Physics of Living Systems

Physics of Living Systems

eLife reviews research in which approaches from the physical sciences are used to provide insights into the properties of biological systems and processes. Learn more about what we review and sign up for the latest research.
Illustration by Davide Bonazzi

Latest articles

    1. Neuroscience
    2. Physics of Living Systems

    Annihilation of action potentials induces electrical coupling between neurons

    Moritz Schloetter, Georg U Maret, Christoph J Kleineidam
    Action potentials of neurons expel a charge when they reach the axon terminal, and classical electrodynamics predict the resulting electric fields and its influence to other neurons by ephaptic coupling.
    1. Physics of Living Systems

    Modularity of the segmentation clock and morphogenesis

    James E Hammond, Ruth E Baker, Berta Verd
    Computational modelling suggests that the segmentation clock and the morphogenesis of the pre-somitic mesoderm exhibit developmental modularity, enabling the independent evolution of these processes and possibly contributing to the high evolvability of vertebrate segment number.
    1. Physics of Living Systems

    Modelling collective behavior in groups of mice housed under semi-naturalistic conditions

    Xiaowen Chen, Maciej Winiarski ... Aleksandra M Walczak
    Revised
    Reviewed Preprint v2
    Updated
    • Valuable
    • Solid
    1. Physics of Living Systems

    Revealing global stoichiometry conservation architecture in cells from Raman spectral patterns

    Ken-ichiro F Kamei, Koseki J Kobayashi-Kirschvink ... Yuichi Wakamoto
    Not revised
    Reviewed Preprint v1
    • Fundamental
    • Compelling
    1. Neuroscience
    2. Physics of Living Systems

    The Geometry and Dimensionality of Brain-wide Activity

    Zezhen Wang, Weihao Mai ... Quan Wen
    Revised
    Reviewed Preprint v2
    Updated
    • Important
    • Convincing
    1. Physics of Living Systems

    Emergence of ion-channel-mediated electrical oscillations in Escherichia coli biofilms

    Emmanuel Akabuogu, Victor Carneiro da Cunha Martorelli ... Thomas A Waigh
    Electrical signaling is demonstrated in Escherichia coli biofilms.
    1. Cancer Biology
    2. Physics of Living Systems

    Robust assessment of asymmetric division in colon cancer cells

    Domenico Caudo, Chiara Giannattasio ... Mattia Miotto
    Not revised
    Reviewed Preprint v1
    • Useful
    • Incomplete
    1. Cell Biology
    2. Physics of Living Systems

    A differentiable Gillespie algorithm for simulating chemical kinetics, parameter estimation, and designing synthetic biological circuits

    Krishna Rijal, Pankaj Mehta
    A differentiable variant of the Gillespie algorithm enables gradient-based optimization for stochastic chemical kinetics, facilitating efficient parameter estimation and the design of biochemical networks with desired input–output relationships.
    1. Chromosomes and Gene Expression
    2. Physics of Living Systems

    An Hfq-dependent post-transcriptional mechanism fine tunes RecB expression in Escherichia coli

    Irina Kalita, Ira Alexandra Iosub ... Meriem El Karoui
    Revised
    Reviewed Preprint v2
    Updated
    • Important
    • Convincing

Senior editors

  1. Felix Campelo
    The Institute of Photonic Sciences, Spain
  2. Aleksandra Walczak
    Ecole Normale Superieure, France
  3. See more editors