Project description DEENESFRITPL Statistical physics provides insight into stressed-cell states Cells comprise highly complex microenvironments, with multiple interactions taking place simultaneously between all components. This makes the application of statistical methods to evaluate cell behaviour increasingly difficult. The EU-funded StatCell project aims to overcome this challenge by introducing an experimental and theoretical framework for the statistical physics description of cells under acute stress. Combining cutting-edge cell biology techniques, StatCell will allow the identification of those cellular network conditions that can be quantitatively predicted by a statistical physics framework. The project’s work will provide significant insight into cellular mechanisms in ageing and disease. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective Statistical physics successfully accounts for phenomena involving a large number of components using a probabilistic approach with predictions for collective properties of the system. While biological cells contain a very large number of interacting components, (proteins, RNA molecules, metabolites, etc.), the cellular network is understood as a particular, highly specific, choice of interactions shaped by evolution, and therefore not amenable to a statistical physics description. My premise is that when a cell encounters an acute, but non-lethal, stress, its perturbed state can be modelled as random network dynamics, rather than as a regulated response. Strong perturbations may therefore reveal the dynamics of the underlying network that are amenable to a statistical physics description. Based on the striking similarity between our data on stressed bacteria and physical aging in disordered systems, my goal is to develop an experimental and theoretical framework for the statistical physics description of cells exposed to strong perturbations. We will critically probe the predictions of the statistical model using a multidisciplinary approach combining three frontline methodologies: (1) dynamics of single bacteria under acute stress in microfluidic devices and single cell transcriptomics; (2) theoretical framework and simulations for cellular networks under acute stress; and (3) new biophysical measurements of the transition from the regulated to the disrupted cellular network. This approach should provide a paradigm shift in the analysis of cells under stress, differentiating between conditions described by the regulation of gene networks from those that can be quantitatively predicted by a statistical physics framework. The new knowledge should lead to innovative ways of controlling the cellular network under strong perturbations, with implications ranging from new methodologies for synthetic biology to new avenues for treating bacterial infections and cancer. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologybacteriologynatural sciencesbiological sciencessynthetic biologyengineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringinformation engineeringtelecommunicationstelecommunications networksmobile networknatural sciencesmathematicsapplied mathematicsstatistics and probabilitynatural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsRNA Programme(s) HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme Topic(s) ERC-2021-ADG - ERC ADVANCED GRANTS Call for proposal ERC-2021-ADG See other projects for this call Funding Scheme HORIZON-AG - HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based Coordinator THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY OF JERUSALEM Net EU contribution € 2 497 500,00 Address Edmond j safra campus givat ram 91904 Jerusalem Israel See on map Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00
