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
Pinned
Why do some cells become neurons and others muscle?
Physicist Prof. David Brückner @davidbrueckner.bsky.social @biozentrum.unibas.ch @unibas.ch receives a prestigious #ERCStartingGrant to uncover how cells make life-shaping decisions. @erc.europa.eu
www.biozentrum.unibas.ch/news/detail/...
Physicist Prof. David Brückner @davidbrueckner.bsky.social @biozentrum.unibas.ch @unibas.ch receives a prestigious #ERCStartingGrant to uncover how cells make life-shaping decisions. @erc.europa.eu
www.biozentrum.unibas.ch/news/detail/...
ERC Starting Grant for Physicist David Brückner
How do cells decide which role to take on in the body? Prof. David Brückner from the Biozentrum of the University of Basel is investigating this and similar questions. Over the next five years, a Star...
www.biozentrum.unibas.ch
Super excited that our group will be supported by an ERC Starting Grant!
In project "InfoFate" we will study how cells use information in dynamical, neighborhood & mechanical signals to make decisions.
We'll have PhD and Postdoc positions available, please get in touch if interested!
In project "InfoFate" we will study how cells use information in dynamical, neighborhood & mechanical signals to make decisions.
We'll have PhD and Postdoc positions available, please get in touch if interested!
Our review on Marr's levels in embryonic development is now out in @prxlife.bsky.social !
journals.aps.org/prxlife/abst...
journals.aps.org/prxlife/abst...
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
January 23, 2026 at 1:12 PM
Our review on Marr's levels in embryonic development is now out in @prxlife.bsky.social !
journals.aps.org/prxlife/abst...
journals.aps.org/prxlife/abst...
Visiting @hhmijanelia.bsky.social just before the winter storm hits! So much awesome science here!
January 23, 2026 at 1:11 PM
Visiting @hhmijanelia.bsky.social just before the winter storm hits! So much awesome science here!
Reposted by David Brückner
Prof. Fiona Doetsch has been awarded the 2026 Louis-Jeantet Prize for Medicine!
Her discoveries reveal how neural stem cells support lifelong brain plasticity and repair. 🧠
Read more: www.biozentrum.unibas.ch/news/detail/...
Her discoveries reveal how neural stem cells support lifelong brain plasticity and repair. 🧠
Read more: www.biozentrum.unibas.ch/news/detail/...
January 15, 2026 at 10:09 AM
Prof. Fiona Doetsch has been awarded the 2026 Louis-Jeantet Prize for Medicine!
Her discoveries reveal how neural stem cells support lifelong brain plasticity and repair. 🧠
Read more: www.biozentrum.unibas.ch/news/detail/...
Her discoveries reveal how neural stem cells support lifelong brain plasticity and repair. 🧠
Read more: www.biozentrum.unibas.ch/news/detail/...
Reposted by David Brückner
My time at @institutcurie.bsky.social is done! Over the past months, I completed my PhD, published my first first-author paper in DevCell (www.cell.com/developmenta..., and submitted my first last-author manuscript to bioRxiv (www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...).
January 14, 2026 at 3:50 PM
My time at @institutcurie.bsky.social is done! Over the past months, I completed my PhD, published my first first-author paper in DevCell (www.cell.com/developmenta..., and submitted my first last-author manuscript to bioRxiv (www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...).
Reposted by David Brückner
Feb 1 deadline approaching for our @kitp-ucsb.bsky.social QBio summer course on Physical Principles of Morphogenesis in Plants and Animals. @streichan.bsky.social
@maurazimmermann.bsky.social @maizel-lab.org @yusuke-mori.bsky.social @akankshi.bsky.social @nicolettapetridou.bsky.social
@maurazimmermann.bsky.social @maizel-lab.org @yusuke-mori.bsky.social @akankshi.bsky.social @nicolettapetridou.bsky.social
January 13, 2026 at 11:36 PM
Feb 1 deadline approaching for our @kitp-ucsb.bsky.social QBio summer course on Physical Principles of Morphogenesis in Plants and Animals. @streichan.bsky.social
@maurazimmermann.bsky.social @maizel-lab.org @yusuke-mori.bsky.social @akankshi.bsky.social @nicolettapetridou.bsky.social
@maurazimmermann.bsky.social @maizel-lab.org @yusuke-mori.bsky.social @akankshi.bsky.social @nicolettapetridou.bsky.social
Reposted by David Brückner
Interested in the biophysics of organoids? We just published a review in Dev Cell—take a look! dlvr.it/TPyTb8 #Organoids #Biophysics
Biophysics of organoids
In this review, Weichselberger, Moore et al. discuss how physics-based approaches
illuminate organoid development and homeostasis by integrating mechanical, chemical,
and informational processes. They...
dlvr.it
January 6, 2026 at 10:27 AM
Interested in the biophysics of organoids? We just published a review in Dev Cell—take a look! dlvr.it/TPyTb8 #Organoids #Biophysics
Self-organized or instructed?
My @natrevgenet.nature.com Journal Club traces how classic papers revealed two modes of developmental patterning & why the debate between Turing and Wolpert is as timely as ever for organoid engineering today
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
My @natrevgenet.nature.com Journal Club traces how classic papers revealed two modes of developmental patterning & why the debate between Turing and Wolpert is as timely as ever for organoid engineering today
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
From models to molecules: self-organized and instructed modes of developmental patterning - Nature Reviews Genetics
In this Journal Club article, David Brückner discusses how seminal molecular genetic studies by Driever and Nüsslein-Volhard and Sick et al. demonstrated that both instructed (Wolpert model) and self-...
www.nature.com
January 6, 2026 at 10:02 AM
Self-organized or instructed?
My @natrevgenet.nature.com Journal Club traces how classic papers revealed two modes of developmental patterning & why the debate between Turing and Wolpert is as timely as ever for organoid engineering today
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
My @natrevgenet.nature.com Journal Club traces how classic papers revealed two modes of developmental patterning & why the debate between Turing and Wolpert is as timely as ever for organoid engineering today
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by David Brückner
And here is the PDF of the 4th course @college-de-france.fr. You will find the justification and presentation of geometric representation of cell decisions, a parsimonious mathematical model for signalling and cell state transitions
tinyurl.com/yc7u296j
tinyurl.com/yc7u296j
December 16, 2025 at 9:57 AM
And here is the PDF of the 4th course @college-de-france.fr. You will find the justification and presentation of geometric representation of cell decisions, a parsimonious mathematical model for signalling and cell state transitions
tinyurl.com/yc7u296j
tinyurl.com/yc7u296j
Reposted by David Brückner
Here is the link to download the PDF of my course#5 on Biological computation. I present & discuss Self-tuning, Adaptation and Learning in biological (non-neuronal) systems, in particular during embryonic development.
This course contains various personal ideas/proposals.
tinyurl.com/hcpwsbtm
This course contains various personal ideas/proposals.
tinyurl.com/hcpwsbtm
January 3, 2026 at 9:47 AM
Here is the link to download the PDF of my course#5 on Biological computation. I present & discuss Self-tuning, Adaptation and Learning in biological (non-neuronal) systems, in particular during embryonic development.
This course contains various personal ideas/proposals.
tinyurl.com/hcpwsbtm
This course contains various personal ideas/proposals.
tinyurl.com/hcpwsbtm
Reposted by David Brückner
Please find below the link to watch the VIDEO of my course#5 @college-de-france.fr on Biological computation. I present and discuss Self-tuning, Adaptation and Learning in biological (non/neuronal) systems, in particular during embryonic development.
Enjoy!
tinyurl.com/4pv95an9
Enjoy!
tinyurl.com/4pv95an9
Qu’est-ce que l’information biologique (suite) ? (5) - Thomas Lecuit (2025-2026)
Enseignement 2025-2026 : Qu’est-ce que l’information biologique (suite) ? Cours du 18 décembre 2025 : Apprentissage non neuronal dans un système vivant Professeur : Thomas Lecuit Chaire Dynamiques du vivant Retrouvez les enregistrements audios et vidéos du cycle : https://www.college-de-france.fr/fr/agenda/cours/qu-est-ce-que-information-biologique Tous les enseignements du Pr Thomas Lecuit : https://www.college-de-france.fr/chaire/thomas-lecuit-dynamiques-du-vivant-chaire-statutaire https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOj9pZ2YNGZ84uMY6DhPnqpL1rq5qNAVJ Le Collège de France est une institution de recherche fondamentale dans tous les domaines de la connaissance et un lieu de diffusion du « savoir en train de se faire » ouvert à tous. Les cours, séminaires, colloques sont enregistrés puis mis à disposition du public sur le site internet du Collège de France. Découvrez toutes les ressources du Collège de France : https://www.college-de-france.fr Soutenir le Collège de France : https://www.fondation-cdf.fr/faire-un-don Suivez-nous sur : Threads : https://www.threads.net/@collegedefrance Bluesky : https://bsky.app/profile/college-de-france.fr Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/College.de.France Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/collegedefrance LinkedIn : https://fr.linkedin.com/company/coll%C3%A8gedefrance
tinyurl.com
January 3, 2026 at 9:44 AM
Please find below the link to watch the VIDEO of my course#5 @college-de-france.fr on Biological computation. I present and discuss Self-tuning, Adaptation and Learning in biological (non/neuronal) systems, in particular during embryonic development.
Enjoy!
tinyurl.com/4pv95an9
Enjoy!
tinyurl.com/4pv95an9
Super nice to see this awesome set of lectures online! A really timely perspective on biology through the lens of information, which inspires much of our own research as well.
And here is the link to access the whole pdf. Enjoy!
I strongly believe that focusing on information & computation during Development provides an important framework, that encapsulates the genetic, chemistry & mechanics, but focusses on organisation, dynamics & logic.
PDF: tinyurl.com/4hn34t8w
I strongly believe that focusing on information & computation during Development provides an important framework, that encapsulates the genetic, chemistry & mechanics, but focusses on organisation, dynamics & logic.
PDF: tinyurl.com/4hn34t8w
January 5, 2026 at 8:34 AM
Super nice to see this awesome set of lectures online! A really timely perspective on biology through the lens of information, which inspires much of our own research as well.
Reposted by David Brückner
Munro, E., Nance, J., & Priess, J. R. (2004). Cortical flows powered by asymmetrical contraction transport PAR proteins to establish and maintain anterior-posterior polarity in the early C. elegans embryo. Developmental cell, #EpithelialMechanics www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
January 5, 2026 at 8:00 AM
Munro, E., Nance, J., & Priess, J. R. (2004). Cortical flows powered by asymmetrical contraction transport PAR proteins to establish and maintain anterior-posterior polarity in the early C. elegans embryo. Developmental cell, #EpithelialMechanics www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
How can cells use information from neighboring cells to improve the spatial precision of morphogen patterns? 🤔
We show that cells can gain positional information by "talking" to their neighbors - how much depends critically on spatial correlations of the patterns.
buff.ly/w56OUJT
We show that cells can gain positional information by "talking" to their neighbors - how much depends critically on spatial correlations of the patterns.
buff.ly/w56OUJT
January 5, 2026 at 8:00 AM
How can cells use information from neighboring cells to improve the spatial precision of morphogen patterns? 🤔
We show that cells can gain positional information by "talking" to their neighbors - how much depends critically on spatial correlations of the patterns.
buff.ly/w56OUJT
We show that cells can gain positional information by "talking" to their neighbors - how much depends critically on spatial correlations of the patterns.
buff.ly/w56OUJT
Reposted by David Brückner
Good to see the peer reviewed version of this published
A chemo-optogenetic system for spatiotemporal control of gene expression
We use it to:
- Reconstruct SHH mediated neural tube patterning in vitro
- Measure extracellular half-life of Shh
www.cell.com/developmenta...
A chemo-optogenetic system for spatiotemporal control of gene expression
We use it to:
- Reconstruct SHH mediated neural tube patterning in vitro
- Measure extracellular half-life of Shh
www.cell.com/developmenta...
Investigating morphogen and patterning dynamics with optogenetic control of morphogen production
Benzinger et al. develop a chemo-optogenetic system for precise spatiotemporal control
of morphogen production in vitro. Using light-controlled Sonic hedgehog expression,
they recapitulate neural tube...
www.cell.com
December 16, 2025 at 1:45 AM
Good to see the peer reviewed version of this published
A chemo-optogenetic system for spatiotemporal control of gene expression
We use it to:
- Reconstruct SHH mediated neural tube patterning in vitro
- Measure extracellular half-life of Shh
www.cell.com/developmenta...
A chemo-optogenetic system for spatiotemporal control of gene expression
We use it to:
- Reconstruct SHH mediated neural tube patterning in vitro
- Measure extracellular half-life of Shh
www.cell.com/developmenta...
Group xmas event - Curling! Pictured with our curling trainer Jean-Claude.
December 11, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Group xmas event - Curling! Pictured with our curling trainer Jean-Claude.
Reposted by David Brückner
Please find below the link to watch the VIDEO of my 3rd course @college-de-france.fr on Biological computation. I present and discuss Network motifs that reveal the hidden logic of complex genetic and biochemical networks.
Enjoy!
tinyurl.com/yyky4w2m
Enjoy!
tinyurl.com/yyky4w2m
Qu’est-ce que l’information biologique (suite) ? (3) - Thomas Lecuit (2025-2026)
Enseignement 2025-2026 : Qu’est-ce que l’information biologique (suite) ? Cours du 4 décembre 2025 : Vision logique des flux d’information Professeur : Thomas Lecuit Chaire Dynamiques du vivant Retrouvez les enregistrements audios et vidéos du cycle : https://www.college-de-france.fr/fr/agenda/cours/qu-est-ce-que-information-biologique Tous les enseignements du Pr Thomas Lecuit : https://www.college-de-france.fr/chaire/thomas-lecuit-dynamiques-du-vivant-chaire-statutaire https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOj9pZ2YNGZ84uMY6DhPnqpL1rq5qNAVJ Le Collège de France est une institution de recherche fondamentale dans tous les domaines de la connaissance et un lieu de diffusion du « savoir en train de se faire » ouvert à tous. Les cours, séminaires, colloques sont enregistrés puis mis à disposition du public sur le site internet du Collège de France. Découvrez toutes les ressources du Collège de France : https://www.college-de-france.fr Soutenir le Collège de France : https://www.fondation-cdf.fr/faire-un-don Suivez-nous sur : Threads : https://www.threads.net/@collegedefrance Bluesky : https://bsky.app/profile/college-de-france.fr Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/College.de.France Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/collegedefrance LinkedIn : https://fr.linkedin.com/company/coll%C3%A8gedefrance
tinyurl.com
December 9, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Please find below the link to watch the VIDEO of my 3rd course @college-de-france.fr on Biological computation. I present and discuss Network motifs that reveal the hidden logic of complex genetic and biochemical networks.
Enjoy!
tinyurl.com/yyky4w2m
Enjoy!
tinyurl.com/yyky4w2m
Reposted by David Brückner
🧪⚛️ Surface tension—driven by non-equilibrium currents not forces—in pattern formation leads to the same type of interface laws as in liquid foams: Plateau laws, von Neumann evolution; and a new emergent phenomenon: domain splitting akin to cell division. nature.com/articles/s4156…
December 6, 2025 at 8:12 AM
🧪⚛️ Surface tension—driven by non-equilibrium currents not forces—in pattern formation leads to the same type of interface laws as in liquid foams: Plateau laws, von Neumann evolution; and a new emergent phenomenon: domain splitting akin to cell division. nature.com/articles/s4156…
Reposted by David Brückner
New preprint! Do you like ocean waves? We found similar waves on bacterial colonies! We found that this collective behavior, known as rippling, is nothing but surface waves on an active nematic. @princeton.edu @mpipks.bsky.social @ub.edu @icreacommunity.bsky.social
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
December 2, 2025 at 8:02 PM
New preprint! Do you like ocean waves? We found similar waves on bacterial colonies! We found that this collective behavior, known as rippling, is nothing but surface waves on an active nematic. @princeton.edu @mpipks.bsky.social @ub.edu @icreacommunity.bsky.social
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by David Brückner
This coming wednesday Dec. 3rd @college-de-france.fr, the annual #FrançoisJacob symposium. This year is about ‘Biology in the Flow of Time’⏱️. Superbe line up of speakers on various aspects. Come and enjoy (should you have time), free access, no registration🤘
December 1, 2025 at 8:52 AM
This coming wednesday Dec. 3rd @college-de-france.fr, the annual #FrançoisJacob symposium. This year is about ‘Biology in the Flow of Time’⏱️. Superbe line up of speakers on various aspects. Come and enjoy (should you have time), free access, no registration🤘
Reposted by David Brückner
🚨 New preprint!
We built a single-cell atlas of 14 multilayered epithelia and revealed a conserved transcriptomic program guiding tissue architecture and fate composition. Our work brings decades of tissue-specific studies together into a unified evo-devo framework.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We built a single-cell atlas of 14 multilayered epithelia and revealed a conserved transcriptomic program guiding tissue architecture and fate composition. Our work brings decades of tissue-specific studies together into a unified evo-devo framework.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
November 17, 2025 at 12:33 PM
🚨 New preprint!
We built a single-cell atlas of 14 multilayered epithelia and revealed a conserved transcriptomic program guiding tissue architecture and fate composition. Our work brings decades of tissue-specific studies together into a unified evo-devo framework.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We built a single-cell atlas of 14 multilayered epithelia and revealed a conserved transcriptomic program guiding tissue architecture and fate composition. Our work brings decades of tissue-specific studies together into a unified evo-devo framework.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by David Brückner
Great science & fruiful discussions last Friday the 14th Nov. around "the physics of Stem cells" , the 2025 Stem Cell Initiative & QBio joint symposium.
An honour to have Meryem Baghdadi & David Brückner as keynote speakers, who gave inspiring talks.
🙏🙏 to all our speakers & poster presenters.
An honour to have Meryem Baghdadi & David Brückner as keynote speakers, who gave inspiring talks.
🙏🙏 to all our speakers & poster presenters.
November 19, 2025 at 7:52 PM
Great science & fruiful discussions last Friday the 14th Nov. around "the physics of Stem cells" , the 2025 Stem Cell Initiative & QBio joint symposium.
An honour to have Meryem Baghdadi & David Brückner as keynote speakers, who gave inspiring talks.
🙏🙏 to all our speakers & poster presenters.
An honour to have Meryem Baghdadi & David Brückner as keynote speakers, who gave inspiring talks.
🙏🙏 to all our speakers & poster presenters.
Reposted by David Brückner
Advanced grad students + postdocs: apply for the 2026 #kitpqbio summer course, "Physical Principles of Morphogenesis in Plants and Animals," at buff.ly/OXXMKEv. Apply by Feb. 1.
Course directors Adrienne Roeder (Cornell) and Sebastian Streichan (UCSB)
Course directors Adrienne Roeder (Cornell) and Sebastian Streichan (UCSB)
November 19, 2025 at 11:45 PM
Advanced grad students + postdocs: apply for the 2026 #kitpqbio summer course, "Physical Principles of Morphogenesis in Plants and Animals," at buff.ly/OXXMKEv. Apply by Feb. 1.
Course directors Adrienne Roeder (Cornell) and Sebastian Streichan (UCSB)
Course directors Adrienne Roeder (Cornell) and Sebastian Streichan (UCSB)
Reposted by David Brückner
Good to see the peer reviewed version of this in print
The cis-regulatory logic integrating spatial and temporal patterning in the vertebrate neural tube
A global temporal chromatin program operates across the vertebrate nervous system to control neural cell diversity
www.cell.com/developmenta...
The cis-regulatory logic integrating spatial and temporal patterning in the vertebrate neural tube
A global temporal chromatin program operates across the vertebrate nervous system to control neural cell diversity
www.cell.com/developmenta...
The cis-regulatory logic integrating spatial and temporal patterning in the vertebrate neural tube
Zhang et al. identify a global temporal chromatin program that operates across the
developing vertebrate nervous system to control neural cell diversity. This mechanism,
which involves Nr6a1 and NFIA/...
www.cell.com
November 18, 2025 at 8:59 AM
Good to see the peer reviewed version of this in print
The cis-regulatory logic integrating spatial and temporal patterning in the vertebrate neural tube
A global temporal chromatin program operates across the vertebrate nervous system to control neural cell diversity
www.cell.com/developmenta...
The cis-regulatory logic integrating spatial and temporal patterning in the vertebrate neural tube
A global temporal chromatin program operates across the vertebrate nervous system to control neural cell diversity
www.cell.com/developmenta...
Reposted by David Brückner
Wonderful to see the beautiful preprint from Sabate et al now published - TADs are also dynamic structures in human cells, with remarkably similar parameters between mESCs and HCT116 cells
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
November 15, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Wonderful to see the beautiful preprint from Sabate et al now published - TADs are also dynamic structures in human cells, with remarkably similar parameters between mESCs and HCT116 cells
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by David Brückner
Active droplets are fundamental in cell biology and origin of life. With Jonathan Bauermann, @boekhovenlab.bsky.social, Frank Jülicher, and @m-pol.bsky.social, we show that a critical transition influences their size, morphology, ripening and division propensity
journals.aps.org/prx/abstract...
journals.aps.org/prx/abstract...
November 15, 2025 at 11:28 AM
Active droplets are fundamental in cell biology and origin of life. With Jonathan Bauermann, @boekhovenlab.bsky.social, Frank Jülicher, and @m-pol.bsky.social, we show that a critical transition influences their size, morphology, ripening and division propensity
journals.aps.org/prx/abstract...
journals.aps.org/prx/abstract...