Unveiling the rules of disorder and pattern formation in living systems: an interdisciplinary approach

This focus workshop aims to gather scientists coming from different areas, from experimental biology to physics and mathematics, to engage in vibrant discussions on the latest advancements in the field of disorder and pattern formation.

ABOUT

Disorder, chaos and randomness have often been perceived in biology as obstacles to be overcome, “noises” on the path to understanding living organization. However, disorder is not merely an incidental occurrence, but an intrinsic ingredient for exploring the vast possibilities inherent in nature and maybe guiding the emergence and evolution of organisms. In this regard, it is worth mentioning that the past century has seen an explosion of evidence highlighting the role of randomness in shaping complex systems and patterns. By delving into the intricate relationship between disorder and emergence, our COLIBRI focus workshop proposal seeks to explore how disorder in biology may catalyze the emergence of life in all its complexity. Addressing this challenge requires a deep understanding of pattern formation mechanisms and the role of randomness in biology. Although disorder and self-organization are considered antagonistic processes, there may indeed be two facets of an overarching rule in Biology. Here we propose a collective, creative and inevitably interdisciplinary effort to push the boundaries of scientific understanding around disorder and pattern formation.