Postdoc in Colloids & Interfaces: Amyloid Stabilization

Jerzy Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences

Organisation / Company Jerzy Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences Laboratory Interfacial Interactions in Dispersed Systems Research Group Is the Hosting related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Host Institution: Jerzy Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences

Research Group: Interfacial Interactions in Dispersed Systems

This is a hosting offer, not a direct employment contract. Appointment is subject to successful funding under the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship 2026 call.

• Full support in MSCA PF 2026 proposal preparation (May-August)
• Co-development of a competitive and innovative project
• Mentoring and career development support
• Integration into an international research network

The project will be hosted by the Interfacial Interactions in Dispersed Systems Group offering:

• Expertise in colloid and interface science
• Access to advanced experimental infrastructure
• International collaborations

Amyloid fibrils derived from food proteins are emerging as highly efficient stabilizers of soft-matter colloids, such as foams and emulsions, typically outperforming native proteins. However, their behaviour across length scales remains insufficiently understood, limiting rational design. This project addresses this challenge through a multiscale experimental approach, linking fibril structural and physicochemical properties to interfacial organization and macroscopic colloidal stability. The main scientific novelty is the first systematic study of thin liquid films (TLFs) stabilized by amyloid fibrils.

A TLF is a nanometer-thick liquid layer separating adjacent bubbles in foam or droplets in emulsion. TLF represents the key mesoscale element governing bubble or droplet coalescence – the primary destabilization mechanism in foams and emulsions. By establishing interrelations between fibril properties, interfacial organization and TLF stability, the project aims to uncover the fundamental mechanisms governing fibril-mediated stabilization in soft-matter colloids.

• Structural characterization of amyloid fibrils derived from food proteins
• Adsorption, surface rheology and nanoscale organization at soft-matter interfaces
• Translation of interfacial behaviour into thin liquid film stability
• Elucidation of fibril-mediated stabilization mechanisms in foams and emulsions

• Interfacial rheology
• Surface-sensitive spectroscopy and neutron reflectometry (Secondment to Münster, Germany; proposal-based access to neutron facilities in Grenoble, France)
• Thin liquid film investigations (Secondment to Sofia, Bulgaria)

• Food and bio-based colloidal systems
• Advanced functional materials
• Sustainable materials and formulations

• Hold a PhD in chemistry, chemical engineering, physics, biophysics, or a related field
• Have a strong interest in colloids, interfaces, and protein systems
• Demonstrate creativity, independence, and motivation
• Comply with MSCA PF mobility and eligibility rules