Max Planck research groups at MPI-DS

Biomedical Physics (Prof. Dr. Stefan Luther)
Even though cardiac fibrillation is one of the most common causes of death in western industrial nations this condition is still not completely understood. Therefore, the members of the Max Planck Research Group develop mathematical models that describe cardiac fibrillation and simulate the illness in experiments. Apart from that the scientists study methods of treatment such as a new pulsed heart defibrillator that requires less energy and is therefore gentler to the patients.
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Complex Systems Theory (Prof. Dr. Viola Priesemann)
What are the principles that allow the brain, a complex network of neurons, to process information, to form thoughts and actions? The group of Viola Priesemann tackles this question by combining approaches from information theory and statistical physics with state of the art neurophysiological recordings.
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Theory of Biological Fluids (Dr. David Zwicker)
In contrast to most man-made machines, biological organisms are typically built from soft and often fluid-like material. How can such liquid matter be controlled in space and time to fulfill precise functions? To uncover the physical principles for such organization, we analyze theoretical models of biological processes using tools from statistical physics, dynamical system theory, fluid dynamics, and information theory. In particular, we study how phase separation is used to organize the liquid interior of cells and how the airflow during inhalation affects the transport of airborne odorants and thus the sense of smell.
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