Ricard Alert Zenón
@ricardalert.bsky.social
ICREA Research Professor at Universitat de Barcelona. Research Group Leader at MPI-PKS and CSBD in Dresden. Theory of living matter. Collective phenomena in biology through the lens of active matter physics.
New paper out @natcellbio.nature.com! In embryos, immune cell migration is guided by the surrounding tissue flow. In turn, tissue flow is captured by active wetting theory, generalized to include influx from the upper cell aggregate! Check the thread below! 👇
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
September 8, 2026 at 10:29 AM
New paper out @natcellbio.nature.com! In embryos, immune cell migration is guided by the surrounding tissue flow. In turn, tissue flow is captured by active wetting theory, generalized to include influx from the upper cell aggregate! Check the thread below! 👇
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
New preprint! We found an active wetting transition in cell aggregates. We obtain an active Young-Dupré condition, which allows us to capture states of partial and complete wetting.
With group members MJ Franco-Oñate and Hanno Hennighausen!
arxiv.org/abs/2608.28912
With group members MJ Franco-Oñate and Hanno Hennighausen!
arxiv.org/abs/2608.28912
September 2, 2026 at 3:19 AM
New preprint! We found an active wetting transition in cell aggregates. We obtain an active Young-Dupré condition, which allows us to capture states of partial and complete wetting.
With group members MJ Franco-Oñate and Hanno Hennighausen!
arxiv.org/abs/2608.28912
With group members MJ Franco-Oñate and Hanno Hennighausen!
arxiv.org/abs/2608.28912
Reposted by Ricard Alert Zenón
☕Embryos from aged mice have increased contractility & tissue viscosity on E4.5, causing poor spreading and attachment. Similar age-associated mechanical changes in human embryos correlate with implantation potential. @katecavanaugh.bsky.social
👉https://rdcu.be/fCDVb
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
👉https://rdcu.be/fCDVb
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Elevated contractility drives implantation failure in mouse embryos from aged females - Nature Cell Biology
Cavanaugh et al. show that embryos from aged mice have increased contractility and tissue viscosity on embryonic day 4.5, which leads to poor spreading and attachment. Similar age-associated mechanica...
www.nature.com
August 28, 2026 at 10:25 AM
☕Embryos from aged mice have increased contractility & tissue viscosity on E4.5, causing poor spreading and attachment. Similar age-associated mechanical changes in human embryos correlate with implantation potential. @katecavanaugh.bsky.social
👉https://rdcu.be/fCDVb
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
👉https://rdcu.be/fCDVb
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
New preprint! Motility-induced phase separation (MIPS) goes quantum! Great numerical work by Laurin Brunner, Reyhaneh Khasseh, and Markus Heyl to show MIPS in active hard-core bosons. Personally, excited about my first paper with ℏ≠0!
arxiv.org/abs/2608.25649
arxiv.org/abs/2608.25649
August 27, 2026 at 11:11 PM
New preprint! Motility-induced phase separation (MIPS) goes quantum! Great numerical work by Laurin Brunner, Reyhaneh Khasseh, and Markus Heyl to show MIPS in active hard-core bosons. Personally, excited about my first paper with ℏ≠0!
arxiv.org/abs/2608.25649
arxiv.org/abs/2608.25649
New paper @natcellbio.nature.com! We propose to understand embryo implantation as active wetting. Embryos from older mothers spread less because they are too contractile and viscous.
Experiments by @katecavanaugh.bsky.social and theory by MJ Franco-Oñate in my group.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Experiments by @katecavanaugh.bsky.social and theory by MJ Franco-Oñate in my group.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
August 25, 2026 at 10:03 PM
New paper @natcellbio.nature.com! We propose to understand embryo implantation as active wetting. Embryos from older mothers spread less because they are too contractile and viscous.
Experiments by @katecavanaugh.bsky.social and theory by MJ Franco-Oñate in my group.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Experiments by @katecavanaugh.bsky.social and theory by MJ Franco-Oñate in my group.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
New paper! Inspired by gliding bacteria, we introduce active screws: Particles that self-propel by spinning around their propulsion axis. We show that active screws form active chiral nematics. With Debu Banerjee and @lauritzh.bsky.social @mpipks.bsky.social
journals.aps.org/prresearch/a...
journals.aps.org/prresearch/a...
August 3, 2026 at 5:23 PM
New paper! Inspired by gliding bacteria, we introduce active screws: Particles that self-propel by spinning around their propulsion axis. We show that active screws form active chiral nematics. With Debu Banerjee and @lauritzh.bsky.social @mpipks.bsky.social
journals.aps.org/prresearch/a...
journals.aps.org/prresearch/a...
Our paper on a Hamiltonian description of non-reciprocal interactions is out @natphys.nature.com! With Yubo Shi, Roderich Moessner, and @marinbukov.bsky.social @mpipks.bsky.social @ub.edu @icreacommunity.bsky.social
Check it out, and read more in the thread below! 👇
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Check it out, and read more in the thread below! 👇
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
June 12, 2026 at 10:53 AM
Our paper on a Hamiltonian description of non-reciprocal interactions is out @natphys.nature.com! With Yubo Shi, Roderich Moessner, and @marinbukov.bsky.social @mpipks.bsky.social @ub.edu @icreacommunity.bsky.social
Check it out, and read more in the thread below! 👇
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Check it out, and read more in the thread below! 👇
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
New preprint! Interested in mechanical interactions between cells and the extracellular matrix? We studied the feedback between cellular traction forces and the ECM nonlinear elasticity. With Irina Pi-Jaumà and Jaume Casademunt.
arxiv.org/abs/2606.03669
arxiv.org/abs/2606.03669
Bistability of cellular traction on strain-stiffening substrates
To migrate, cells exert traction forces on the extracellular matrix (ECM) -- a biopolymer network that often exhibits nonlinear strain-stiffening elasticity. Cellular tractions can therefore stiffen t...
arxiv.org
June 5, 2026 at 11:04 AM
New preprint! Interested in mechanical interactions between cells and the extracellular matrix? We studied the feedback between cellular traction forces and the ECM nonlinear elasticity. With Irina Pi-Jaumà and Jaume Casademunt.
arxiv.org/abs/2606.03669
arxiv.org/abs/2606.03669
Despite it being chaotic, active nematic turbulence can give rise to arrested labyrinthine patterns! Check out our new paper @physrevresearch.bsky.social! Work led by Ido Lavi, with Jean-François Joanny and Jaume Casademunt.
journals.aps.org/prresearch/a...
journals.aps.org/prresearch/a...
March 18, 2026 at 5:55 PM
Despite it being chaotic, active nematic turbulence can give rise to arrested labyrinthine patterns! Check out our new paper @physrevresearch.bsky.social! Work led by Ido Lavi, with Jean-François Joanny and Jaume Casademunt.
journals.aps.org/prresearch/a...
journals.aps.org/prresearch/a...
Reposted by Ricard Alert Zenón
📰 Notícies, agenda científica, descobriments i entrevistes.
ICREA't és el teu nou portal per seguir l'actualitat de les investigacions dels recercaires ICREA a Catalunya.
No et perdis res 👉 icreat.cat
ICREA't és el teu nou portal per seguir l'actualitat de les investigacions dels recercaires ICREA a Catalunya.
No et perdis res 👉 icreat.cat
February 11, 2026 at 10:05 AM
📰 Notícies, agenda científica, descobriments i entrevistes.
ICREA't és el teu nou portal per seguir l'actualitat de les investigacions dels recercaires ICREA a Catalunya.
No et perdis res 👉 icreat.cat
ICREA't és el teu nou portal per seguir l'actualitat de les investigacions dels recercaires ICREA a Catalunya.
No et perdis res 👉 icreat.cat
New preprint! We show how mesoscopic nonequilibrium fluctuations in active gels emerge from the breaking of detailed balance at the molecular scale. Warning: Long technical paper ahead! Enjoy! @mpipks.bsky.social @ub.edu @ubics.bsky.social @icreacommunity.bsky.social
arxiv.org/abs/2601.20483
arxiv.org/abs/2601.20483
January 30, 2026 at 6:08 PM
New preprint! We show how mesoscopic nonequilibrium fluctuations in active gels emerge from the breaking of detailed balance at the molecular scale. Warning: Long technical paper ahead! Enjoy! @mpipks.bsky.social @ub.edu @ubics.bsky.social @icreacommunity.bsky.social
arxiv.org/abs/2601.20483
arxiv.org/abs/2601.20483
Reposted by Ricard Alert Zenón
#NousICREAs2025 | 🧬 Ricard Alert @ricardalert.bsky.social (@ub.edu) investiga en física biològica.
Estudia com les lleis de la física governen la vida, per exemple, investigant com cèl·lules i bacteris es mouen en grups.
short.do/UBTLe-
Estudia com les lleis de la física governen la vida, per exemple, investigant com cèl·lules i bacteris es mouen en grups.
short.do/UBTLe-
December 17, 2025 at 8:38 AM
#NousICREAs2025 | 🧬 Ricard Alert @ricardalert.bsky.social (@ub.edu) investiga en física biològica.
Estudia com les lleis de la física governen la vida, per exemple, investigant com cèl·lules i bacteris es mouen en grups.
short.do/UBTLe-
Estudia com les lleis de la física governen la vida, per exemple, investigant com cèl·lules i bacteris es mouen en grups.
short.do/UBTLe-
Our paper on the transition to active turbulence is now out @natcomms.nature.com! With @the-chaotician.bsky.social. Are you curious how activity begets chaos? Check out the paper and the thread below. 👇
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
December 17, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Our paper on the transition to active turbulence is now out @natcomms.nature.com! With @the-chaotician.bsky.social. Are you curious how activity begets chaos? Check out the paper and the thread below. 👇
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
New preprint! Do you like ocean waves? We found similar waves on bacterial colonies! We found that this collective behavior, known as rippling, is nothing but surface waves on an active nematic. @princeton.edu @mpipks.bsky.social @ub.edu @icreacommunity.bsky.social
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
December 2, 2025 at 8:02 PM
New preprint! Do you like ocean waves? We found similar waves on bacterial colonies! We found that this collective behavior, known as rippling, is nothing but surface waves on an active nematic. @princeton.edu @mpipks.bsky.social @ub.edu @icreacommunity.bsky.social
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Super excited to start as an ICREA Research Professor at the University of Barcelona! Really happy to join fantastic colleagues at @icreacommunity.bsky.social and @ub.edu.
www.icrea.cat/community/ic...
www.icrea.cat/community/ic...
ICREAs Fitxa - ICREA
Something went wrong
www.icrea.cat
December 2, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Super excited to start as an ICREA Research Professor at the University of Barcelona! Really happy to join fantastic colleagues at @icreacommunity.bsky.social and @ub.edu.
www.icrea.cat/community/ic...
www.icrea.cat/community/ic...
Reposted by Ricard Alert Zenón
🎧🎙Últim capítol de La utilitat del coneixement inútil!
Parlem amb la @gmarfanyn.bsky.social sobre CRISPR i obrim el debat que hem de tenir tots de la millor manera: amb el coneixement científic a la mà!
@soctastaolletes.bsky.social
youtu.be/DUzzjkkUBT4?...
Parlem amb la @gmarfanyn.bsky.social sobre CRISPR i obrim el debat que hem de tenir tots de la millor manera: amb el coneixement científic a la mà!
@soctastaolletes.bsky.social
youtu.be/DUzzjkkUBT4?...
T1C7 Els bacteris, l’edició genètica i el Nobel robat, amb Gemma Marfany i Nadal
YouTube video by La Dimoni de Maxwell
youtu.be
December 2, 2025 at 10:40 AM
🎧🎙Últim capítol de La utilitat del coneixement inútil!
Parlem amb la @gmarfanyn.bsky.social sobre CRISPR i obrim el debat que hem de tenir tots de la millor manera: amb el coneixement científic a la mà!
@soctastaolletes.bsky.social
youtu.be/DUzzjkkUBT4?...
Parlem amb la @gmarfanyn.bsky.social sobre CRISPR i obrim el debat que hem de tenir tots de la millor manera: amb el coneixement científic a la mà!
@soctastaolletes.bsky.social
youtu.be/DUzzjkkUBT4?...
Reposted by Ricard Alert Zenón
Active droplets are fundamental in cell biology and origin of life. With Jonathan Bauermann, @boekhovenlab.bsky.social, Frank Jülicher, and @m-pol.bsky.social, we show that a critical transition influences their size, morphology, ripening and division propensity
journals.aps.org/prx/abstract...
journals.aps.org/prx/abstract...
November 15, 2025 at 11:28 AM
Active droplets are fundamental in cell biology and origin of life. With Jonathan Bauermann, @boekhovenlab.bsky.social, Frank Jülicher, and @m-pol.bsky.social, we show that a critical transition influences their size, morphology, ripening and division propensity
journals.aps.org/prx/abstract...
journals.aps.org/prx/abstract...
Reposted by Ricard Alert Zenón
🕵️ A qui t’agradaria conèixer? Amb quantes persones hi arribaries?
El Ricard Solé @ricardsole.bsky.social, investigador ICREA a @upf.edu ens ho explica al nostre pòdcast!
youtube.com/shorts/buG_R...
El Ricard Solé @ricardsole.bsky.social, investigador ICREA a @upf.edu ens ho explica al nostre pòdcast!
youtube.com/shorts/buG_R...
6 graus de separació #ciènciaencatalà #podcast #divulgaciócientífica #ciència
YouTube video by La Dimoni de Maxwell
youtube.com
November 15, 2025 at 8:20 PM
🕵️ A qui t’agradaria conèixer? Amb quantes persones hi arribaries?
El Ricard Solé @ricardsole.bsky.social, investigador ICREA a @upf.edu ens ho explica al nostre pòdcast!
youtube.com/shorts/buG_R...
El Ricard Solé @ricardsole.bsky.social, investigador ICREA a @upf.edu ens ho explica al nostre pòdcast!
youtube.com/shorts/buG_R...
Reposted by Ricard Alert Zenón
Escolta en nou capítol de La utilitat del coneixement inútil!
Quàntica, ordinadors i espanta sogres!!! 🎉🥳
Quàntica, ordinadors i espanta sogres!!! 🎉🥳
Nou capítol! 🔴
Parlem de quàntica i superordinadors, la @marionamec.bsky.social em peta la neurona, l'Alba Cervera ens explica què fa al @bsc-cns.bsky.social i descobrim que els espanta-sogres poden ser molt pesats 🥳
Amb la suport de la @fcri.bsky.social 💜
open.spotify.com/episode/6wJL...
Parlem de quàntica i superordinadors, la @marionamec.bsky.social em peta la neurona, l'Alba Cervera ens explica què fa al @bsc-cns.bsky.social i descobrim que els espanta-sogres poden ser molt pesats 🥳
Amb la suport de la @fcri.bsky.social 💜
open.spotify.com/episode/6wJL...
T1C5 Quàntica, superordinadors i espanta-sogres, amb Alba Cervera i Lierta
Spotify video
open.spotify.com
October 28, 2025 at 6:59 AM
Escolta en nou capítol de La utilitat del coneixement inútil!
Quàntica, ordinadors i espanta sogres!!! 🎉🥳
Quàntica, ordinadors i espanta sogres!!! 🎉🥳
Reposted by Ricard Alert Zenón
🤔 Can tissue patterning & tumor heterogeneity emerge in a self-organized way?
We show that self-organized mechanical stress & density gradients pattern tumors in vitro & in vivo, and this behavior is quantitatively predicted by a mechano-chemical active fluid model!
Check out Carlos' thread ⬇️
We show that self-organized mechanical stress & density gradients pattern tumors in vitro & in vivo, and this behavior is quantitatively predicted by a mechano-chemical active fluid model!
Check out Carlos' thread ⬇️
1/ 🎉Excited to share our new preprint @vignjeviclab.bsky.social @davidbrueckner.bsky.social :
"Self-organization of tumor heterogeneity and plasticity"
biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Tumor heterogeneity and plasticity drive metastasis and relapse. How is tumor patterning coordinated?
A thread👇
"Self-organization of tumor heterogeneity and plasticity"
biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Tumor heterogeneity and plasticity drive metastasis and relapse. How is tumor patterning coordinated?
A thread👇
October 16, 2025 at 10:40 PM
🤔 Can tissue patterning & tumor heterogeneity emerge in a self-organized way?
We show that self-organized mechanical stress & density gradients pattern tumors in vitro & in vivo, and this behavior is quantitatively predicted by a mechano-chemical active fluid model!
Check out Carlos' thread ⬇️
We show that self-organized mechanical stress & density gradients pattern tumors in vitro & in vivo, and this behavior is quantitatively predicted by a mechano-chemical active fluid model!
Check out Carlos' thread ⬇️
Reposted by Ricard Alert Zenón
1/ 🎉Excited to share our new preprint @vignjeviclab.bsky.social @davidbrueckner.bsky.social :
"Self-organization of tumor heterogeneity and plasticity"
biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Tumor heterogeneity and plasticity drive metastasis and relapse. How is tumor patterning coordinated?
A thread👇
"Self-organization of tumor heterogeneity and plasticity"
biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Tumor heterogeneity and plasticity drive metastasis and relapse. How is tumor patterning coordinated?
A thread👇
October 16, 2025 at 9:55 PM
1/ 🎉Excited to share our new preprint @vignjeviclab.bsky.social @davidbrueckner.bsky.social :
"Self-organization of tumor heterogeneity and plasticity"
biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Tumor heterogeneity and plasticity drive metastasis and relapse. How is tumor patterning coordinated?
A thread👇
"Self-organization of tumor heterogeneity and plasticity"
biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Tumor heterogeneity and plasticity drive metastasis and relapse. How is tumor patterning coordinated?
A thread👇
Reposted by Ricard Alert Zenón
🛰️ Sabies que fas servir la teoria de la relativitat cada cop que treus el GPS?
Mira el 4t capítol de La utilitat del coneixement inútil per veure com li peta el cap a la @soctastaolletes.bsky.social 🤯
Amb un ajut @fcri.bsky.social
open.spotify.com/episode/4lza...
Mira el 4t capítol de La utilitat del coneixement inútil per veure com li peta el cap a la @soctastaolletes.bsky.social 🤯
Amb un ajut @fcri.bsky.social
open.spotify.com/episode/4lza...
Spotify – Web Player
open.spotify.com
October 16, 2025 at 6:08 AM
🛰️ Sabies que fas servir la teoria de la relativitat cada cop que treus el GPS?
Mira el 4t capítol de La utilitat del coneixement inútil per veure com li peta el cap a la @soctastaolletes.bsky.social 🤯
Amb un ajut @fcri.bsky.social
open.spotify.com/episode/4lza...
Mira el 4t capítol de La utilitat del coneixement inútil per veure com li peta el cap a la @soctastaolletes.bsky.social 🤯
Amb un ajut @fcri.bsky.social
open.spotify.com/episode/4lza...
New job, new preprint! We found that embryo implantation can be understood as active wetting! Embryos from older mothers have trouble implanting because they are too contractile and viscous. Check out the wonderful thread (and movies!) by @katecavanaugh.bsky.social.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
October 2, 2025 at 8:04 AM
New job, new preprint! We found that embryo implantation can be understood as active wetting! Embryos from older mothers have trouble implanting because they are too contractile and viscous. Check out the wonderful thread (and movies!) by @katecavanaugh.bsky.social.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Warm goodbye to Dresden's @mpipks.bsky.social, my scientific home for the past 4 years. It's been amazing to start my group here! Thanks to the Max Planck Society, group members and everyone at the institute! Looking forward to the new chapter in Barcelona @ub.edu
September 21, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Warm goodbye to Dresden's @mpipks.bsky.social, my scientific home for the past 4 years. It's been amazing to start my group here! Thanks to the Max Planck Society, group members and everyone at the institute! Looking forward to the new chapter in Barcelona @ub.edu