Research axis

EnLife focuses on four major questions/scientific axis that are central to the construction and understanding of life. These four axis build on the strength of the consortium to open a novel research paradigm within PSL related to artificial and synthetic life:

This first axis aims to develop methods and technologies that can be used to program functions in living systems (biomimetic reconstituted systems, real cells, and tissues). This axis will naturally include numerical modelling ("digital cell”) and control theory to link quantitative observations to modelling to optimize the possibility of controlling cellular functions dynamically.

Teams/researchers with projects fitting in this research axis

P Bassereau - FC Tsai - R Regmi, M Coppey - B Hajj, A Coulon - K Borgman - V Scolari , E Farge - ME Fernandez Sanchez - D Meseure, D Lévy - M Dezi - K Nakazawa, P Martin - A Lee, P Sens - F Brochard-Wyart - M Castellana - C Duclut - JF Joanny - C Blanch-Mercader - T Risler, P Silberzan - A Buguin - I Bonnet - P Dagenais, D Fachinetti, L Kruger, F Perez - B Goud - S Miserey - O Pylypenko - F Quignon, J Heuving - O Du Roure, E Clément - A Lindner - F Elias, D Lacoste, O Rivoire, M Théry - L Bonnemay, F Corson - L Foret - X Chen - V Hakim - JP Nadal, T Mora - A Walczak - R Monasson - S Cocco, JF Allemand - D Amor - V Croquette - N Desprat - D Bensimon - R Jeanneret - J Valle-Orero - B Ducos, L Jullien - I Aujard - E Marie, D Baigl - A Yamada - M Morel - S Rudiuk, C Thomas - K Bouchemal

In parallel to the first axis, there is a need to understand how temporal and spatial regulation processes occur in living systems at different scales: intracellular, cellular, and tissue-level. The challenge is to approach this quantitatively, taking into account the emergence of complexity and of regulatory processes that depend on multiscale dynamics and the interaction between many layers of “bio-blocks”. Said differently, we will ask to what extent we can learn how to perturb, observe, understand and control (self-)organization related to given patterns/functions in biological systems? To this end, it is critical to adopt an "analytical" approach (observation, understanding mechanisms, modelling) to quantitatively describe the functions of life at different scales in space and time.

Teams/researchers with projects fitting in this research axis

P Bassereau - FC Tsai - R Regmi, M Coppey - B Hajj, A Coulon - K Borgman - V Scolari, E Farge - ME Fernandez Sanchez - D Meseure, P Martin - A Lee, P Sens - F Brochard-Wyart - M Castellana - C Duclut - JF Joanny - C Blanch-Mercader - T Risler, P Silberzan - A Buguin - I Bonnet - P Dagenais, D Fachinetti, C Janke - M Magiera, J Heuving - O Du Roure, P Bourianne, E Clément - A Lindner - F Elias, O Dauchot , D Lacoste, Y Rondelez, O Rivoire, M Théry - L Bonnemay, AR Thiam, F Corson - L Foret - X Chen - V Hakim - JP Nadal, T Mora - A Walczak - R Monasson - S Cocco, JF Allemand - D Amor - V Croquette - N Desprat - D Bensimon - R Jeanneret - J Valle-Orero - B Ducos, C Gourier - F Pincet, S De Monte, A Lambert - G Achaz, L Jullien - I Aujard - E Marie, D Baigl - A Yamada - M Morel - S Rudiuk, C Thomas - K Bouchemal

Beyond self-organization and the emergence of functions, we propose to explore the issue of information processing by living systems. As for the other axes, the construction/deconstruction approach will be critically relevant to explore how living things dynamically process information based on dynamic systems theory (and control theory).

Teams/researchers with projects fitting in this research axis

P Bassereau - FC Tsai - R Regmi, M Coppey - B Hajj, A Coulon - K Borgman - V Scolari, P Martin - A Lee, P Sens - F Brochard-Wyart - M Castellana - C Duclut - JF Joanny - C Blanch-Mercader - T Risler, P Silberzan - A Buguin - I Bonnet - P Dagenais, D Fachinetti, L Kruger, C Janke - M Magiera, P Bourianne, E Clément - A Lindner - F Elias, D Lacoste, Y Rondelez, O Rivoire, M Théry - L Bonnemay, F Corson - L Foret - X Chen - V Hakim - JP Nadal, T Mora - A Walczak - R Monasson - S Cocco, JF Allemand - D Amor - V Croquette - N Desprat - D Bensimon - R Jeanneret - J Valle-Orero - B Ducos, C Gourier - F Pincet, A Lambert - G Achaz, D Baigl - A Yamada - M Morel - S Rudiuk, C Thomas - K Bouchemal

Finally, we would like to study how to “control” or “pilot” multicellular systems and their evolution, building on the important case study of multi species microbial communities.
This last axis will bring together theoretical approaches at the population level, spatial numerical modelling, engineering of intercellular communication, and the use of control methods (both intracellular and extracellular) to force or frustrate cell-cell interactions and natural evolution within model microbial systems.

Teams/researchers with projects fitting in this research axis

E Farge - ME Fernandez Sanchez - D Meseure, D Lacoste, Y Rondelez, O Rivoire, F Corson - L Foret - X Chen - V Hakim - JP Nadal, T Mora - A Walczak - R Monasson - S Cocco, JF Allemand - D Amor - V Croquette - N Desprat - D Bensimon - R Jeanneret - J Valle-Orero - B Ducos, C Gourier - F Pincet, A Lambert - G Achaz, D Baigl - A Yamada - M Morel - S Rudiuk, S Alizon, M Manceau, C Thomas - K Bouchemal