Droplet formation is a fundamental process for the spatiotemporal organization of biomolecules in cells. Since the cellular environment is crowded, it is crucial to consider the elastic properties of the droplets' environment. In this talk, I will present a theoretical description of droplets forming in such elastic matrices. I will show how monodisperse emulsions form when droplets grow in a mesh that can break and re-arrange. Moreover, I will demonstrate that stiffness gradients cause elastic ripening, which biases droplets toward softer regions. These processes quantitatively explain how oil droplets form in PDMS matrices, as observed in Eric Dufrense's lab at ETH Zürich. In the future, we will study how similar processes govern biomolecular droplets in cells.
