Date: Thursday, April 25, 2019
Speaker: Peter Yunker, Georgia Tech
Title: Soft matter physics of the evolution of multicellularity
Abstract:The evolution of multicellularity set the stage for an incredible increase in the diversity and complexity of life on Earth. The increase in biological complexity associated with multicellularity required parallel innovation in the mechanical properties of multicellular bodies. Though a cursory review of any multicellular organism provides an appreciation of this intertwining of biological and mechanical complexity, little is known about how such mechanical properties may have evolved. We hypothesize that prior to the evolution of genetically-regulated development, physics played a key role in initiating simple multicellular development. Through a combination of experimental evolution (which allows us to observe the evolution of multicellularity in the lab, as it occurs), and the tools of soft matter (microscopy, mechanical testing, and more), we show that physics likely played a fundamental role in the evolution of complex multicellularity.
Host:  Tristan Ursell

Date: Thursday, May 2, 2019
Speaker: Treps
Title: TBA
Abstract: TBA
Host:  Brian Smith

Date: Thursday, May 9, 2019
Speaker:  Tiffenberg
Title: TBA
Abstract: TBA
Host:  Tien-Tien Yu

Date: Thursday, May 16, 2019
Speaker:  Micklavzina
Title: TBA
Abstract: TBA
Host:  James Schombert

Date: Thursday, May 23, 2019
Speaker:  Hogg
Title: TBA
Abstract: TBA
Host:  Ben Farr

Date: Thursday, May 30, 2019
Speaker:  Arkani-Hamed
Title: TBA
Abstract: TBA
Host: Graham Kribs

Date: Thursday, June 6, 2019
Speaker:  LoVerde
Title: TBA
Abstract: TBA
Host:  Tien-Tien Yu