Zwicker Group
@zwickergroup.bsky.social
Theoretical biophysics group at MPI-DS, Göttingen. We study the spatiotemporal organization of soft matter in cells, tissues, and synthetic systems; see www.zwickergroup.org
The final version of the review has now been published at Rep. Prog. Phys.: doi.org/10.1088/1361...
We hope the review is helpful, and we'd like to thank everyone who helped us improve the text during the revision phase!
We hope the review is helpful, and we'd like to thank everyone who helped us improve the text during the revision phase!
Physics of droplet regulation in biological cells
Physics of droplet regulation in biological cells, Zwicker, David, Paulin, Oliver W, ter Burg, Cathelijne
doi.org
January 28, 2026 at 9:13 AM
The final version of the review has now been published at Rep. Prog. Phys.: doi.org/10.1088/1361...
We hope the review is helpful, and we'd like to thank everyone who helped us improve the text during the revision phase!
We hope the review is helpful, and we'd like to thank everyone who helped us improve the text during the revision phase!
Curtesy of @jerelleaj.bsky.social who was our amazing master of the black board!
January 8, 2026 at 10:36 AM
Curtesy of @jerelleaj.bsky.social who was our amazing master of the black board!
All the best, Aljaz!
December 30, 2025 at 3:02 PM
All the best, Aljaz!
Our work helps us to understand the fundamental behaviors of chemically active droplets. We hope that it guides future understanding of biomolecular condensates and also experiments reconstituting these droplets in synthetic systems. Details are available in the pre-print: arxiv.org/abs/2512.02542
Size control guidelines for chemically active droplets
Biological cells and synthetic analogues use liquid-liquid phase separation to dynamically compartmentalize their environment for various applications. In many cases, multiple droplets need to coexist...
arxiv.org
December 15, 2025 at 8:07 AM
Our work helps us to understand the fundamental behaviors of chemically active droplets. We hope that it guides future understanding of biomolecular condensates and also experiments reconstituting these droplets in synthetic systems. Details are available in the pre-print: arxiv.org/abs/2512.02542
More generally, we identified that reactions can either take place in the entire droplet volume or just in a region limited to the interface. These two different classes of droplets behave qualitatively differently.
December 15, 2025 at 8:07 AM
More generally, we identified that reactions can either take place in the entire droplet volume or just in a region limited to the interface. These two different classes of droplets behave qualitatively differently.
Our simplest model describes a binary fluid, which exhibits phase separation and conversion of the two species into each other. Using linear non-equilibrium thermodynamics, we asked how different conversion rates affect droplet sizes, and this parameter dependence turned out to be complex.
December 15, 2025 at 8:07 AM
Our simplest model describes a binary fluid, which exhibits phase separation and conversion of the two species into each other. Using linear non-equilibrium thermodynamics, we asked how different conversion rates affect droplet sizes, and this parameter dependence turned out to be complex.
Congratulations, Anna! Welcome to this great program 🎉
December 2, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Congratulations, Anna! Welcome to this great program 🎉
Wow, congratulations!
November 27, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Wow, congratulations!
In contrast, short-range interactions (e.g., non-local elasticity and Riccardo's system discussed above) show various patterns, which can be explained by a mapping to the Swift-Hohenberg model. These results demonstrates that various processes arresting droplet coarsening fall into two categories.
November 24, 2025 at 9:45 AM
In contrast, short-range interactions (e.g., non-local elasticity and Riccardo's system discussed above) show various patterns, which can be explained by a mapping to the Swift-Hohenberg model. These results demonstrates that various processes arresting droplet coarsening fall into two categories.
Filipe's work (in collaboration with Yicheng and Oliver) puts these results in context by generally studying the influence of non-local interactions onto phase separation. We find that long-range interactions (e.g., electrostatics and also chemical reactions) generally suppress phase separation.
November 24, 2025 at 9:45 AM
Filipe's work (in collaboration with Yicheng and Oliver) puts these results in context by generally studying the influence of non-local interactions onto phase separation. We find that long-range interactions (e.g., electrostatics and also chemical reactions) generally suppress phase separation.
Active processes can further control the droplet dynamics. They can either accelerate coarsening, or they can suppress it completely. In the latter case, we also find interesting states where a macroscopic droplet coexists with a patterned phase comprising many smaller spots.
November 24, 2025 at 9:45 AM
Active processes can further control the droplet dynamics. They can either accelerate coarsening, or they can suppress it completely. In the latter case, we also find interesting states where a macroscopic droplet coexists with a patterned phase comprising many smaller spots.
Riccardo and Gerrit looked at condensates embedded in membranes, using polarity spots of yeast as an example. They showed that exchange with the bulk can strongly accelerate coarsening, allowing cells to form one spot quickly.
November 24, 2025 at 9:45 AM
Riccardo and Gerrit looked at condensates embedded in membranes, using polarity spots of yeast as an example. They showed that exchange with the bulk can strongly accelerate coarsening, allowing cells to form one spot quickly.