Temperature

Temperature shapes processes at every scale - from quantum vibrations to ecosystems. We want to explore how temperature influences living systems through the lens of multiple disciplines, including physics, chemistry and biology. By investigating fundamental quantum effects, we aim to gain insight into how heat affects molecular motions and chemical reactions that underpin cellular functions and biological pathways.

Moving beyond molecules, we want to examine how temperature impacts cells and organisms, influencing growth, metabolism, and survival strategies. On even larger scales, we want to analyze how plants, animals, and ecosystems respond and adapt to changing thermal environments - questions that have become increasingly urgent as climate change brings more frequent and extreme temperature fluctuations.

Key challenges include measuring temperature accurately across space and time, predicting its dynamics in complex and variable systems, and exploring ways to modulate or control temperature for beneficial outcomes in health, agriculture, and environmental management. Our strength lies in the integration of diverse expertise and methodological approaches—from experimental techniques and field observations to mathematical modeling and computer simulations - allowing us to uncover how heat guides, disrupts, and transforms the dynamic choreography of life.