Flow Network Adaptation
Physarum Polycephalum
Physarum’s network-shaped body plan recognizes as individual veins change contraction mechanics due to environmental stimuli and veins dilate or shrink in response to fluid shear forces.
- Vein fate determined by flow-based but time-delayed integration of network architecture.
Sophie Marbach, Noah Ziethen, Leonie Bastin, Felix Bäuerle, and Karen Alim,
[eLife 2023] [bioRxiv 2023] [PDF] [dedicated insight article] - Vascular adaptation model from force balance: Physarum polycephalum as a case study.
Sophie Marbach, Noah Ziethen, and Karen Alim,
[arXiv 2023] [PDF] - Network topology enables efficient response to environment in Physarum polycephalum.
Siyu Chen and Karen Alim,
[Phys. Biol. 2023] [bioRxiv 2022] [PDF] - Living system adapts harmonics of peristaltic wave for cost-efficient optimization of pumping performance.
Felix K. Bäuerle, Stefan Karpitschka, and Karen Alim,
[Phys. Rev. Lett. 2020][PDF][Press English][Press German] - Spatial mapping reveals multi-step pattern of wound healing in Physarum polycephalum.
Felix Bäuerle, Mirna Kramar, and Karen Alim,
[J. Phys. D 2017] [PDF] - Pruning to increase Taylor dispersion in Physarum polycephalum networks.
Sophie Marbach, Karen Alim, Natalie Andrew, Anne Pringle, and Michael P. Brenner ,
[Phys. Rev. Lett. 2016] [PDF]
Microvasculature
Architecture of brain micro-vasculature ideal homogeneous supply throughout tissue as well as local control of supply by vessel dilation.
- Robust increase in supply by vessel dilation in globally coupled microvasculature.
Felix Meigel, Peter Cha, Michael P. Brenner, and Karen Alim,
[Phys. Rev. Lett. 2019] [PDF] [Physics Synopsis] [Physics World] [Press English] [Press German]
Alkaline Vents
Architecture of flow networks pervading alkaline vents shaped by controlling mineral precipitation with ion concentration and fluid flow rate.
- Alkaline vents recreated in two dimensions to study pH gradients, precipitation morphology and molecule accumulation.
Maximilian Weingart, Siyu Chen, Clara Donat, Vanessa Helmbrecht, William D. Orsi, Dieter Braun, and Karen Alim,
[Sci. Adv. 2023] [arXiv 2023] [PDF]