The role of temperature in biology across scales

Overview

This conference will take place at EMBL Heidelberg, with the option to attend virtually.

Registration is not yet open for this event. If you are interested in receiving more information please register your interest.

Symposium overview

A temperature increase by a few degrees is only a percent effect on the absolute scale, but can have dramatic consequences for biological systems, for example in the context of fever or climate change. The crucial role of temperature for biological systems is evidenced also by the evolution of adaptation responses, e.g. the heat shock response and temperature compensation in circadian clocks. Temperature changes diffusion constants, accelerates or slows reaction rates, alters macromolecular stability, influences proteostasis and metabolism, changes mechanical properties of the cytoskeleton and membranes, and shifts the pace of developmental and physiological processes. The sensitivities of these internal processes determine how biological function depends on temperature, yet they are typically examined in isolation across molecular, cellular, and organismal research fields.

This symposium will bring together researchers from diverse areas to map the landscape of temperature’s effects on biological systems and to connect theoretical and experimental perspectives across scales. The goal is to build the foundations for a unified mechanistic understanding of how temperature acts through biochemical networks and physical processes such as diffusion, polymerization and mechanical stability. With new tools for high-resolution imaging, high-throughput measurements and advances in data-driven modelling, this is a uniquely timely moment for researchers working at molecular, cellular and organismal levels to exchange ideas and identify the common principles that shape biological responses to temperature variation. On this mechanistic basis, the symposium will also address the fundamental question, how biological systems have evolved in the face of past temperature changes and fluctuations, and how evolutionary adaptations to temperature on the molecular and cellular scales will continue to shape the future of life on earth.

Sponsors

Sponsorship opportunities

We offer a variety of event sponsoring possibilities, with the flexibility to select a set sponsorship package or combine individual sponsorship options to suit your event budget. Discounts are available for companies sponsoring multiple events at EMBL Heidelberg. View other conferences, or contact sponsorship@embl.de for further information.

If you are interested in becoming a media partner of this event, please visit our media partnerships webpage.

Media kit

Want to let others know you’re attending this event? Take a look at our shareable media and feel free to use them in your social media channels or presentations.

PPT Slide 16×9

About

EMBO | EMBL Symposia promote scientific communication and collaboration in the European research area. They provide scientists with a platform to discuss and exchange ideas on forward-looking topics and new developments in the life sciences.

Topics emphasise upcoming developments and the interdisciplinary nature of related fields. Jointly funded and organised by EMBO and EMBL – and complementary to their respective courses, workshops, and conference programmes – the symposia promote scientific communication and collaboration.

All symposia are held in the EMBL Advanced Training Centre (ATC) in Heidelberg, Germany, or virtually.