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. Physics of Living Systems

    Theory of non-dilute binding and surface phase separation applied to membrane-binding proteins

    Xueping Zhao, Daxiao Sun ... Christoph A Weber
    Not revised
    Reviewed Preprint v1
    • Important
    • Compelling
    1. Physics of Living Systems

    Physical constraints and biological regulations underlie universal osmoresponses

    Yiyang Ye, Qirun Wang, Jie Lin
    Revised
    Reviewed Preprint v2
    Updated
    • Important
    • Convincing
    1. Neuroscience
    2. Physics of Living Systems

    Imaging of brain electric field networks with spatially resolved EEG

    Lawrence R Frank, Vitaly L Galinsky ... Antigona Martinez
    A physics-based solution to the electroencephalography (EEG) inverse problem enables whole-brain electric field imaging with high spatial and temporal resolution using standard EEG systems.
    1. Computational and Systems Biology
    2. Physics of Living Systems

    Overflow metabolism originates from growth optimization and cell heterogeneity

    Xin Wang
    The combination of growth optimization and cell heterogeneity enables a quantitative explanation of overflow metabolism in microbes and the classical Warburg effect in cancer cells, resolving this long-standing puzzle.
    1. Microbiology and Infectious Disease
    2. Physics of Living Systems

    Cellular coordination underpins rapid reversals in gliding filamentous cyanobacteria and its loss results in plectonemes

    Jerko Rosko, Kelsey Cremin ... Orkun S Soyer
    Revised
    Reviewed Preprint v2
    Updated
    • Fundamental
    • Convincing
    1. Microbiology and Infectious Disease
    2. Physics of Living Systems

    Heterogeneous efflux pump expression underpins phenotypic resistance to antimicrobial peptides

    Ka Kiu Lee, Urszula Łapińska ... Stefano Pagliara
    Revised
    Reviewed Preprint v2
    Updated
    • Important
    • Compelling
    • Solid
    1. Physics of Living Systems

    Collective epithelial migration mediated by the unbinding of hexatic defects

    Dimitrios Krommydas, Livio Nicola Carenza, Luca Giomi
    Not revised
    Reviewed Preprint v1
    • Important
    • Solid
    1. Microbiology and Infectious Disease
    2. Physics of Living Systems

    Observation of persister cell histories reveals diverse modes of survival in antibiotic persistence

    Miki Umetani, Miho Fujisawa ... Yuichi Wakamoto
    Time-lapse analyses of millions of antibiotic-stressed Escherichia coli characterize the diverse single-cell dynamics of persister cells that depend on antibiotics, culture conditions, and pre-exposure history.
    1. Physics of Living Systems

    Optimal information gain at the onset of habituation to repeated stimuli

    Giorgio Nicoletti, Matteo Bruzzone ... Daniel Maria Busiello
    Revised
    Reviewed Preprint v2
    Updated
    • Valuable
    • Solid
    1. Developmental Biology
    2. Physics of Living Systems

    Spiral-eyes: A soft active matter model of in vivo corneal epithelial cell migration

    Kaja Kostanjevec, Rastko Sknepnek ... Silke Henkes
    Not revised
    Reviewed Preprint v1
    • Useful
    • Incomplete
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Highlights

    1. Physics of Living Systems

    Flagella: A new kind of beat

    Kirsty Y Wan
    1. Physics of Living Systems

    Cancer: Cells under pressure

    Dhiraj Indana, Ovijit Chaudhuri
    1. Physics of Living Systems
    2. Structural Biology and Molecular Biophysics

    Modelling biomolecular condensates

    Furqan Dar, Rohit Pappu

Senior editors

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