How Geometry Drives the Self-Organisation of Living Matter
TWO-DAY LIFE SCIENCE ENGINEERING MINI-SYMPOSIUM
(talk one)
Abstract:
The spontaneous generation of patterns and structures is fundamental to the functioning of living systems. Such processes often take place on domains that themselves evolve in time, and they can be guided by or coupled to geometrical features. Despite its significance, the influence of geometry on the self-organization of functional structures remains poorly understood. In this talk, I will present two biophysical examples that illustrate how geometry directs spatial organization across scales. I will discuss how boundary geometry controls a novel topological defect transition that guides lumen nucleation in embryonic development and how shape can act as a form of memory in cell-cell signaling. These findings highlight how identifying theoretical principles of geometry-driven self-organisation advances our understanding towards controlling and engineering complex biological systems.
Bio:
Anna Erzberger earned her PhD in theoretical physics at the Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems in Dresden, where she investigated the active hydrodynamics of the cytoskeleton. She continued as a Feodor-Lynen Fellow at the Rockefeller University, New York, identifying theoretical principles of self-organization underlying development and regeneration. Since December 2020, she leads a theoretical physics group in EMBL Heidelberg’s Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit with an affiliation at the Department of Physics and Astronomy of Heidelberg University. Her research focuses on the theoretical foundations of self-organization in living matter.
Zoom link for attending remotely, if needed: https://epfl.zoom.us/j/69315453283
(talk one)
Abstract:
The spontaneous generation of patterns and structures is fundamental to the functioning of living systems. Such processes often take place on domains that themselves evolve in time, and they can be guided by or coupled to geometrical features. Despite its significance, the influence of geometry on the self-organization of functional structures remains poorly understood. In this talk, I will present two biophysical examples that illustrate how geometry directs spatial organization across scales. I will discuss how boundary geometry controls a novel topological defect transition that guides lumen nucleation in embryonic development and how shape can act as a form of memory in cell-cell signaling. These findings highlight how identifying theoretical principles of geometry-driven self-organisation advances our understanding towards controlling and engineering complex biological systems.
Bio:
Anna Erzberger earned her PhD in theoretical physics at the Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems in Dresden, where she investigated the active hydrodynamics of the cytoskeleton. She continued as a Feodor-Lynen Fellow at the Rockefeller University, New York, identifying theoretical principles of self-organization underlying development and regeneration. Since December 2020, she leads a theoretical physics group in EMBL Heidelberg’s Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit with an affiliation at the Department of Physics and Astronomy of Heidelberg University. Her research focuses on the theoretical foundations of self-organization in living matter.
Zoom link for attending remotely, if needed: https://epfl.zoom.us/j/69315453283
Practical information
- Informed public
- Free
Organizer
- Prof. Felix Naef, & Prof. Matteo Dal Peraro, School of Life Sciences, EPFL
Contact
- Institute of Bioengineering (IBI), Dietrich REINHARD