Dissertation Submitted to the Combined Faculties for the Natural Sciences and for Mathematics of the Ruperto-Carola University of Heidelberg, Germany for the degree of Doctor of Natural Sciences Presented by Vamsi Krishna Kodali M.Sc Biomedical Engg Born in Guraza, India New Materials and Methods for Studying Macrophages at Interfaces Referees: Prof. Dr. Thomas Holstein Prof. Dr. Joachim P. Spatz Acknowledgments Pursuing a PhD is both an enjoyable and painful process. A good support system is important for surviving and staying sane in grad school. I have been fortunate to interact with many people who have helped and greatly influenced me. One of the pleasures of finally finishing is this opportunity to thank them. First and foremost I wish to express my sincere thanks and profound gratitude to Prof. Jennifer Curtis and Prof. Joachim Spatz for giving me this wonderful opportunity. My sincere gratitude goes to Prof. Joachim Spatz for granting me the opportunity to explore the world of nanopatterning. Prof. Jennifer Curtis’s perpetual energy, enthusiasm and motivation in research helped me immensely. She was always accessible and willing to help. Jennifer was supportive and gave me the freedom to pursue my ideas.