Abstract

The molecular machinery of life is largely created via self-organisation of individual molecules into functional larger-scaled structures. Such processes are multi-scale in nature and constantly driven far from thermodynamic equilibrium. Our group develops minimal coarse-grained computer models to invstigate how the assembly of a large number of macromolecules results in a living machine, as well as how such processes can fail, leading to diseases.

Today I will discuss our strategy for identifying minimal molecular ingredients that recover the complexity of living machines in silico. I will discuss the application of such computer models on understanding the fundamental mechanism of life—cell reshaping and cell division. I will show quantitative matching of our minimal models with live cell data throughout evolution. Beyond their biological context, these models can help guide the design of artificial structures that are able to recapitulate life at the nanoscale.