Döbereiner Lab

The slime mold Physarum polycephalum has become famous in the recent years for its problem solving capacities despite lacking a brain. Physarum polycephalum and other comparatively simple species like Hydra or C. elegans have ignited a new field called basal cognition. We study similarities in collective oscillation patterns in animal brains and the tubular network of Physarum with its peristaltic waves. 

Our work on animal cells has a strong focus on mouse embryionic fibroblasts. We are interested in the motility and active deformations of these cells and, especially, in the mechanisms that lead to various different forms of cellular motion that are based on the polymerization of actin. One of our special interests thereby lies in the widely observed wave-like phenomena. 

Follow this link to find out more about our recent publications in peer-reviewed journals and contributions in book chapters. 

Brand new!

• Integrated biology of Physarum polycephalum: cell biology, biophysics, and behavior of plasmodial networks C Oettmeier, A Fessel, HG Döbereiner, Myxomycetes, 453-49

In his classical paper More is different P.W. Anderson (1972) discusses the hierarchical levels of nature. Each level is made of and obeys the laws of its constituents from one level below. All levels are connected by quantitative relations to their lower and higher hierarchical neighbor which links the physical entities of all hierarchies.

In 2021 and 2022 due to our participation in the NFDI initiative (National Research Data Infrastructure), our lecture series dedicated to decision-making has taken a new direction. In the following talks we will concentrate on the relationships between data, science and knowledge creating a transdisciplinary discussion platform for scientists and interested public. 

Progress in science strongly depends on advanced, reliable, accessible management, processing and interpretation of data across disciplinary boundaries. The ever-increasing quantity of data gained from experiments and simulations require transparently structured and machine-actionable infrastructures, concisely summarized by the FAIR-principles