Post-doc in Learning in Biological and Soft Matter

14.12., Academic staff

Prof. Karen Alim’s group on Biological Physics and Morphogenesis at the TUM Campus Garching is looking for a Post-doc (m/f/d) to join our team on the ERC project Learning Matters!.

Task

You will break with the current focus on the brain to uncover the physics of continual learning instead by investigating the emergence of learning bottom-up in life, reduced in complexity to a network-shaped single cell – Physarum. Lacking any neurons, flows flushing throughout Physarum’s tubular network propagate input packaged as chemical concentration and flow shear force. The tube wall’s viscoelasticity reorganises in response – continually learning its future response. You will develop a theory describing the physical mechanisms of Physarum’s learning mechanics and thereby predict how to implement learning in soft matter, as Physarum’s responsiveness i...