Embedded Files
A venue to connect researchers interested in Physics of Life within South America
Who we are
Who we are
We are a growing South American network of scientists united by a shared passion for advancing physics of life — where physics meets life’s complexity. Born from a collaborative workshop at ICTP-SAIFR in 2025, our community strives to span researchers, students, and institutions, working together to bridge disciplines and borders.
Chair: Silvina Ponce Dawson (UBA)
Vice-Chair: Pablo de Castro (USP/ICTP-SAIFR)
Assistant Chair: Rafael Menezes (ICTP-SAIFR/Unesp)
Ecology and Evolution Subnetwork
Chair: Gabriel Mindlin (UBA)
Vice-Chair: Marcus Aguiar (Unicamp)
Cells and Molecules
Chair: Vitor Leite (Unesp)
Vice-Chair: Hernan Grecco (UBA)
Neuroscience
Chair: Antonio Carlos Roque (USP)
Vice-Chair: Enzo Tagliazucchi (UBA)
News
News
Cells&Molecules Subnetwork Seminar
Cells&Molecules Subnetwork Seminar
May 29 at 10:00 AM in Brazil (UTC-3)
May 29 at 10:00 AM in Brazil (UTC-3)
Luciana Bruno
Luciana Bruno
Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
Title: Shaping and moving mitochondria: the role of cytoskeletal forces
Title: Shaping and moving mitochondria: the role of cytoskeletal forces
Abstract: Mitochondrial shape and motility emerge from the interplay between active cytoskeletal forces and thermal fluctuations in the crowded cellular environment. In our group, we investigate the mechanical principles governing mitochondrial dynamics by combining high-resolution live-cell imaging with quantitative physical modeling. Tracking individual mitochondria in Xenopus laevis melanophore cells, we analyze transport dynamics, shape fluctuations, and mechanically induced jittering. Our results identify microtubules as the dominant mechanical scaffold driving long-range transport, elongation, and force transmission, while actin filaments impose constraints on mitochondrial mobility and morphology. We introduce a minimally invasive quantitative method to detect localized active force impulses acting on mitochondria and to separate them from background thermal noise. Our findings frame mitochondrial behavior as an out-of-equilibrium mechanical process governed by cytoskeletal force transmission, highlighting the role of intracellular mechanics in organelle dynamics.
Zoom meeting number: 871 1205 0573
Zoom password: polsan
Physics of Life South American Network
Physics of Life South American Network
Group of researchers that participated in the School and Workshop on the Physics of Life at ICTP-SAIFR, São Paulo, Brazil, in March, 2025 — A kickoff event for the Physics of Life South American Network, POLSAN.
Key Initiatives
Key Initiatives
Hybrid Seminars
Regular talks featuring experts on topics of Physics of Life. The organization of the seminars rotate among the subnetworks.
Some hybrid seminars can be attended in person at designated hubs — join locally to watch live, whether the speaker is on-site or streaming remotely. You are always welcome to join the seminars remotely as well!
Fostering Collaborations
The network is a great way to connect with peers that have similar interests and complementary skills!
Schools & Workshops
We are always interested in organizing schools and workshops on the different topics of Physics of Life.
We encourage the submission of proposals to ICTP-SAIFR to organize schools and workshops in the different areas of physics of life. For 2027 proposals, the application deadline is Jan. 15th 2026. Read here for more information.
Mobility Grants & Funding
We strive to make available information on mobility grants and funding for researchers to collaborate across institutions.
We also encourage members to write joint grants, including the possibility of constructing partnerships with different funding agencies across borders.
Our Thematic Subnetworks
Our Thematic Subnetworks
Covering biodiversity, animal movement
Chair: Gabriel Mindlin (UBA)
Vice-Chair: Marcus Aguiar (Unicamp)
Covering biomolecular structure, bioinformatics, omics, systems biology, cell signaling
Chair: Vitor Leite (Unesp)
Vice-Chair: Hernan Grecco (UBA)
Covering physics-based approaches to neuroscience
Chair: Antonio Carlos Roque (USP)
Vice-Chair: Enzo Tagliazucchi (UBA)
How to join
How to join
You can join the network by subscribing to our mailing lists.
Just fill out the form and select which mailing lists you want to subscribe to. After submitting the form, the links to join the mailing lists will be shown. The mailing lists will be used responsibly, primarily to keep you informed about upcoming events and opportunities.
If you would like to email all the members of a mailing list, please send your message directly to the corresponding group email address (visible after you join). Only subscribed members will be able to send emails. Your message will then be circulated to all the members of the list only after approval by the moderators.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse