ICMCS Seminar - Engineering Death – the science of self disassembly
ICMCS Seminar - Engineering Death – the science of self disassembly
- Event time: 4:00pm until 5:00pm
- Event date: 24th February 2025
- Speaker: Professor Wilson Poon (School of Physics & Astronomy, University of Edinburgh)
- Location: James Clerk Maxwell Building (JCMB) 2511 James Clerk Maxwell Building Peter Guthrie Tait Road Edinburgh EH9 3FD GB
Event details
Self assembly is a key concept in soft matter physics. One ‘holy grail’ of soft matter physics research is to learn to self assembly the most complex structures in the known universe – life. However, self assembly is only half of the story. Life has evolved very precise ways of self disassembling structures on the molecular to the ecosystem levels, and to feedback the products of such disassembly into the self assembly process. I will review evidence for this, and then summarise findings from recent work I have done in collaboration with colleagues from Durham and Oxford to show how the humble E. colibacterium seems to have ‘planned’ how to disassemble the products after its own death to benefit others in the same population. Finally, I will explain how such research may impact wide areas of current concern such as sustainability and the circular economy.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://ed-ac-uk.zoom.us/j/81211470751
Meeting ID: 812 1147 0751
Passcode: Vk9c86c5
About Condensed Matter lunchtime seminars
This is a weekly series of informal talks given primarily by members of the institute of condensed matter and complex systems, but is also open to members of other groups and external visitors. The aim of the series is to promote discussion and learning of various topics at a level suitable to the broad background of the group. Everyone is welcome to attend..