The Physics of Lif e (PoL) PhD and Postdoc seminar is a meeting where PoL early career scient ists present their research to their peers. All are welcome!
Th e seminar consists of two short talks by PhD students and/or Postdocs\, ea ch followed by a discussion in which speaker and attendants can exchange i deas\, engage in scientific discussions and network with their fellow youn g scientists.
----- The talks:Kateryna Ivanova (< a href=\"https://physics-of-life.tu-dresden.de/team/pol-groups/brugues\"> Brugués Group) – Self-Organized Cytoskeletal Dynamics on Synthetic Membrane Systems
Abstract: Cytokinesis is the process by which a cell divides into two\, and it is essential for an organism’s d evelopment and maintenance. It depends on the coordinated interplay betwee n microtubules and actin\, two highly dynamic cytoskeletal systems that re organize extensively to drive the cell-shape changes required for successf ul division. However\, the physical and spatial factors that govern actin- microtubule coordination remain poorly understood.
To address t his\, we use Xenopus laevis egg extracts\, which preserve native cytoplasm ic complexity while allowing controlled perturbations. We apply these extr acts on supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) patterned to match microfabricated substrate designs. This platform enables systematic investigation of how membrane composition and surface geometry influence the interactions drivi ng cytokinesis. Future work will extend the system into 3D to reconstitute cytokinesis in a more lifelike environment.
Yasmin Abd elghaffar ( Friedrich Group) – Morphogenesis of pancreatic ductal networks
Abstract: During embryonic development\, the duc tal network of the pancreas dramatically remodels itself from a mesh-like plexus to a tree-like branched network optimized for fluid transport.Previ ous computational work suggested that this network remodeling is guided by local flow (Dahl-Jensen et al. PLoS Biol. 2018)\, yet the underlying phys ical mechanism remain ill-defined. In particular\, the exact flow sensor i s not known\, with long primary cilia lining the ductal walls representing a prime candidate.
Together with the Grapin-Botton lab\, we inv estigate this hypothesis of cilia-guided network morphogenesis. We measure d the onset of flow in the pancreas during development. Guided by these me asurements\, we computationally probe putative physical mechanisms of cili a-based flow sensing\, and derive experimentally testable signatures\, inc luding distinct variants of Murray’s law on the hierarchical organizatio n of duct diameters. By building image analysis pipelines that quantify du ct network morphology at subsequent developmental time-points\, we test th ese predictions to reverse-engineer physical mechanisms of network pruning .
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For those who cannot join on site\, a Zoom option will be available for internal staff.
DTSTAMP:20260904T011356Z CREATED:20260318T063933Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260902T053858Z END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR