Living, Fluid, & Soft Matter
Current Focus
- Swimming dynamics of micro- to mesoscale organisms
- Soft matter mechanics of living materials, such as tiny plant roots and immune cells
- Droplets and capillary phenomena
- Further development of the micropipette force sensor technique
Group members
Postdocs
- Guilherme Bessa, 2023-2025 –> Research Data Solution Lead, Aalto IT services (permanent position)
MSc students
- Heidi Lemmetty (MSc special assignment), Summer 2025
- Annika Marjamäki (MSc-level laboratory exercise, Uni of Helsinki, 2025), Summer 2025
- Dipti Boopalan (MSc thesis), 2024-2025
- Anna Huttunen (MSc thesis), 2024-2025
- Jules Pater (research internship from ESPCI, France), Summer 2024
- Anna Huttunen (MSc special assignment), Summer 2023
BSc students
- Frida Balthasar (Bsc thesis), Summer 2025
- Aku Toivonen (BSc thesis), Spring 2025
- Seela Saartoala (BSc thesis), Summer 2024
- Martta Lamminmäki (BSc thesis), Summer 2024
- Ensio Rislakki (BSc thesis), Summer 2024
- Lotta Ansas (BSc thesis), 2023–2024
- Aaro Saastamoinen (BSc thesis), Summer 2023
- Clara Prêcheur Llarena, Summer 2023
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Short bio
- Tenure-track Assistant Professor (2022–), Dept. of Applied Physics, Aalto University
- Postdoc(2015–2017) and Academy of Finland postdoc (2017–2022), Aalto University
- PhD in Physics, McMaster University, Canada (2015)
- MSc in Nanoscience, Aarhus University, Denmark (2011)
- BSc in Physics, University of Helsinki, Finland (2009)
Grants and awards (selection)
- ERC StG (2023)
- Research Council of Finland Research Fellowship (2023)
- Grant from the Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation (2023)
- The Finnish Academy of Science and Letters Väisälä Starting Grant (2023)
- Hannu Koskinen’s best presentation award at the Finnish Physics Days (2019)
- Grants from the Ruth and Nils-Erik Stenbäck Foundation (2017 and 2024)
- Academy of Finland Postdoctoral Researcher (2017)
- The McMaster University School of Graduate Studies International Excellence Award (2012 and 2014)
Identifiers: , ,
Social media: ,
Funding
Prof. Backholm is currently funded by an ERC StG (2023), a Research Council of Finland Research Fellowship (2023), the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters Väisälä Starting Grant (2023), as well as grants from the Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation (2023) and the Ruth and Nils-Erik Stenbäck Foundation (2024).
Research Highlights
New papers from the group (group members in bold, †shared 1st authors):
L. Malik, N. Sharadhi, M. Lamminmäki, R. A. Lara, V. Jokinen, and M. Backholm*
arXiv:2509.20005 (2025).
A. Datar, J. Ryssy, A. O. Toivonen, and M. Backholm*
arXiv:2509.08331 (2025).
S. Askari†, G. Saldo Rubio†, A. Datar, H. Harjunpää, S. C. Fagerholm*, and M. Backholm*
J. R. Soc. Interface 22, 20250231 (2025).
R. A. Lara†, N. Sharadhi†, A. A. L. Huttunen, L. Ansas, E. J. G. Rislakki, G. M. Bessa, and M. Backholm*
arXiv:2503.21396 (2025).
These papers showcase the PhD and postdoc research of Prof. Backholm:
M. Backholm*, T. Kärki, H. Nurmi, M. Vuckovac, V. Turkki, S. Lepikko, V. Jokinen, D. Quéré, J. V. I. Timonen, and R. H. A. Ras*
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA (PNAS) 121, e2315214121 (2024).
S. Lepikko, Y. Morais Jaques, M. Junaid, M. Backholm, J. Lahtinen, J. Julin, V. Jokinen, T. Sajavaara, M. Sammalkorpi, A. S. Foster, and R. H. A. Ras
Nature Chemistry 16, 506-513 (2024).
A. B. Tesler, S. Kolle, L. H. Prado, I. Thievessen, D. Böhringer, M. Backholm, B. Karunakaran, H. A. Nurmi, M. Latikka, L. Fischer, S. Stafslien, Z. M. Cenev, J. V. I. Timonen, M. Bruns, A. Mazare, U. Lohbauer, S. Virtanen, B. Fabry, P. Schmuki, R. H. A. Ras, J. Aizenberg, and W. H. Goldmann
Nature Materials 22, 1548–1555 (2023).
M. Backholm*, D. Molpeceres, M. Vuckovac, H. Nurmi, M. Hokkanen, V. Jokinen, J.V.I. Timonen, and R.H.A. Ras*
Communications Materials 1, 64(2020).
M. Vuckovac, M. Backholm, J.V.I. Timonen, and R.H.A. Ras
Science Advances 6, eaba5197 (2020).
[Highlighted by 12 news outlets, such as Physics Today and Physics World.]
M. Backholm*, and O. Bäumchen*
Nature Protocols 14, 594–615 (2019).
[Highlighted by 10 news outlets, including Science Daily, Phys.org, EurekAlert, ScienMag, TodayChan, and Göttinger Tageblatt]
M. Backholm, R. D. Schulman, W. S. Ryu, and K. Dalnoki-Veress
Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 138101 (2014).
[Editor's Suggestion, Highlighted by PRL Editorial]
M. Backholm, W. S. Ryu, and K. Dalnoki-Veress
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA (PNAS) 110, 4528-4533 (2013).
News
Physicists explain—and eliminate—unknown force dragging against water droplets on superhydrophobic surfaces
Aalto University researchers adapt a novel force measurement technique to uncover the previously unidentified physics at play at the thin air-film gap between water droplets and superhydrophobic surfaces.
Tiny organisms, big discoveries: How swarming shrimp could influence a new wave of ‘mesorobotics’
Aalto researcher aims to understand the complex movement of brine shrimp—a gateway to physics on an unfamiliar scale
Funding granted for research into physics of microscopic plant roots
The aim is to create a new micromechanical tool to better understand how root mechanics arise from cells and how living materials like plant roots adapt to external stresses
In September, 15 new Academy Researcher Fellows will start at Aalto
The Academy of Finland has granted Aalto University funding for 15 Academy Research Fellowships
Measuring forces of living cells and microorganisms
Force sensors to study living cells and microorganisms with extraordinary precision
Professor Matilda Backholm: Between the micro and the macro
Driven by curiosity, new Department of Applied Physics professor Matilda Backholm studies the physics of the mesoscale.