Physics of bacteria

Physics of Bacteria

Scientific organizer:
Prof. Dr. Ulrich Gerland (Technical University of Munich)

August 4 - 9, 2019, Physikzentrum Bad Honnef, Germany
supported by

 

 

Physicists interested in the basic principles of living systems are often drawn to bacteria as model systems. Indeed, bacteria are arguably the simplest autonomous living systems, and they are well suited for quantitative experimental and theoretical analyses. However, despite their relative simplicity compared to eukaryotic systems, the complexity of bacterial metabolism, gene regulation, signalling, and cell biology can still be overwhelming for physicists entering the field. Also, those already working on one aspect have often not yet had the opportunity to look into the physics of bacteria from a broader perspective. This school addresses both of these groups. It offers a set of lectures that provide important biological background knowledge and cover many of the various physical approaches, as well as physical questions about bacteria, which are currently being pursued. At the same time, the school provides an opportunity for the participants to learn about each others research projects through poster sessions and flash talks.

Speakers and Topics:
Sunday evening

• Erwin Frey (LMU Munich) - Opening Keynote Lecture
  Monday
• Ralf Heermann (University of Mainz) - Introduction to Bacteriology I
• Knut Drescher (MPI Marburg) - Bacterial multicellular dynamics & advanced imaging
• Berenike Maier (University of Cologne) - Physics of bacterial colonies
  Tuesday
• Ralf Heermann (University of Mainz) - Introduction to Bacteriology II
• Ariel Amir (Harvard) - Single-cell growth laws / cell cycle
• Markus Basan (Harvard Med. School) - Metabolism & Physiology
• Ulrich Gerland (TU Munich) - Growth transitions, starvation & bacterial fitness
  Wednesday
• Erwin Frey (LMU Munich) - Pattern formation & Intracellular positioning systems
• Stephan Klumpp (University of Göttingen) - Gene expression
• Rosalind Allen (University of Edinburgh) - Models for bacterial physiology
  Thursday
• Tobias Bollenbach (University of Gologne) - Antibiotic stress and resistance
• Lars Renner (Leibniz Institute for Polymer Research Dresden) - Microfabrication and Microbiology
• Sven van Teeffelen (Pasteur Institute, Paris) - mechanics of the cell envelope; intracellular crowding; osmotic pressure; metabolic models of cell-envelope homeostasis
• Ilka Bischofs (MPI Marburg) - Bacterial endospores
  Friday
• Ethan Garner (Harvard) - Establishment and maintenance of cell shape
• Oskar Hallatschek (University of California at Berkeley) - Evolutionary dynamics

FEES: 200 € full board and lodging (for DPG* members 100 € )
* The German Physical Society (DPG)

⇒ Schedule
⇒ Report (in German)
⇒ List of confirmed participants
⇒ Poster
⇒ Special Offer for Train Tickets