Dresden 2026 – scientific programme

Parts | Days | Selection | Search | Updates | Downloads | Help

SYGF: Guest Country Symposium France: Soft, Active and Alive: Emergent Properties in Living Matter

SYGF 1: Guest Country Symposium France: Soft, Active and Alive: Emergent Properties in Living Matter (SYGF)

SYGF 1.3: Invited Talk

Wednesday, March 11, 2026, 16:00–16:30, HSZ/AUDI

From morphogenesis to space partitioning by microtubules and molecular motors. — •Manuel Thery — ESPCI, Paris, France

Microtubules are not just tracks for transport; they can also be moved by the forces exerted by molecular motors. In this presentation, we will first demonstrate how the interplay between moving microtubules and transported motors can result in the emergence of shapes from random mixtures (morphogenesis). We will explain how these shapes are maintained in dynamic steady-states by active and polar boundaries. Then, we will explore the plasticity and adaptation of these boundaries to geometric constraints, as well as their ability to polarise or bipolarise a confined space (space partitioning). Finally, we will discuss the relevance of this process to various forms of intracellular organisation.