The main motivation of BIOMOLMACS training network is to establish a multidisciplinary training network on the emerging topic of molecular machines and to train the next generation of highly-skilled researchers in this exciting field. In the last decade, great efforts have been spent on the development of synthetic strategies for the creation of molecular machines, and these efforts have been acknowledged by the Nobel committee in 2016. In parallel, synthetic and polymer chemistry fields have made significant advances in the last decade, to the point that we are able to design and control the sequence of individual repeat units along synthetic macromolecules. Sequence controlled polymers open up greater possibilities in the precise formation of nanoparticles such as polymersomes, and even support the new generation of artificial cells. The synthetic combination of molecular machines and precisely designed synthetic macromolecules will open new avenues for innovative nanobiomedical applications. Early Stage Researchers of BIOMOLMACS will be trained on the design, chemical synthesis, and biophysical characterization of such complex macromolecular architectures as well as their incorporation in artificial and living cells. Finally, biophysical understanding of the molecular interactions in living/synthetic systems will be able to bridge the gap between fundamental and applied research in this exciting field.

EUSMI will provide the community of European soft-matter researchers with an open-access infrastructure as a platform to support and extend their research, covering characterization, synthesis, and modeling. Where ESMI has set the standard for the past five years, EUSMI will significantly go beyond. EUSMI will enhance the European competitiveness in soft-matter research and innovation through the integration and the extension of the scope of existing specialized infrastructures. A full suite of coherent key infrastructures and the corresponding expertise from 15 top-level institutions are combined within EUSMI, which will become accessible to a broad community of researchers operating at different levels of the value chain, including SMEs and applied research. Access is offered to infrastructures covering the full chain of functional soft-matter material research, ranging from advanced material characterization by a full suite of specialized experimental installations, including large-scale facilities, chemical synthesis of a full set of soft-matter materials, upscaling of laboratory synthesis, to modeling by high-performance supercomputing. The existing infrastructure will be continuously improved by JRA to allow users to conduct research always employing the most advanced techniques and methods.. In addition, an ambitious networking programme will ensure efficient dissemination and communication, as well as continued education of established researchers and training of an emerging generation of scientist. This approach will drive academic research and innovation in soft nanotechnology by providing a multidisciplinary set of essential research capabilities and expertise to guide users, developing the next generation of techniques and instruments to synthesize, characterize, and numerically simulate novel soft matter materials and contributing to the creation of a broad knowledge basis.