Our vision is to transform our understanding of life through the innovative power of physical science.
We foster a hub for creativity, pioneer new frontiers at discipline interfaces and provide innovative, impactful solutions for pressing societal challenges.
What is the physical science of life?
The physical sciences of physics, maths and chemistry can help solve fundamental challenges at the heart of modern biology and unlock fundamental secrets about the make up of living beings.
The goal of our unique centre is to achieve a whole-scale quantitative understanding of life using physical and mathematical principles. By coalescing expertise across the Faculty of Natural, Mathematical & Engineering Science, our ambition is to integrate experimental and computational physical science approaches to develop a unified framework for understanding biology that integrates molecular and systems levels of thinking into a coherent holistic view.
This presents a significant new frontier for physical science as we expand the horizons of physical science to unresolved biological questions.
The centre places physical sciences at the heart of the research agenda, to gain a multi-scale, quantitative view of biological systems, moving beyond the role often assigned to physical science as a provider of tools and technologies to compliment the life sciences.
Professor Paula Booth, Co-Director of the Centre for the Physical Science of Life
Aims of the centre
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New research frontiers at the physical-life science interface
Undertake large-scale ambitious projects by expanding the horizons of physical science to unresolved biological questions.
Integrate experimental and computational physical science approaches to develop a unified framework for understanding biology that integrates molecular and systems levels of thinking into a coherent holistic view.
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Re-imagine working across discipline interfaces
Connect across disciplines building teams of physical scientists who seamlessly collaborate with life scientists to identify and solve the most fundamental riddles underpinning life.
Inspire the next generation of scientists who are fluent across physical-life science interface within an inclusive, supportive interdisciplinary environment.
Create a focal point for internal and external partnerships, including where our departments and research groups focus on the life science interface in Chemistry, Biolophysics and through our extensive collaborations with the King's healh faculties and King’s Health Partners.
We also capitalise upon existing external partnerships including through the the Crick, the London Centre for Nanotechnology and the Thomas Young Centre.