Biological Algorithms Group

Our mission is to identify simple paradigms of robust motility control and pattern formation in complex biological systems. We reverse-engineer biological solutions of robust control in close collaboration with experimental biologists. We use tools from physics, information theory, and engineering; likewise, we seek to excite bio-inspired applications of biological information processing in these fields.

We focus on principles of biological information processing in two model systems:

  1. Motility control: We study how noisy sensory information controls biological motility and dynamic decision making, e.g. during sperm navigation to the egg.
  2. Pattern control: We study elementary rules of self-organized pattern formation during self-repair and adaptation, e.g. of load-balancing transport networks in the liver.

On top of that, we explore potential applications of biological control designs in advanced electronics applications in tight collaboration with the other paths of the cfaed.

We are currently searching for highly motivated and talented students to work at the interface of physics and biology with a twist towards computer science.

Group News

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Microswimmers are microobjects that can actively move on a micro scale. Here: sperm with iron oxide particles.

The lecture series "Microswimmers" combines disciplines of life sciences, and as such four of five School of Sciences' faculties: Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics. "Microswimmers" brings together theory and application issues, focussing on providing an excellent teaching base on this present topic. It is co-organized by Dr. Benjamin M. Friedrich, Research group leader of cfaed's "Biological Algorithms Group".
This lecture series comprises 14 lectures from international speakers plus 14 reading seminars (Hauptseminare) which take place one week before each lecture and are held in a journal club style. This lecture is planned to run in the course of a full year (September 2018 - Juli 2019). Participating students are asked to read the provided articles (see Learning Material) and present an article in one of the reading seminars during the course of the lecture series.

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Our first joint paper with Marco Zimmerling from the Resilience-Path is out and can be found here. We apply statistical physics to understand resilience properties of multi-hop routing in wireless communication networks with unreliable links. 

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Our first joint paper with Christel Baier from the Orchestration path is published and can be found here

Biaxial nematic liquid crystal order in liver tissue

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Andre combined statistical physics, liquid-crystal theory, and analysis of experimental data to understand design principles and self-organization of a complex tissue with two tightly intertwined, space-filling transport networks. Congratulations!

3 papers accepted last week: Congratulations to Justus and Jens, keep up the good work!

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Published on in FRIEDRICH GROUP NEWS

We had an enjoyable 2017 (as is documented by the photobox snapshot from our Christmas market stroll this year), and look forward to many more adventures which lie ahead.

Happy holidays and a prosperous 2018!

 

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Published on in FRIEDRICH GROUP NEWS

We welcome Anton to our group and wish him much success during his PhD journey!

Published on in FRIEDRICH GROUP NEWS