15.9.2025
Anna Erzberger, a theoretical biophysicist who is a research group leader at EMBL Heidelberg and affiliated with the Department of Physics and Astronomy of Heidelberg University, has been awared with one of the prestigious Starting Grants by the European Research Council (ERC) for 2025. This grant is worth 1.5 million EUR, was selected by the condensed matter physics panel of the ERC and is titled GOAL, which stands for “Geometry-driven self-Organisation in Active Living matter”.
In her work, Dr. Erzberger uses concepts from soft condensed matter physics, non-equilibrium physics and dynamical systems theory to show how biological cells use the geometry of their shapes to process information and self-organize into highly functional and adaptive tissue architectures. Cells continuously receive and process information at the plasma membrane, which defines their geometrical shape. Traditionally, it is studied how these signals change gene expression, which in turn determine cell behavior and fate decisions. In her work, Dr. Erzberger shows that the active shape fluctuations of the membranes are an important element of the signal processing by cells, and that the resulting shape changes also determine which decisions are made by cells.
Besides developing theoretical models for such processes, she also closely works together with experimental groups in cell and developmental biology. Because cell shapes can be measured quantitatively with microscopy, she also develops novel methods for image processing, inspired on her modelling work and using recent advances in machine learning.
In the upcoming 55th Heidelberg Physics Graduate Days, she will explain some of the concepts used in her work through a course on “Active hydrodynamics of living matter”.
ANNA ERZBERGER
