Dear Colleagues,
We are excited to announce the Biophysical Society Thematic Meeting entitled Active and Responsive Soft Matter: From Biological to Engineered Systems. This meeting will be held in Riga, Latvia from July 20-24, 2026.
This meeting will convene leading theoretical and experimental researchers to examine how physical stimuli influence active and responsive biological systems. The workshop will focus on the mechanisms by which cells sense and respond to their physical environment. Key themes include the behavior of eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells in two-dimensional sheets and three-dimensional matrices; collective dynamics of biological swimmers and their responses to mechanical and magnetic cues; emerging tools and analytical methods in mechanobiology; and the multiscale emergence of tissue mechanics from cells, fibers, and adhesions.
The meeting is designed to foster cross-disciplinary exchange between fundamental biophysics of living active matter and the development of synthetic active and responsive materials inspired by biological principles. Hosting the event in Latvia, and more broadly in the Baltic States, will strengthen regional scientific connections and showcase Latvia’s strong research presence in magnetic systems, microfluidics, lab-on-a-chip technologies, and other physics-based approaches to biology and biomedicine.
Please visit the website for the program overview and list of speakers. We encourage you to share this information with colleagues and students who may be interested in presenting their research and collaborating with a global community.
We look forward to your contributions and enthusiastic participation in this stimulating meeting!
Sincerely,
The Organizing Committee:
Andrejs Cebers, University of Latvia, Latvia
Damien Faivre, University of Latvia, Latvia
Guy Genin, Washington University in St. Louis, USA
Paul Janmey, University of Pennsylvania, USA
Gunters Kitenbergs, University of Latvia, Latvia
Alison Patteson, Syracuse University, USA
Mara Smite, University of Latvia, Latvia