Gal Yosefi-Cullari
Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research
Main Focus
I am interested in the design of dynamic multifunctional
biomimetic materials using peptide self-assembly and co-assembly that
recapitulate key features of the native extracellular environment. In this
context, I investigate the thermodynamic and kinetic principles that govern
their structure-function relationships.
Research Description
By examining how peptides spontaneously organize into ordered nanostructures, both in solution and under confinement, she aims to elucidate the mechanisms underlying their assembly and emergent properties. The integration of these engineered peptide assemblies with synthetic polymers enables the formation of multifunctional hydrogels capable of directing cell behavior and modulating cell-matrix interactions from both biochemical and biomechanical perspectives.
Her work relies on a comprehensive, multiscale characterization approach spanning multiple length scales, with particular emphasis on small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) to probe nanoscale structural organization.
Curriculum Vitae
Gal Yosefi-Cullari received her B.Sc. summa cum laude
in Chemical Engineering from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in 2018. She
subsequently conducted her doctoral studies under the supervision of Prof.
Ronit Bitton as a part of the Direct-Track Excellence Program in the Department
of Chemical Engineering at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. She received her
Ph.D. in 2023, where her research focused on the development of modular,
tunable, self-assembled extracellular matrix (ECM) mimetics derived from
natural building blocks, forming macroscopic membranes. For her doctoral work,
she was awarded the Dean’s Excellence Award as well as the Materials Research
Society (MRS) Graduate Student Silver Award.
She is currently a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the
Department for Synthesis of Macromolecules, led by Prof. Dr. Tanja Weil, where
she investigates cell-matrix dynamics using peptide-based ECM-mimetic systems.