Held in Freiburg and co-organized by members of CIBSS, the Institute of Physics at the University of Freiburg and others, the event explored the quantitative and physical foundations of life – from thermodynamics and information processing to the emergence and organisation of living matter. The programme provided ample space for dialogue across disciplines, enabling physicists, biologists and data scientists to challenge assumptions and share perspectives.
· Event
Bridging theory and life: Recap of the Theory of Living Systems symposium
On 6 October 2025, the “Theory of Living Systems” symposium brought together leading theoreticians and life scientists to foster exchange on the interface of theoretical physics and biology.
Speaker Prof. Dr. Edgar Roldan during his talk at the Theory of Living Systems Symposium 2025.
Photo: CIBSS/University of Freiburg
Presentations by the invited speakers examined analogies and differences between physical and biological systems, probing what distinguishes life from other complex matter. Throughout these sessions, the symposium emphasised how bridging physical theories with experimental biology can yield novel conceptual frameworks and computational tools for understanding life’s complexity.
By co-hosting this interdisciplinary forum, CIBSS underscores its mission to advance biological signalling research beyond traditional boundaries and to catalyse new thinking. Insights and collaborations emerging from an event like this are expected to inspire ongoing projects within CIBSS and foster long-term partnerships across institutions and disciplines.