PSL Soft and Living Matter days 2026: Three days of scientific exchange and interdisciplinary collaboration

From July 6 to 8, 2026, the 6th edition of the PSL Soft and Living Matter days brought together researchers and doctoral and postdoctoral students from several PSL University institutions at the Pierre-Gilles de Gennes Institute: ESPCI Paris – PSL, Chimie ParisTech – PSL, ENS – PSL, Mines Paris – PSL, and the Institut Curie.

This edition marks a new phase for the event, which is now organized by the Metasoft Matter Major research program, coordinated by ESPCI, whose goal is to strengthen interdisciplinary research at the interface of soft matter, living systems, chemistry, physics, and engineering.

With more than 100 registrants per day, the Soft and Living Matter Days underscore the PSL community’s interest in these topics. The scientific program featured 12 invited talks, oral presentations submitted by the community, and 25 posters, illustrating the breadth of research conducted at Paris Science & Lettres University. The topics covered, ranging from active matter and biophysics to advanced materials, plasma chemistry, electrochemistry, and mechanics, demonstrated the diversity of approaches and the resolutely interdisciplinary nature of the field.

Throughout the event, the scientific sessions, flash talks, poster presentations, and numerous opportunities for informal exchanges fostered discussions among researchers, helping to spark new collaborations.

The conference also featured three international guest speakers: Denise Petri (University of São Paulo), Muhittin Mungan (Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf), and Subramanyan Varanakkottu (National Institute of Technology, Calicut), who provided an international perspective and enriched the scientific program.

In 2027, the PSL Soft and Living Matter days will make way for a Summer School on soft and living matter, organized by the Metasoft Matter Major research program. The conference will return in 2028 for a new edition, continuing its mission of bringing together the PSL community around interdisciplinary research on soft and living matter.