Physics of Morphogenesis

Explore the fascinating intersection of physics and biology in this Stanford Physics colloquium talk on the physics of morphogenesis. Delve into the complex process by which living organisms acquire their shape and form, examining the interplay between physical forces and genetically encoded regulation. Learn how mechanical self-organization at the cellular level translates spatial patterns of developmental gene expression into controlled tissue shape transformations. Discover how simple physical concepts can explain intricate tissue behaviors and how the study of active mechanics in morphogenesis extends the boundaries of traditional continuum mechanics. Gain insights into the open problem of how living matter encodes geometric information for shape generation, bridging the gap between biological understanding of key genes and cellular mechanisms and the physical principles governing morphogenesis.