484. WE-Heraeus-Seminar: Physics of Biological Function - Multicellular Systems

484th Heraeus Seminar: Physics of Biological Function – Multicellular Systems

12 - 15 December 2011

Physikzentrum Bad Honnef, Germany

Funded by the Wilhelm and Else Heraeus Stiftung

In physics, interactions between particles follow laws. In biology, interactions between biomolecules serve a function. These very different points of view are beginning to merge as research over the past years has demonstrated how, in some exemplary cases, the laws of physics constrain the implementations of biological functions.

This Heraeus Seminar will focus on multicellular systems, including bacterial communities and developmental systems (Zebrafish and Drosophila). It will cover different aspects of these systems, in particular fundamental molecular mechanisms, e.g. for cell-cell coupling and communication, the emerging biological phenomena, their quantitative analysis, and their theoretical description. A generous amount of time will be allotted for questions and discussion, to explore where physical principles are useful to understand biological function and design.

Speakers

Current list of confirmed speakers:

Michael Cates (Edinburgh)
Ernst-Ludwig Florin (Austin, Texas)
Stefan Grill (MPI Dresden)
Jiandong Huang (Hong Kong University)
Frank Juelicher (MPI Dresden)
Julian Lewis (London)
Melanie Mueller (Harvard)
Andrew Oates (MPI Dresden)
Eva-Maria Schoetz (Princeton)
Petra Schwille (TU Dresden)
Gasper Tkacik (IST Vienna)
Pieter Rein ten Wolde (AMOLF, Amsterdam)