On 17 September 2026, the IEP SAS Summer School of Physics was held at the Institute of Experimental Physics of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (IEP SAS), one of the partners of the APBC project (project code 09I02-03-V01-00021). During the event, secondary school and university students learned about the institute’s research activities and the current scientific topics explored by its researchers.
One of the presented areas focused on the latest trends in protein amyloid aggregation research. Two lectures were devoted to this topic: “Proteins and Amyloids: From Diseases to Materials of the Future” by Andrea Antošová, PhD, and “Amyloid: A Problem or an Opportunity?” by Katarína Šipošová, PhD.
The students learned about the structure and functions of proteins and the processes that lead to their amyloid aggregation. The lectures explained the link between amyloid deposits in the human body and the development of amyloid-related diseases. They also addressed the causes of these diseases and possible ways to influence amyloid aggregation. These included the inhibition of amyloid formation using small molecules or variously modified nanoparticles.
A substantial part of the lectures focused on the preparation of amyloid structures under laboratory conditions. Their structural, physicochemical and mechanical properties were also discussed. The students learned how the unique properties of amyloids allow them to serve as building blocks for novel biomaterials. Examples included fibrillar networks, two-dimensional layers, nanotubes, nanorods and specialised filters. Such materials have potential applications in the food industry, cellular engineering and drug delivery.
The Summer School thus presented amyloids from two different perspectives: as structures associated with serious diseases and as promising materials for biomedicine and other fields.
