Stefan Köstler
@stefankoestler2025.bsky.social
PhD Candidate @zwickergroup.bsky.social & IMPRS-PBCS Fellow, studying the dynamics of active droplets.
https://sites.google.com/view/stefan-koestler
https://sites.google.com/view/stefan-koestler
Pinned
New preprint 🥳
In our new paper, we show that “Advection selects pattern in multi-stable emulsions of active droplets” — which provides a path toward controlling regular arrangements of droplets. 🧵
📄 arxiv.org/abs/2510.00827
In our new paper, we show that “Advection selects pattern in multi-stable emulsions of active droplets” — which provides a path toward controlling regular arrangements of droplets. 🧵
📄 arxiv.org/abs/2510.00827
Reposted by Stefan Köstler
We’re excited to share our new work in Soft Matter: doi.org/10.1039/D5SM...
We demonstrate how in vitro transcription can drive biomolecular phase separation — and how that phase separation in turn regulates transcription.
We demonstrate how in vitro transcription can drive biomolecular phase separation — and how that phase separation in turn regulates transcription.
Condensation and activator/repressor control of a transcription-regulated biomolecular liquid
Cells operate in part by compartmentalizing chemical reactions. For example, recent work has shown that chromatin, the material that contains the cell's genome, can auto-regulate its structure by util...
doi.org
November 21, 2025 at 10:27 AM
We’re excited to share our new work in Soft Matter: doi.org/10.1039/D5SM...
We demonstrate how in vitro transcription can drive biomolecular phase separation — and how that phase separation in turn regulates transcription.
We demonstrate how in vitro transcription can drive biomolecular phase separation — and how that phase separation in turn regulates transcription.
Reposted by Stefan Köstler
Our review on the physics of phase separation in cells has been published by Rep. Prog. Phys. 🎉 doi.org/10.1088/1361...
We hope that the text and citations are helpful for anyone interested in physical descriptions of condensates in cells!
We hope that the text and citations are helpful for anyone interested in physical descriptions of condensates in cells!
November 21, 2025 at 5:57 PM
Our review on the physics of phase separation in cells has been published by Rep. Prog. Phys. 🎉 doi.org/10.1088/1361...
We hope that the text and citations are helpful for anyone interested in physical descriptions of condensates in cells!
We hope that the text and citations are helpful for anyone interested in physical descriptions of condensates in cells!
Reposted by Stefan Köstler
New pre-print with Jacqueline Janssen and Frank Jülicher! We extend the Lifshitz-Slyozov-Wagner (LSW) theory by matter supply, and find a novel universal law governing coarsening kinetics, valid for any constant matter supply in the interface-resistance-limited regime.
📄: arxiv.org/abs/2510.21552
📄: arxiv.org/abs/2510.21552
November 3, 2025 at 10:25 AM
New pre-print with Jacqueline Janssen and Frank Jülicher! We extend the Lifshitz-Slyozov-Wagner (LSW) theory by matter supply, and find a novel universal law governing coarsening kinetics, valid for any constant matter supply in the interface-resistance-limited regime.
📄: arxiv.org/abs/2510.21552
📄: arxiv.org/abs/2510.21552
Reposted by Stefan Köstler
Good news in rough times:
Our work on generalising Lifshitz-Slyosov-Wagner (LSW) theory to active systems, led by the all-mighty Jonathan Bauermann, is out on PRL!! Special thanks to Christoph Weber @m-pol.bsky.social and Frank Jülicher.
doi-org.sire.ub.edu/10.1103/f5x9...
Our work on generalising Lifshitz-Slyosov-Wagner (LSW) theory to active systems, led by the all-mighty Jonathan Bauermann, is out on PRL!! Special thanks to Christoph Weber @m-pol.bsky.social and Frank Jülicher.
doi-org.sire.ub.edu/10.1103/f5x9...
October 3, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Good news in rough times:
Our work on generalising Lifshitz-Slyosov-Wagner (LSW) theory to active systems, led by the all-mighty Jonathan Bauermann, is out on PRL!! Special thanks to Christoph Weber @m-pol.bsky.social and Frank Jülicher.
doi-org.sire.ub.edu/10.1103/f5x9...
Our work on generalising Lifshitz-Slyosov-Wagner (LSW) theory to active systems, led by the all-mighty Jonathan Bauermann, is out on PRL!! Special thanks to Christoph Weber @m-pol.bsky.social and Frank Jülicher.
doi-org.sire.ub.edu/10.1103/f5x9...
New preprint 🥳
In our new paper, we show that “Advection selects pattern in multi-stable emulsions of active droplets” — which provides a path toward controlling regular arrangements of droplets. 🧵
📄 arxiv.org/abs/2510.00827
In our new paper, we show that “Advection selects pattern in multi-stable emulsions of active droplets” — which provides a path toward controlling regular arrangements of droplets. 🧵
📄 arxiv.org/abs/2510.00827
October 2, 2025 at 12:35 PM
New preprint 🥳
In our new paper, we show that “Advection selects pattern in multi-stable emulsions of active droplets” — which provides a path toward controlling regular arrangements of droplets. 🧵
📄 arxiv.org/abs/2510.00827
In our new paper, we show that “Advection selects pattern in multi-stable emulsions of active droplets” — which provides a path toward controlling regular arrangements of droplets. 🧵
📄 arxiv.org/abs/2510.00827
Reposted by Stefan Köstler
New preprint 🎉
What began as Frieder Johannsen’s bachelor thesis in the @zwickergroup.bsky.social (which I had the pleasure to supervise) evolved into our latest paper: “Chemically Active Liquid Bridges Generate Repulsive Forces” — unlike passive ones, which attract.
📄 arxiv.org/abs/2509.18777
What began as Frieder Johannsen’s bachelor thesis in the @zwickergroup.bsky.social (which I had the pleasure to supervise) evolved into our latest paper: “Chemically Active Liquid Bridges Generate Repulsive Forces” — unlike passive ones, which attract.
📄 arxiv.org/abs/2509.18777
September 29, 2025 at 5:17 PM
New preprint 🎉
What began as Frieder Johannsen’s bachelor thesis in the @zwickergroup.bsky.social (which I had the pleasure to supervise) evolved into our latest paper: “Chemically Active Liquid Bridges Generate Repulsive Forces” — unlike passive ones, which attract.
📄 arxiv.org/abs/2509.18777
What began as Frieder Johannsen’s bachelor thesis in the @zwickergroup.bsky.social (which I had the pleasure to supervise) evolved into our latest paper: “Chemically Active Liquid Bridges Generate Repulsive Forces” — unlike passive ones, which attract.
📄 arxiv.org/abs/2509.18777
Reposted by Stefan Köstler
“Journals and peer review are unlikely to change for the better if the companies that operate scientific indexes and citation databases continue to stifle innovation.”
Read our guest post in DORA: buff.ly/EGDbskH
Read our guest post in DORA: buff.ly/EGDbskH
July 31, 2025 at 8:02 PM
“Journals and peer review are unlikely to change for the better if the companies that operate scientific indexes and citation databases continue to stifle innovation.”
Read our guest post in DORA: buff.ly/EGDbskH
Read our guest post in DORA: buff.ly/EGDbskH
Reposted by Stefan Köstler
Our institute turned 100 years today! We had a fantastic celebration with scientific talks by Howard Stone and Christina Marchetti. 🎉
Das Max-Planck-Institut für Dynamik und Selbstorganisation in Göttingen feiert am 16. Juli seinen 100. Geburtstag. Ein Blick auf die Geschichte des Instituts und die Verantwortung, die daraus erwächst. www.mpg.de/25050354/100... #Wissenschaftsgeschiche #Physik
Große Physik und große Verantwortung
Vor hundert Jahren nahm das Kaiser-Wilhelm-Institut für Strömungsforschung seine Arbeit auf. Aus ihm wurde das heutige Max-Planck-Institut für Dynamik und Selbstorganisation, das grundlegende Fragen d...
www.mpg.de
July 16, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Our institute turned 100 years today! We had a fantastic celebration with scientific talks by Howard Stone and Christina Marchetti. 🎉
Reposted by Stefan Köstler
And that concludes our #kitp program on biomolecular condensates 😢 Wow, what an *incredible* experience, and unique place to learn and think and grow! 🤓
July 11, 2025 at 9:11 PM
And that concludes our #kitp program on biomolecular condensates 😢 Wow, what an *incredible* experience, and unique place to learn and think and grow! 🤓
Reposted by Stefan Köstler
Can't say enough about the Condensates program at @kitp-ucsb.bsky.social. Invigorating discussions, fantastic facilities, and a beautiful location (a place I consider "home"). Thanks to @weber-lab.bsky.social, @jerelleaj.bsky.social, @zwickergroup.bsky.social, and Frank Julicher for organizing!
June 28, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Can't say enough about the Condensates program at @kitp-ucsb.bsky.social. Invigorating discussions, fantastic facilities, and a beautiful location (a place I consider "home"). Thanks to @weber-lab.bsky.social, @jerelleaj.bsky.social, @zwickergroup.bsky.social, and Frank Julicher for organizing!
Just leaving Paris after 3 weeks of summer school on combining maths and physics to tackle #ActiveMatter.
I gained new perspectives, met wonderful people and had fascinating discussions. It was great to communicate my research to so many interested people!
And of course, Paris was just wonderful!
I gained new perspectives, met wonderful people and had fascinating discussions. It was great to communicate my research to so many interested people!
And of course, Paris was just wonderful!
June 14, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Just leaving Paris after 3 weeks of summer school on combining maths and physics to tackle #ActiveMatter.
I gained new perspectives, met wonderful people and had fascinating discussions. It was great to communicate my research to so many interested people!
And of course, Paris was just wonderful!
I gained new perspectives, met wonderful people and had fascinating discussions. It was great to communicate my research to so many interested people!
And of course, Paris was just wonderful!
Reposted by Stefan Köstler
@jerelleaj.bsky.social, master painter 👩🏽🎨 of the blackboard 👩🏽🏫, in action! 🤩 She is amazing at capturing the essence of our complex, meandering (and sometimes contentious) discussions @kitp-ucsb.bsky.social
June 13, 2025 at 11:16 PM
@jerelleaj.bsky.social, master painter 👩🏽🎨 of the blackboard 👩🏽🏫, in action! 🤩 She is amazing at capturing the essence of our complex, meandering (and sometimes contentious) discussions @kitp-ucsb.bsky.social
Reposted by Stefan Köstler
It’s been a lot of fun talking about chemically active condensates to such an attentive and motivated crowd!
David @zwickergroup.bsky.social gives the first tutorial of the biomol25 program @kitp-ucsb.bsky.social, reminding us that phase equilibria and chemical equilibria are coupled by thermodynamics
May 29, 2025 at 11:52 PM
It’s been a lot of fun talking about chemically active condensates to such an attentive and motivated crowd!
Reposted by Stefan Köstler
We updated our pre-print on equilibria in multicomponent mixtures: arxiv.org/abs/2405.01138 In particular, we added the figure below, which shows that such mixtures exhibit countless metastable states between a metastable homogeneous state and the equilibrium with many phases.
May 28, 2025 at 3:12 AM
We updated our pre-print on equilibria in multicomponent mixtures: arxiv.org/abs/2405.01138 In particular, we added the figure below, which shows that such mixtures exhibit countless metastable states between a metastable homogeneous state and the equilibrium with many phases.
Reposted by Stefan Köstler
Huge thanks to all the incredible speakers who have shared their research at the Young Biophysicists Meeting so far!
Here's a glimpse.
See you in the next session!
Here's a glimpse.
See you in the next session!
May 7, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Huge thanks to all the incredible speakers who have shared their research at the Young Biophysicists Meeting so far!
Here's a glimpse.
See you in the next session!
Here's a glimpse.
See you in the next session!
Reposted by Stefan Köstler
Ein großes Problem für den Kampf gegen #Machtmissbrauch ist der Mangel an verlässlichen Daten. Umso wichtiger ist die Forschung so engagierter Wissenschaftler*innen wie @leising.bsky.social @janalasser.bsky.social oder Andrea Kübler.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Can Germany rein in its academic bullying problem?
Researchers and administrators are exploring ways to restructure a rigid hierarchy that can breed power abuses.
www.nature.com
May 6, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Ein großes Problem für den Kampf gegen #Machtmissbrauch ist der Mangel an verlässlichen Daten. Umso wichtiger ist die Forschung so engagierter Wissenschaftler*innen wie @leising.bsky.social @janalasser.bsky.social oder Andrea Kübler.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
I am looking forward to tell you about my research at #DPG. Come by my poster on wednesday to learn how coarsening of active droplets can be controlled by active reactions!
Excited for the #DPG meeting in Regensburg this week! Our group has a number of contributions across various sections. We look forward to discuss our science with you!
March 16, 2025 at 5:08 PM
I am looking forward to tell you about my research at #DPG. Come by my poster on wednesday to learn how coarsening of active droplets can be controlled by active reactions!
Reposted by Stefan Köstler
We have an open postdoc position in our group! We seek motivated and fun people with a background in theoretical biological physics to work on projects revolving around pattern formation, cell biology, and particularly #condensates. Details: www.ds.mpg.de/4078435/job_...
#TheoBiophysicsPosition
#TheoBiophysicsPosition
Postdoctoral Position (m/f/d) | Biological Physics
For the independent research group “Theory of Biological Fluids” headed by Dr. David Zwicker we seek to fill a Postdoctoral Position (m/f/d) in Biological Physics.
www.ds.mpg.de
March 3, 2025 at 7:42 AM
We have an open postdoc position in our group! We seek motivated and fun people with a background in theoretical biological physics to work on projects revolving around pattern formation, cell biology, and particularly #condensates. Details: www.ds.mpg.de/4078435/job_...
#TheoBiophysicsPosition
#TheoBiophysicsPosition
Reposted by Stefan Köstler
We published a one-page article in Nat. Chem. Eng. on phase separation in multicomponent mixtures: rdcu.be/ea4Ts
The article exposes our latest results, which indicate such mixtures are generically multistable and imply that states with various different droplets (or none at all) are all stable.
The article exposes our latest results, which indicate such mixtures are generically multistable and imply that states with various different droplets (or none at all) are all stable.
To mix or not to mix?
Nature Chemical Engineering - David Zwicker discusses the delicate balance between entropy and enthalpy that determines whether fluids comprising many components mix or phase separate.
rdcu.be
February 25, 2025 at 10:35 AM
We published a one-page article in Nat. Chem. Eng. on phase separation in multicomponent mixtures: rdcu.be/ea4Ts
The article exposes our latest results, which indicate such mixtures are generically multistable and imply that states with various different droplets (or none at all) are all stable.
The article exposes our latest results, which indicate such mixtures are generically multistable and imply that states with various different droplets (or none at all) are all stable.
Reposted by Stefan Köstler
MPI-CBG director Anthony Hyman @hymanlab.bsky.social will deliver the EMBO Lecture at the 49th FEBS Congress in Istanbul in July 2025. Read an interview with him, where he shares some of his inspirations and interests. network.febs.org/posts/anthon...
Anthony Hyman: "...the realization of phase separation as a critical organizing principle in cellular biology has transformed the field."
From a 1920s book to nanoscopy – Anthony Hyman, who will deliver the EMBO Lecture at the 49th FEBS Congress in Istanbul in July 2025, shares some of his inspirations and interests.
network.febs.org
January 30, 2025 at 8:53 AM
MPI-CBG director Anthony Hyman @hymanlab.bsky.social will deliver the EMBO Lecture at the 49th FEBS Congress in Istanbul in July 2025. Read an interview with him, where he shares some of his inspirations and interests. network.febs.org/posts/anthon...
Reposted by Stefan Köstler
"Mysterious Blobs Found inside Cells Are Rewriting the Story of How Life Works"
Exciting times ahead!
www.scientificamerican.com/article/myst...
Exciting times ahead!
www.scientificamerican.com/article/myst...
Mysterious Blobs in Cells Are Changing the Way We Understand Life
Tiny specks called biomolecular condensates are leading to a new understanding of the cell
www.scientificamerican.com
January 23, 2025 at 10:22 AM
"Mysterious Blobs Found inside Cells Are Rewriting the Story of How Life Works"
Exciting times ahead!
www.scientificamerican.com/article/myst...
Exciting times ahead!
www.scientificamerican.com/article/myst...
Reposted by Stefan Köstler
We wrote a review on the "Physics of droplet regulation in biological cells": arxiv.org/abs/2501.13639 Beside the basic #physics of phase separation, we discuss three aspects that separate cellular from traditional droplets:
January 24, 2025 at 7:55 AM
We wrote a review on the "Physics of droplet regulation in biological cells": arxiv.org/abs/2501.13639 Beside the basic #physics of phase separation, we discuss three aspects that separate cellular from traditional droplets:
Reposted by Stefan Köstler
We just updated our preprint on size-control of condensates by electrostatic effects: arxiv.org/abs/2409.15599 This joint work with the group of @jerelleaj.bsky.social shows that electrostatic effects matter, even when one would naively expect that screening by salt is strong.
Condensate Size Control by Net Charge
Biomolecular condensates are complex droplets comprising diverse molecules that interact using various mechanisms. Condensation is often driven by short-ranged attraction, but net charges can also med...
arxiv.org
January 23, 2025 at 7:39 AM
We just updated our preprint on size-control of condensates by electrostatic effects: arxiv.org/abs/2409.15599 This joint work with the group of @jerelleaj.bsky.social shows that electrostatic effects matter, even when one would naively expect that screening by salt is strong.