Tommy Nylander and Adrian Rennie

Professor Tommy Nylander, Physical Chemistry, Dept. of Chemistry, Lund University, Sweden. Professor Nylander completed his PhD in Biophysical Technology at Lund University and did a postdoc at Applied Mathematics, ANU, Australia. The main theme of his scientific activity has been to relate interfacial behaviour of surface-active molecule to their solution behaviour. The focus has been on molecules of biological origin, e.g. proteins and lipids, and the self-assembled structures they form in bulk and at interfaces, which are studied using interfacial techniques such as ellipsometry, surface film balance, QCM-D and neutron reflectometry as well as with bulk scattering techniques.

Professor Adrian Rennie, Department of Chemistry and Centre for Neutron Scattering, Uppsala University, has been studying soft matter for many years working with polymers, colloids and interfaces.  Relating properties to structure in these materials has involved extensive use of X-ray and neutron techniques as well as laboratory experiments.

Uppsala University and Lund University have jointly joined PSCM as collaborative partner organisations. Their Departments of Chemistry has a long experience of working together to adress challenges in soft condensed matter by using a range of neutron and x-ray techniques. This involves not only solving scientific problems, but also to develop and build up sample environment as well as modelling tools. The joint experience of these two institution bring a clear added-value to the PSCM and to the soft condensed matter user community as a whole. Both organisations have a large community of neutron and x-ray users that frequently conduct successful experiments, in particularly in colloid and interface science as well as biophysics at both ESRF and ILL. These users benefit from a unique platform for better exploiting the complementary aspects of neutron and synchrotron techniques. A prioritiesed area is the training of early-stage researchers in the field of neutron and synchrotron techniques applied in soft matter research that will be provided the provision for onsite sample preparation through PSCM. Furthermore, the PSCM will enhance on a national and international level their visibility in the soft matter field.