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Members of the Ludvig Lizana Lab

Statistical Physics of Living Systems

Research group Our group specialises in developing mechanistic models that integrate datasets to offer deeper insights into biological processes.

Researchers at the Arctic Meeting in Adaptive Mechanisms in Biological Systems in Abisko in January 2026
Adaptive mechanisms across scales: researchers meet in Abisko

Researchers from physics, biology, mathematics and ecology met in Abisko to discuss adaptive mechanisms.

IceLab faculty Eric Libby teaching at the 2024 IceLab Camp in Granö Beckasin
New stress response modeling research school open and recruiting

IceLab launches the Stress Response Modeling Graduate Research School with five PhD positions now available.

Ludvig Lizana and Lucas Hedström explore gene regulation dynamics on a whiteboard in IceLab
New Insights into 3D Gene Regulation Dynamics

Novel mechanism in gene regulation uncovered in study exploring the 3-dimensional dynamics of gene elements.

Developing mechanistic models for deeper insights

Our research group focuses on creating mechanistic models that integrate diverse datasets to better understand biological systems. These models go beyond traditional statistical or machine-learning methods by identifying cause-and-effect relationships in biological processes. By combining data from various sources, such as genomics and proteomics, we aim to provide more reliable predictions about how biological systems function, offering a clearer picture of the underlying mechanisms at work.

We also have a website that contains further information about the group, projects and published papers.

Exploring a broad range of biological topics

We collaborate with experimental scientists to tackle a wide variety of biological challenges. These include studying biological networks, which examine the interactions between different cellular components, and gene regulation, which focuses on gene activity in various conditions. We also investigate epigenetics, the study of how gene expression is influenced by factors other than changes to the DNA sequence. Our research extends into understanding the biology of ageing, solving intermittent search problems, and examining polymer physics, particularly how DNA folds within the nucleus.

Beyond the cell: collaborating with earth science

Our work extends beyond biology into interdisciplinary projects with earth scientists. One notable collaboration involves using network models to calculate CO2 emissions in the Arctic. By applying our expertise in modelling complex systems to environmental challenges, we contribute to a better understanding of global climate change. These efforts highlight the versatility of our approach, bridging the gap between biology and environmental science to address some of the most pressing issues facing both fields.

Head of research

Overview

Participating departments and units at Umeå University

Department of Physics

Research area

Biological sciences, Physical sciences

External funding

The Kempe Foundation, Swedish Research Council, Carl Tryggers Stiftelse

External funding

Research projects

Stress Response Modeling at IceLab

A multidisciplinary complexity center that aims to unveil universal principles and adaptive mechanisms in living systems under stress.

Helix DNA molecule with modified genes. Correcting mutation by genetic engineering. Concept Molecular genetics. 3d illustration
Modeling the structure of DNA in three dimensions

We use mathematical and physical models to understand how the structure of DNA affects biological processes.

Granny older woman sadly looking out the window. Black-and-white photo.
Epigenetic clocks: modeling of biomarkers to measure and predict biological aging

Unlike chronological age, the pace of our biological age is constantly changing. We want to develop a mathematical model to increase this understanding and make the clock a forward-looking age indicator.

Latest update: 2025-09-17