Biological systems exploit hierarchical supramolecular organization to precisely control photochemical processes, from photosynthesis to vision. Inspired by these principles, our research explores how synthetic supramolecular architectures can be designed to both regulate and respond to light. We develop macromolecular building blocks that encode supramolecular information, enabling controlled self-assembly into adaptive architectures whose structure and function are governed by non-covalent interactions.
A key focus is the direct integration of peptide sequences into synthetic polymer backbones, allowing reversible, sequence-encoded supramolecular folding and β-sheet formation within covalent macromolecules. By tuning amino-acid composition and environmental inputs such as pH, we access distinct supramolecular states with orthogonal behaviour. Incorporation of light-responsive units further enables continuous modulation of supramolecular morphology and photochemical reactivity. These systems demonstrate how supramolecular organization can gate photochemical pathways, reversibly switching reactions on or off through changes in assembly alone. Together, this work establishes versatile platforms for controlling light-driven processes in adaptive.