Arolla 2025: BioMatter: from cytoskeleton to embryo

Over the last 25 years, we have invited people from around the world engaged in cutting-edge interdisciplinary biological research to meet with local students in a small and intense workshop environment at Arolla.

"BioMatter: From cytoskeleton to embryo"

The study of the dynamics of living systems at cellular and tissue scales has gained momentum through a synergy of new assays, new measurement technologies and new theoretical and computational approaches. Exploring innovations such as the investigation of novel model organisms and unique culture systems, including organoids, reveals a spectrum of exciting phenomena. The ability to track and perturb molecules or cells i) with high temporal and spatial resolution and ii) over extended periods using light or mechanical probes, has unveiled previously concealed dynamics, interactions and material properties. The development of theory in areas such as active matter and the emergence of machine learning strategies open new perspectives for analysis. Bringing together scientists with diverse backgrounds, working on different scales of biology, will significantly amplify the momentum in understanding the dynamic processes of living systems. Together, these advances offer avenues for framing questions, extracting data and formulating answers that can transform our understanding of living systems.