The Thermodynamics of Living Organization
- November 03, 2026
- 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
- Carson Family Auditorium (CRC)
Event Details
- Type
- Center for Studies in Physics and Biology Seminars
- Speaker(s)
-
Nikta Fakhri, Ph.D., associate professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Speaker bio(s)
-
How does irreversibility shape the organization and function of living matter, from molecular assemblies to multicellular organisms? Sustained by continuous energy consumption, living systems exhibit collective dynamics and material properties that challenge our equilibrium understanding of matter. In this talk, I will explore how broken symmetries and nonequilibrium interactions give rise to collective behaviors with no equilibrium counterpart. Combining experiments and theory, I will discuss phenomena ranging from living chiral crystals and odd elasticity to probability flows that direct biological decision-making. These examples reveal how irreversible dynamics shape mechanical response, bias transitions between states, and set thermodynamic limits on the speed and reliability of biological decisions. Finally, I will turn to multicellular life, where these ideas raise a broader question: how do interactions among living units give rise to collective function?
- Open to
- Public
- Reception
- Refreshments, 3:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., Lower Level Greenberg Building (CRC)
- Phone
- (212) 327-8636
- Sponsor
-
Melanie Lee
(212) 327-8636
leem@rockefeller.edu