Objective
Living materials process information through their physical degrees of freedom, enabling autonomous functions beyond the capabilities of electronic systems. For example, a migrating cell uses its own shape dynamics to navigate through complex environments and decide which way to go. Yet, the principles underlying such physical information processing have not been identified due to the complexity inherent to problems involving fluctuating dynamic boundaries, and the need for a multidisciplinary approach to link theory with experiments.
Building on recent scientific and methodological advances from my group, I propose to investigate how soft active materials perform computations and self-organise functional behaviours using the deformations of their own shape. Specifically, using surface anchoring effects in anisotropic materials as a paradigm for physical shape sensing, GOAL will identify how information is transferred from the covariant dynamics of active boundaries to surface-controlled bulk states, enabled by our novel approach to simulate active surface fluctuations (WP1-2). Combining theoretical results with experimental data from the technological frontier of biology, we will identify how the coupling between anisotropic materials and their geometry generates functional behaviours, such as autonomous object avoidance or embryo self-organisation (WP3). Lastly, we will leverage the visual accessibility of geometrical features to probe how machine learning approaches infer geometry-driven states and transitions from images, and to test our information theoretical predictions on shape sensing (WP4).
GOAL will likely lead to the discovery of universal principles for shape-adaptive matter, because the nonlinear dependencies that arise from geometrical relations express fundamental mathematical properties of space that hold across all scales and contexts.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2025-STG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
69117 Heidelberg
Germany
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