Roadmap for Condensates in Cell Biology
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Biomolecular condensates govern essential cellular processes yet elude description by traditional equilibrium models. This roadmap, distilled from structured discussions at a workshop and reflecting the consensus of its participants, clarifies key concepts for researchers, funding bodies, and journals. After unifying terminology that often separates disciplines, we outline the core physics of condensate formation, review their biological roles, and identify outstanding challenges in nonequilibrium theory, multiscale simulation, and quantitative in-cell measurements. We close with a forward-looking outlook to guide coordinated efforts toward predictive, experimentally anchored understanding and control of biomolecular condensates.
Source: PRX Life
DOI: 10.1103/3b2k-ftwx
Authors: Dilimulati Aierken, Sebastian Aland, Stefano Bo, Steven Boeynaems, Danfeng Cai, Serena Carra, Lindsay B. Case, Hue Sun Chan, Jorge R. Espinosa, Trevor K. GrandPre, Alexander Y. Grosberg, Ivar S. Haugerud, William M. Jacobs, Jerelle A. Joseph, Frank Jülicher, Kurt Kremer, Guido Kusters, Liedewij Laan, Keren Lasker, Kathrin S. Laxhuber, Hyun O. Lee, Kathy F. Liu, Dimple Notani, Yicheng Qiang, Paul Robustelli, Leonor Saiz, Omar A. Saleh, Helmut Schiessel, Jeremy D. Schmit, Meng Shen, Krishna Shrinivas, Antonia Statt, Andres R. Tejedor, Tatjana Trcek, Christoph A. Weber, Stephanie C. Weber, Ned S. Wingreen, Huaiying Zhang, Yaojun Zhang, Huan-Xiang Zhou, David Zwicker
Institutions: Princeton University, Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Dresden – University of Applied Sciences, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, King's College London, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Johns Hopkins University, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Toronto, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, University of Cambridge, Northwestern University, Washington University in St. Louis, University of Chicago, New York University, University of Augsburg, Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Delft University of Technology, Scripps Research Institute, University of Pennsylvania, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, University of California, Davis, University of California, Santa Barbara, Physics of Life, Technische Universität Dresden, Kansas State University, California State University, Fullerton, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, McGill University, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Illinois Chicago
Language: English
Topic: RNA Research and Splicing
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7167918462