portrait of Daniel Aili.

Grant to building a brain replica

The CNSx3 center has received a large grant to create 3D models of human organs. LiU-professor Daniel Aili is part of the project.

Logo Swedish research council.

VR-grant to Bioengineering human oral tissues and disease models team

The Bioengineering human oral tissues and disease models team receives a VR-3R grant. The grant for the development of methods to replace, reduce and refine animal experiments.

“Skin in a syringe” a step towards a new way to heal burns

Researchers have created what could be called “skin in a syringe”. The gel containing live cells can be 3D printed into a skin transplant, as shown in a study conducted on mice. This technology may lead to new ways to treat burns and severe wounds.

Publications

2026

Johanna Hultman, Vivian Morad, Eliane Tanner, Tristan M. G. Kenney, Zuzanna Pietras, Lalit Pramod Khare, Dean Derbyshire, Diana Resetca, Cheryl H. Arrowsmith, Daniel Aili, Simon Ekstrom, Linda Z. Penn, Björn Wallner, Alexandra Ahlner, Maria Sunnerhagen (2026) Nature Communications, Vol. 17, Article 2016 (Article in journal)
Elisa Zattarin, Wasihun Bekele Kebede, Zeljana Sotra, Rozalin Shamasha, Annika Starkenberg, Valentina Guerrero Florez, Lalit Pramod Khare, Torbjorn Bengtsson, Hazem Khalaf, Emma Björk, Jonathan Rakar, Johan Junker, Daniel Aili (2026) Bioactive Materials, Vol. 61, p. 150-171 (Article in journal)
Wasihun Bekele Kebede, Elisa Zattarin, Zeljana Sotra, Emanuel Wiman, Annika Starkenberg, Sneha Kollenchery Ramanathan, Jonathan Rakar, Tsige Gebre-Mariam, Tesfaye Sisay Tessema, Marten Skog, Petter Sivler, Torbjorn Bengtsson, Hazem Khalaf, Johan Junker, Daniel Aili (2026) ACS Applied Nano Materials, Vol. 9, p. 1571-1583 (Article in journal)

Group members

Organisation