  Generic coarse-grained models are designed such that they are (i) simple and
(ii) computationally efficient. They do not aim at representing particular
materials, but classes of materials, hence they can offer insight into
universal properties of these classes. Here we review generic models for
amphiphilic molecules and discuss applications in studies of self-assembling
nanostructures and the local structure of bilayer membranes, i.e. their phases
and their interactions with nanosized inclusions. Special attention is given to
the comparison of simulations with elastic continuum models, which are, in some
sense, generic models on a higher coarse-graining level. In many cases, it is
possible to bridge quantitatively between generic particle models and continuum
models, hence multiscale modeling works on principle. On the other side,
generic simulations can help to interpret experiments by providing information
that is not accessible otherwise.
