Physics of multicellular systems – collective cell dynamics in cancer and tissue organization

Physics of multicellular systems – collective cell dynamics in cancer and tissue organization

Organizers: Erik Danen, Thomas Schmidt, Luca Giomi (Leiden Univ.), Peter Friedl (Radboud Univ. Nijmegen), Gijsje Koenderink (TU Delft), Martijn Gloerich (UMC Utrecht), Jaap den Toonder & Liesbeth Janssen (TU Eindhoven)


  • Contribution: €100,- including 2x lunch and social evening (MSc student discount (€50).
  • Registration and payment: registration and payment
  • Registration closes 27 Sept or earlier when the maximum number of participants has been r​eached. After payment you can create your own invoice.
  • After registration, abstracts should be sent by email, no later then 27 September 2024 to ​M.Gloerich@umcutrecht.nl, -- format maximum A4
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Physics of multicellular systems – collective cell dynamics in cancer and tissue organization

Physics of multicellular systems – collective cell dynamics in cancer and tissue organization


Where and when:

October 31-November 1, 2024

Het Trippenhuis

Kloveniersburgwal 29

1011 JV Amsterdam

Confirmed speakers:

Jona Kayser, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Erlangen DE

Kevin Cheung, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle WA USA

Ben Fabry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität, Erlangen DE

Cécile Sykes, l'Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris FR

Danijela Vignjevic, Institut Curie, Paris FR

Josef Käs, University of Leipzig, Leipzig DE

Giorgio Scita, University of Milan, Milan IT

Silke Henkes, Leiden University, Leiden NL

Sara Wickström, Helsinki University, FI and MPI for Molecular Biomedicine, Münster DE

Roberto Mayor, University College London, London UK

Lisa Manning, Syracuse University, Syracuse NY USA

David Beebe, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison WI USA

Erik Danen, LACDR, Leiden University NL

Peter Friedl, Radboud University, Nijmegen NL

Jaap den Toonder, TU Eindhoven, Eindhoven NL

Gijsje Koenderink, TU Delft, Delft NL


~14 talks selected from abstracts & ample time for poster sessions


Further info & preliminary program, see next pages


08:30 - 09:00 Walk in

09:00 - 09:15 Opening remarks


Tissue organization & development

09:15 - 09:45 Silke Henkes (NL) -- tension-regulated tissue organization

09:45 - 10:15 Roberto Mayor (UK) -- Collective migration during embryo development

10:15 - 10:30 abstract

10:30 - 10:45 abstract


10:45 - 11:30 Coffee & posters


Cancer & the TME

11:30 - 12:00 Daniela Vignjevic (FR) -- Self-organizing principles driving tumor hierarchy and stemness

12:00 - 12:30 Erik Danen (NL) - Modeling cell interactions in the TME

12:30 - 12:45 abstract

12:45 - 13:00 abstract


13:00- 14:15 lunch & posters


Cell & tissue mechanics

14:15 - 14:45 Cécile Sykes (FR) -- Phase diagrams, phase portraits and trajectories in cell biophysics

14:45 - 15:15 Jona Kayser (DE) – Cell packing and cellular evolution

15:15 - 15:30 abstract

15:30 – 1545 abstract


15:45 - 16:30 Tea & posters


Physics of cancer

16:30 - 17:00 Josef Käs (DE) -- Does Oncology need Physics of Cancer?

17:00 - 17:30 Kevin Cheung (US) -- Cell and tissue state transitions regulating collective metastasis

17:30 - 17:45 abstract

17:45 - 18:00 abstract


18:00 Evening program

Thursday Oct 31

Preliminary program


08:45 - 09:15 Walk in


Mechanics in development and cancer

09:15 - 09:45 Sara Wickström (FI) -- Mechanical regulation of cell states

09:45 - 10:15 Lisa Manning (US) – Mechanics in tissue development

10:15 - 10:30 abstract

10:30 - 10:45 abstract


10:45 - 11:30 Coffee & posters


Cancer cell migration

11:30 - 12:00 Giorgio Scita (IT) -- Tissue fluidification in the pathobiology of breast cancer

12:00 -12:30 Peter Friedl (NL) -- Collective invasion plasticity and therapy response

12:30 - 12:45 abstract

12:45 - 13:00 abstract


13:00- 14:15 Lunch & posters


Cell & tissue mechanics

14:15 - 14:45 Ben Fabry (DE) – biophysics of cell migration

14:45 - 15:15 Gijsje Koenderink (NL) -- Cytoskeletal cross talk

15:15 - 15:30 abstract

15:30 – 1545 abstract


15:45 - 16:30 Tea & posters


Advanced models

16:30 - 17:00 David Beebe (USA) -- Microphysiological systems enable novel studies of cell behavior and signaling

17:00 - 17:30 Jaap den Toonder (NL) -- Microfluidics models for cancer

17:30 - 17:45 abstract


17:45 - 18:00 Closing remarks

Preliminary program

Friday Nov 01