Connections between physics and metabolism in brain functions
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Advances in molecular biology have shaped our understanding of cellular biology. Yet, this molecular-centric approach has overshadowed the role of physical processes governing cellular homeostasis. In genetic disorders, particularly inherited metabolic diseases, phenotypic heterogeneity cannot solely be explained by genetic variants. Mechanical properties of cells and tissues may account for this variability, given the interplay between biological and physical cues in metabolic regulations. In July 2024, we organized an international symposium with world experts in physics, chemistry, and neurobiology to explore the physical regulation of brain metabolism in health and disease. Topics included mechanotransduction in neurodevelopment and brain aging, the physics of neurotransmission and cellular trafficking, and emerging methods to model cellular metabolism, analyze single-cell mechanical and transcriptional signals, and track nanoparticles in intact brain tissue. This effort aims to foster an interdisciplinary framework for neuroscience and train scientists across disciplines, while integrating art to stimulate creativity and integrative thinking.
Source: iScience
Institutions: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Inserm, Sorbonne Université, Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Institut du Cerveau, Université Pierre-et-Marie-Curie, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu Barcelona, Universitat Abat Oliba CEU, Centre for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Université Paris Sciences et Lettres, Physique des Cellules et Cancers, Institut Curie, Wellcome/MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Université de Bordeaux, Institut d’Optique Graduate School, Laboratoire Photonique, Numérique et Nanosciences, University of Glasgow, University of Arizona, Banner - University Medical Center Tucson, Institut d'Investigació Biomédica de Bellvitge, Universitat de Barcelona, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Biologie cellulaire physiologique et pathologique, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, University of Warwick, University of Oxford, Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology
Language: English
Subfield: Cell Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,240
OpenAlex ID: W7119088487