David Brückner
@davidbrueckner.bsky.social
Assistant Professor @biozentrum.unibas.ch • Theoretical biophysics • Postdoc ISTAustria, PhD LMU Munich, MSc Cambridge University
www.biozentrum.unibas.ch/brueckner
www.biozentrum.unibas.ch/brueckner
Had a great time at the "Physics of Stem Cells" Meeting at Institut Pasteur last week!
Many inspiring talks with different perspectives on how stem cells make decisions
Many inspiring talks with different perspectives on how stem cells make decisions
November 16, 2025 at 10:23 PM
Had a great time at the "Physics of Stem Cells" Meeting at Institut Pasteur last week!
Many inspiring talks with different perspectives on how stem cells make decisions
Many inspiring talks with different perspectives on how stem cells make decisions
We provide a perspective on how this framework could help to formalize the spectrum of patterning processes from instructed to self-organized development at multiple levels.
November 10, 2025 at 6:46 AM
We provide a perspective on how this framework could help to formalize the spectrum of patterning processes from instructed to self-organized development at multiple levels.
We propose a way to organize our current thinking about the algorithmic level along a set of architectures formalizing the computational capacity and amount of lateral coupling between cells
November 10, 2025 at 6:46 AM
We propose a way to organize our current thinking about the algorithmic level along a set of architectures formalizing the computational capacity and amount of lateral coupling between cells
We propose that many current approaches are not competing ideas, but look at the same fundamental problem - egg to embryo - from different perspectives:
1️⃣ Normative theories & optimality formalize the computationa problem
2️⃣ Dynamical systems provide algorithms
3️⃣ GRNs & others model implementation
1️⃣ Normative theories & optimality formalize the computationa problem
2️⃣ Dynamical systems provide algorithms
3️⃣ GRNs & others model implementation
November 10, 2025 at 6:46 AM
We propose that many current approaches are not competing ideas, but look at the same fundamental problem - egg to embryo - from different perspectives:
1️⃣ Normative theories & optimality formalize the computationa problem
2️⃣ Dynamical systems provide algorithms
3️⃣ GRNs & others model implementation
1️⃣ Normative theories & optimality formalize the computationa problem
2️⃣ Dynamical systems provide algorithms
3️⃣ GRNs & others model implementation
How can we organize current theoretical approaches for developmental biology - from information to dynamical systems & GRNs - into a common framework?
We propose to think along Marr's 3 levels: computational problem, algorithm, implementation
Check out our review:
arxiv.org/abs/2510.24536
We propose to think along Marr's 3 levels: computational problem, algorithm, implementation
Check out our review:
arxiv.org/abs/2510.24536
November 10, 2025 at 6:46 AM
How can we organize current theoretical approaches for developmental biology - from information to dynamical systems & GRNs - into a common framework?
We propose to think along Marr's 3 levels: computational problem, algorithm, implementation
Check out our review:
arxiv.org/abs/2510.24536
We propose to think along Marr's 3 levels: computational problem, algorithm, implementation
Check out our review:
arxiv.org/abs/2510.24536
Had a lot of fun at our first group retreat in Graubünden🇨🇭🏔️🌄
October 4, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Had a lot of fun at our first group retreat in Graubünden🇨🇭🏔️🌄
This coupling of frictional gradient sensing with persistent polarity dynamics leads to complex migration trajectories on 2D gradients
Together, this demonstrates that haptotaxis is more than linear motion to the top of the hill: complex, nontrivial behavior can emerge without complex regulation
Together, this demonstrates that haptotaxis is more than linear motion to the top of the hill: complex, nontrivial behavior can emerge without complex regulation
September 27, 2025 at 8:48 AM
This coupling of frictional gradient sensing with persistent polarity dynamics leads to complex migration trajectories on 2D gradients
Together, this demonstrates that haptotaxis is more than linear motion to the top of the hill: complex, nontrivial behavior can emerge without complex regulation
Together, this demonstrates that haptotaxis is more than linear motion to the top of the hill: complex, nontrivial behavior can emerge without complex regulation
Simulations of this model with just 3 parameters quantitatively capture the experimental statistics
September 27, 2025 at 8:48 AM
Simulations of this model with just 3 parameters quantitatively capture the experimental statistics
Theoretically, we show that more adhesions at the front vs back lead to differential friction & thus more effective clutching of actin flow to the substrate
Yet persistent polarity dynamics drive the cell down the gradient - leading to anti-haptotactic phases
Yet persistent polarity dynamics drive the cell down the gradient - leading to anti-haptotactic phases
September 27, 2025 at 8:48 AM
Theoretically, we show that more adhesions at the front vs back lead to differential friction & thus more effective clutching of actin flow to the substrate
Yet persistent polarity dynamics drive the cell down the gradient - leading to anti-haptotactic phases
Yet persistent polarity dynamics drive the cell down the gradient - leading to anti-haptotactic phases
Experimentally, led by @icfortunato.bsky.social, we find that cells typically migrate up gradients (haptotaxis), but interestingly continue past the maximum of protein density, leading to anti-haptotactic migration down the gradient.
Why would that happen?
Why would that happen?
September 27, 2025 at 8:48 AM
Experimentally, led by @icfortunato.bsky.social, we find that cells typically migrate up gradients (haptotaxis), but interestingly continue past the maximum of protein density, leading to anti-haptotactic migration down the gradient.
Why would that happen?
Why would that happen?
How do cells navigate up gradients of adhesive proteins?
🤔
Termed "Haptotaxis", this effect is ubiquitous in cell migration, but it's mechanism was poorly understood
We show that passive friction directs cells & explains complex trajectories on gradients
👉 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
🤔
Termed "Haptotaxis", this effect is ubiquitous in cell migration, but it's mechanism was poorly understood
We show that passive friction directs cells & explains complex trajectories on gradients
👉 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
September 27, 2025 at 8:48 AM
How do cells navigate up gradients of adhesive proteins?
🤔
Termed "Haptotaxis", this effect is ubiquitous in cell migration, but it's mechanism was poorly understood
We show that passive friction directs cells & explains complex trajectories on gradients
👉 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
🤔
Termed "Haptotaxis", this effect is ubiquitous in cell migration, but it's mechanism was poorly understood
We show that passive friction directs cells & explains complex trajectories on gradients
👉 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
It was fun talking about Waddington’s landscape today in the Waddington Building of the University of Edinburgh! 😁
Thank you Linus Schumacher for the invitation!
Thank you Linus Schumacher for the invitation!
September 18, 2025 at 9:59 PM
It was fun talking about Waddington’s landscape today in the Waddington Building of the University of Edinburgh! 😁
Thank you Linus Schumacher for the invitation!
Thank you Linus Schumacher for the invitation!
🤔 How do protrusion & polarity interactions govern the collision behavior of migrating cells?
Check out our paper, just out in @prxlife.bsky.social
👉 journals.aps.org/prxlife/abst...
Great work by Tom Brandstätter, in collab. w/ Chase Broedersz & Joachim Rädler @cens-lmu.bsky.social
Check out our paper, just out in @prxlife.bsky.social
👉 journals.aps.org/prxlife/abst...
Great work by Tom Brandstätter, in collab. w/ Chase Broedersz & Joachim Rädler @cens-lmu.bsky.social
August 27, 2025 at 7:03 AM
🤔 How do protrusion & polarity interactions govern the collision behavior of migrating cells?
Check out our paper, just out in @prxlife.bsky.social
👉 journals.aps.org/prxlife/abst...
Great work by Tom Brandstätter, in collab. w/ Chase Broedersz & Joachim Rädler @cens-lmu.bsky.social
Check out our paper, just out in @prxlife.bsky.social
👉 journals.aps.org/prxlife/abst...
Great work by Tom Brandstätter, in collab. w/ Chase Broedersz & Joachim Rädler @cens-lmu.bsky.social
Check out the paper for more cool experiments, incl. sequential confinements and perturbations of the actin cortex, which is crucial for the function of the memory.
This was a super fun collaboration with the lab of @sgabriele.bsky.social, spearheaded by the amazing @kyohalie.bsky.social 🌟
This was a super fun collaboration with the lab of @sgabriele.bsky.social, spearheaded by the amazing @kyohalie.bsky.social 🌟
August 25, 2025 at 9:49 AM
Check out the paper for more cool experiments, incl. sequential confinements and perturbations of the actin cortex, which is crucial for the function of the memory.
This was a super fun collaboration with the lab of @sgabriele.bsky.social, spearheaded by the amazing @kyohalie.bsky.social 🌟
This was a super fun collaboration with the lab of @sgabriele.bsky.social, spearheaded by the amazing @kyohalie.bsky.social 🌟
Incorporating the 'hidden' dynamics of these polarity states with memory across transitions, we capture the key statistics of the memory dynamics.
Our model then predicts changes in migration phenotype in various geometries.
Our model then predicts changes in migration phenotype in various geometries.
August 25, 2025 at 9:49 AM
Incorporating the 'hidden' dynamics of these polarity states with memory across transitions, we capture the key statistics of the memory dynamics.
Our model then predicts changes in migration phenotype in various geometries.
Our model then predicts changes in migration phenotype in various geometries.
From a theoretical perspective, we show that the migration of the two morphologies is described by a switch in polarity dynamics:
compacted cells behave like highly polarized active particles
elongated cells behave like unpolarized active particles
compacted cells behave like highly polarized active particles
elongated cells behave like unpolarized active particles
August 25, 2025 at 9:49 AM
From a theoretical perspective, we show that the migration of the two morphologies is described by a switch in polarity dynamics:
compacted cells behave like highly polarized active particles
elongated cells behave like unpolarized active particles
compacted cells behave like highly polarized active particles
elongated cells behave like unpolarized active particles
Our first group picture with Maddalena, Daniil and Georg who are doing PhD rotations @biozentrum.unibas.ch!
April 30, 2025 at 8:33 AM
Our first group picture with Maddalena, Daniil and Georg who are doing PhD rotations @biozentrum.unibas.ch!
It was a pleasure to host the symposium "Physics of Development across scales" at #DPG2025 w/ Fridtjof Brauns!
Spectacular lineup of talks w/ @anne-grapin.bsky.social @nicolettapetridou.bsky.social Frank Jülicher, David Rand & Leonid Mirny, demonstrating the breadth of physics in embryogenesis
Spectacular lineup of talks w/ @anne-grapin.bsky.social @nicolettapetridou.bsky.social Frank Jülicher, David Rand & Leonid Mirny, demonstrating the breadth of physics in embryogenesis
March 17, 2025 at 5:39 PM
It was a pleasure to host the symposium "Physics of Development across scales" at #DPG2025 w/ Fridtjof Brauns!
Spectacular lineup of talks w/ @anne-grapin.bsky.social @nicolettapetridou.bsky.social Frank Jülicher, David Rand & Leonid Mirny, demonstrating the breadth of physics in embryogenesis
Spectacular lineup of talks w/ @anne-grapin.bsky.social @nicolettapetridou.bsky.social Frank Jülicher, David Rand & Leonid Mirny, demonstrating the breadth of physics in embryogenesis
If you're at the #DPG2025 Spring meeting in Regensburg, come check out my talk on Information flow in self-organized developmental systems in the dynamical systems session tomorrow!
March 17, 2025 at 5:36 PM
If you're at the #DPG2025 Spring meeting in Regensburg, come check out my talk on Information flow in self-organized developmental systems in the dynamical systems session tomorrow!
Combining time-resolved thickness measurements and a simple mechanical model, we show that gradients of tissue viscosity underlie this effect
The differential viscosity in turn modulates the migration of LME cells, which use the tissue as a substrate.
The differential viscosity in turn modulates the migration of LME cells, which use the tissue as a substrate.
March 14, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Combining time-resolved thickness measurements and a simple mechanical model, we show that gradients of tissue viscosity underlie this effect
The differential viscosity in turn modulates the migration of LME cells, which use the tissue as a substrate.
The differential viscosity in turn modulates the migration of LME cells, which use the tissue as a substrate.
A striking observation was that the tissue shows dramatic thinning at the animal pole, but not at the lateral sides
March 14, 2025 at 12:16 PM
A striking observation was that the tissue shows dramatic thinning at the animal pole, but not at the lateral sides
How do cells migrate without substrate, e.g. in embryogenesis, when extra-cellular matrix has not yet formed?
Check out our paper in @cp-cellreports.bsky.social on zebrafish lateral mesendoderm migration, led by @stetavano.bsky.social @heisenbergcplab.bsky.social!
www.cell.com/cell-reports...
Check out our paper in @cp-cellreports.bsky.social on zebrafish lateral mesendoderm migration, led by @stetavano.bsky.social @heisenbergcplab.bsky.social!
www.cell.com/cell-reports...
March 14, 2025 at 12:16 PM
How do cells migrate without substrate, e.g. in embryogenesis, when extra-cellular matrix has not yet formed?
Check out our paper in @cp-cellreports.bsky.social on zebrafish lateral mesendoderm migration, led by @stetavano.bsky.social @heisenbergcplab.bsky.social!
www.cell.com/cell-reports...
Check out our paper in @cp-cellreports.bsky.social on zebrafish lateral mesendoderm migration, led by @stetavano.bsky.social @heisenbergcplab.bsky.social!
www.cell.com/cell-reports...
Great to finally visit OIST Okinawa for an exciting symposium on information processing in biology! Thank you @skschnyder.bsky.social & co. for the invitation!
March 3, 2025 at 12:31 PM
Great to finally visit OIST Okinawa for an exciting symposium on information processing in biology! Thank you @skschnyder.bsky.social & co. for the invitation!
Science + skiing retreat with @priscaliberali.bsky.social and @ehannezo.bsky.social groups! Turns out snow & self-organization match well 🧬❄️
February 13, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Science + skiing retreat with @priscaliberali.bsky.social and @ehannezo.bsky.social groups! Turns out snow & self-organization match well 🧬❄️