Artificial cells created in the laboratory offer a wide range of potential applications. Until now, however, their membranes – unlike those of real cells – have been virtually impermeable. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, led by Director Katharina Landfester, have now developed a new method to make the membranes of artificial cells more permeable to chemical substances. This prepares them for both medical research and future applications such as drug delivery. The scientists published their findings in the journal ACS Nano.