Research Interests:

⦁ Statistical Physics
⦁ Soft Matter Theory
⦁ Multiscale Modeling Methods
⦁ Nonequilibrium Self-Assembly
⦁ Polymer Theory

Our research explores the statistical physics of complex materials, with a particular focus on soft matter and biologically inspired systems. Soft matter science is inherently interdisciplinary, bridging physics, numerical mathematics, chemistry, materials science, and biology. Soft materials are all around us—from soap and plastics to rubber and living tissues—and their behavior is often governed by subtle collective effects rather than the properties of individual molecules. Understanding how such materials organize, respond, and evolve is not only a fascinating scientific challenge, but also essential for developing new materials and technologies.

We focus on soft interfaces including membranes, as well as equilibrium and nonequilibrium structure formation in polymeric and suprapolymeric materials. Our work aims to establish systematic links between microscopic interactions and mesoscale organization, using a combination of particle-based simulations, coarse-graining strategies, and field-theoretic approaches.

Scientific Activities & Service to the Community

⦁ Spokesperson of the Collaborative Research Center (CRC) TRR 146 (“Multiscale Simulation Methods for Soft Matter Systems“)
⦁ Vice Spokesperson of the Research Training Group GRK 2516 (“Structure Formation of Soft Matter at Interfaces“)
⦁ Member of the Steering Committees of the CRC 1551 and the Mainz Institute of Multiscale Modeling (M3ODEL)
⦁ Member of the Gutenberg Research College
⦁ DFG Liaison Officer at the JGU Mainz
⦁ Local Liaison Officer for the Evangelisches Studienwerk Villigst
⦁ Senior Editor of the Journal of Physical Chemistry

Friederike Schmid studied Physics in Germany at the Ruprecht Karl University in Heidelberg, at the Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU) in Munich, and at the Johannes Gutenberg University (JGU) in Mainz. She received her diploma in Physics at the LMU in 1989 under the supervision of Johann Peisl, her PhD in 1991 at the JGU under the supervision of Kurt Binder, and a Habilitation in Theoretical Physics at the JGU in 1997. She was appointed junior group leader (C3 level) at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Science in 2000, then professor (C4 level) at the university of Bielefeld in 2000, and later moved to Mainz in 2009 as the chair of the “Statistical Physics and Soft Matter Theory” group. Since 2026, she is also RMU Co-affiliate of the TU Darmstadt. External stays include a postdoctoral research time 1992-1994 with Michael Schick at the University of Washington, invited research stays at UNAM in Mexico (2000) and the Institut Laue Langevin in Grenoble (2005) and sabbaticals at UCSB Santa Barbara (2007-2008) and at the University of Cambridge (2013).
1985-1989
Fellowship from the Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes
1989-1991Fellowship from the state of Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
1992-1994Postdoctoral fellowship from the German Science Foundation (DFG)
1998Gerhard Hess award by the DFG
1998Heisenberg fellowship of the DFG
2004Karl Peter Grotemeyer award for Excellent Teaching by the Westfälisch-Lippische Universitätsgesellschaft
2010-2020Senior Member of the Gutenberg Academy of the JGU
2016Outstanding Referee of the American Physical Society
2021 Teaching Award of the JGU
2022Fellow of the American Physical Society
X. Chen et al: Dilute but dense – Reversible crosslinking enables water-rich (bio)molecular condensates, Adv. Science (2026), doi: 10.1002/advs.202519636
J. Lehnen et al: Simulation insights into the assembly of polyplexes for RNA delivery, Biomacromolecules 26, 12, 8465 (2025).
M. Giannakou et al: Strong stretching theory of polydisperse curved brushes, J. Chem. Phys. 161, 014903 (2024).
X. Yao et al: Scalable approach to molecular motor-polymer conjugates for light-driven artificial muscles, Adv. Materials 36, 2403514 (2024).
M. Jung et al: Stability of branched tubular membrane structures, Phys. Rev. Lett. 130, 148401 (2023).
F. Schmid: Understanding and modeling polymers: The challenge of multiple scales, ACS Polymers Au 3, 28 (2023).
V. Klippenstein et al: Introducing memory in coarse-grained simulations, J. Phys. Chem. B 125, 4931 (2021).
F. Schmid.: Physical mechanisms of micro- and nanodomain formation in multicomponent lipid membranes, BBA 1859, 509 (2017).

  • Alireza Foroozani Behbahani
  • Xinxiang Chen
  • Jafar Cheraghalizadeh
  • Le Qiao
  • Yannick Witzky
  • Paul Sonek
  • Kyra Klos
  • Kay Hofmann
  • Mephin Philip Alamcheril
  • Jonas Lehnen (with G. Settanni, Bochum)
  • Diego Veloza Diaz (with N. Forero Martinez)
  • Nobuhiko Akino
  • Guido Germano
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  • Alexey Polotsky
  • David Cheung
  • Xuehao He
  • Hans Behringer
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  • Bing Li
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  • Gerhard Jung
  • Maike Jung
  • Jeanine Shea
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