Nika Otrin

Dr. Nika Otrin is affiliated with the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics of Complex Technical Systems, where she holds a researcher position in the Department of Process Systems Engineering. Her work focuses on constructing artificial cells, particularly reconstituting membrane proteins into microcompartments like giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs). She develops microfluidic setups for real-time monitoring of protein-functionalized GUVs and investigates mechanisms such as salt, charge, and SNARE-mediated membrane fusion. Her research also explores artificial lipid rafts, interbilayer transport of phospholipids, lateral diffusion, membrane disorder, bending rigidity, and passive proton permeability. Dr. Otrin’s methodologies bridge biophysical analysis with engineering principles to advance understanding of elementary process functions in chemical production, energy conversion, and biological systems.