Research – Yunker Lab

We mix experiments, simulations, and theoretical models to study how groups of cells interact with each other and their environment. We generally have two systems we study: bacterial biofilms and lab-evolved yeast. We use our background in physics to strive to find new and interesting phenomena in living systems. Three phrases to summarize our lab’s direction: “Aim for rough water”, “More is different”, “Interesting science is interesting”. “Aim for rough water”. It is uncertain and, at times, terrifying, but also the most exciting. Everybody can see where they’re going in calm waters where there’s little to be discovered. Our research philosophy has been greatly influenced by the Nature essay providing such advice written by the late, great Steven Weinberg. In our interdisciplinary age, we no longer need to justify the utility of combining physics and biology. However, we are still in many cases, as a field, searching for the right questions to ask. We thus are able to discover fundam

TL; DR We mix experiments, simulations, and theoretical models to study how groups of cells interact with each other and their environment. We generally have two systems we study: bacterial biofilms and lab-evolved yeast. We use our background in physics to strive to find new and interesting phenomena in living systems. Three phrases to summarize our lab’s direction: “Aim for rough water”, “More is different”, “Interesting science is interesting”. 10,000 foot view “Aim for rough water” . It is uncertain and, at times, terrifying, but also the most exciting. Everybody can see where they’re goin

related reading

• Condensed and Living Matter Seminar: “Multicellular is different: the biophysical basis of multicellular growth” (Peter Yunker) | Center for Soft and Living Matterweb.sas.upenn.edu
• Drescher Labdrescherlab.org
• Cell-cell interactions and the development of bacterial communities - Ned Wingreengrantome.com
• Research – Ratcliff Lab @ Georgia Techratclifflab.biosci.gatech.edu
• UCSD Biological Physicsbiophysics.physics.ucsd.edu
• Physics of Living and Non-Equilibrium Systems – Biophysics, Soft Matter, and Statistical Physics in MIT Physicscpls.scripts.mit.edu
• Department of Living Matter Physics | Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organizationds.mpg.de
• Proliferating active matter - PMCpmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
• Shared biophysical mechanisms determine early biofilm architecture development across different bacterial species | PLOS Biologyjournals.plos.org
• Biophysical Modelingsimonsfoundation.org
• jsomers.net | I should have loved biologyjsomers.net
• Research | Erez et al.erezetal.com