Open problems in synthetic multicellularity
Multicellularity is one of the major evolutionary transitions, and its rise provided the ingredients for the emergence of a biosphere inhabited by complex organisms. Over the last decades, the potential for bioengineering multicellular systems has been instrumental in interrogating nature and exploring novel paths to regeneration, disease, cognition, and behaviour. Here, we provide a list of open problems that encapsulate many of the ongoing and future challenges in the field and suggest conceptual approaches that may facilitate progress.
Authors
- Núria Montserrat (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1603-1755)
- Núria Conde–Pueyo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5766-309X)
- Jordi Pla (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2388-9407)
- Ricard V. Solé (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6974-1008)
- Jordi García‐Ojalvo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3716-7520)
- Michael Levin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7292-8084)
Institutions
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ES)
- Tufts University (US)
- Santa Fe Institute (US)
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (ES)
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (ES)
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (ES)
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (ES)
Publication Details
- Journal
- npj Systems Biology and Applications
- Published
- 2024-12-31
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41540-024-00477-8
- Citations
- 13
- Primary Topic
- Molecular Communication and Nanonetworks
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 2.40
Funders
- John Templeton Foundation
- Santa Fe Institute
- European Commission
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats
- Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación
- Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca
- Agencia Estatal de Investigación
- Army Research Office