EPSRC Physics of Life

The Physics of Life programme is funding research teams to apply the tools of physics—such as advanced imaging, theoretical modelling, and computational simulation—directly to living cells, tissues, and organisms. This matters because biology has traditionally been described in chemical and molecular terms, but many fundamental processes—how cells sense forces, how tissues organise themselves, how bacteria swarm—are physical phenomena. Without a physicist’s lens, these mechanisms remain poorly understood. The programme specifically requires deep collaboration between physicists and life scientists, rather than simply adding a physicist to a biology project. The potential impact is broad but indirect. A better physical understanding of living systems could improve medical diagnostics—for example, by using mechanical properties of cells to detect disease—or inform new materials that mimic biological structures. It could also reshape how we think about drug delivery, tissue engineering, or even the spread of infections. This is primarily fundamental science. There is no immediate practical application. But past investments in fundamental physics-of-life research have led to breakthroughs such as optical tweezers (now used in single-molecule biophysics) and super-resolution microscopy (awarded a Nobel Prize). This programme aims to generate similarly unexpected advances.