Soft Matter is proud to present its first theme issue on Proteins and Cells at Functional Interfaces, guest edited by Professor Joachim Spatz (MPI Stuttgart and University of Heidelberg, Germany).

Spatz is a professor of biophysical chemistry at the University of Heidelberg. His research aims are to understand the dynamic regulation of adhesive contacts and of the cytoskeleton architecture of cells and its resultant influence on cellular activities. 

The topic of the theme issue has been identified as an important and swiftly growing area within the remit of Soft Matter, and the issue aims to highlight key topics and directions in this interdisciplinary field.

The issue contains a Highlight  article about cell adhesion by Ulrich Schwarz and an Emerging Area on using electrical interfaces to control biomolecular activity by Nick Melosh and co-workers. There are four Reviews, on topics ranging from microcontact printing of proteins to vesicles as models for controlled cell adhesion.

There are seven original research articles by high profile groups within the subject area, including a hot paper by Martin Humphries about intergrins and syndecan-4 critically contribute to adhesion contact formation.

The outside cover image shows cytoskeletal protein F-actin filaments that have polymerized from an electrode surface and was provided by Nick Melosh.

The inside cover image shows polymerized-microtubules that serve as engineered tracks for transporting particles by kinesin motor proteins. The image was provided by Viola Vogel.