132 | Michael Levin on Growth, Form, Information, and the Self
Feb 1, 2021
01:21:33
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Quick takeaways
Organisms' development involves complex interactions beyond genetic blueprints.
Epigenetic memory and electrical circuits influence anatomical structures.
Biological systems display swarm intelligence and group cognition.
Manipulating electric circuits can induce reprogrammable patterns in cellular collectives.
Deep dives
Living Organisms' Complexity Contradicts Simple Blueprint Models
Living organisms' development defies simple blueprint models that equate them to Ikea furniture assembly. While DNA contains information for building organisms, the process involves nuanced and dynamic interactions, not a straightforward instruction-following model.
Michael Levin's Research Explores Organism Formation Beyond Genetic Coding
Michael Levin's research delves into how physical dynamics and information converge to shape organisms, moving beyond a simplistic genetic coding viewpoint. By studying emergence and decision-making processes in organisms, the research sheds light on the multifaceted nature of biological development.
Plenarian Experiments Illustrate Epigenetic Memory and Top-Down Control
Plenarian experiments reveal the role of epigenetic memory in shaping anatomy, showcasing how subcellular polarity and electrical circuits influence regeneration and form distinct anatomical structures. These findings highlight instances of top-down control influencing cellular decisions and anatomical patterns.
Biological Systems Demonstrate Multi-Level Coordination and Adaptability
Biological systems exhibit multi-level coordination, where organs and tissues perform computations that guide cellular activities, showcasing a swarm intelligence and group cognition approach. The adaptability and reliable outcomes in biological systems underscore the interplay of physical laws, computational principles, and goal-driven behaviors.
Emergence of Reprogrammable Patterns in Electric Circuits
In the podcast episode, it is discussed how electric circuits possess inherent properties such as robustness and amplification, leading to the emergence of reprogrammable patterns of activity. By manipulating the electric circuit's homeostatic set point, distinct modes of behavior can be induced without the need for rewiring. This reprogrammability underscores the potential for rewriting target morphologies in cellular collectives, offering insights into the concept of a universal constructor.
Implications of Breakdown in Cellular Communication
The podcast highlights the consequences of breakdowns in cellular communication, which mirror phenomena observed in cancer development. Closure of gap junctions, essential for intercellular signaling, can lead to individual cell regression to a unicellular state, contributing to metastasis. This breakdown serves as a crucial factor in understanding the origin of self-organization and sheds light on potential strategies to reverse the detrimental effects, emphasizing the importance of multi-scale collaboration.
Future Prospects and Moral Considerations in Synthetic Biology
The discussion delves into the intersection of biology and synthetic technology, emphasizing the potential for creating novel living systems by merging biological and electronic components. Exploring the concept of hybrid agents, the narrative extends to ethical considerations surrounding the blurring boundaries between humans, machines, and artificial life forms. By redefining traditional distinctions through a post-agist perspective, the episode engages with evolving concepts of motivation and cognition in artificial and hybrid systems, hinting at profound implications for future technological advancements and societal ethics.
As a semi-outsider, it’s fun for me to watch as a new era dawns in biology: one that adds ideas from physics, big data, computer science, and information theory to the usual biological toolkit. One of the big areas of study in this burgeoning field is the relationship between the basic bioinformatic building blocks (genes and proteins) to the macroscopic organism that eventually results. That relationship is not a simple one, as we’re discovering. Standard metaphors notwithstanding, an organism is not a machine based on genetic blueprints. I talk with biologist and information scientist Michael Levin about how information and physical constraints come together to make organisms and selves.
Michael Levin received his Ph.D. in genetics from Harvard University. He is currently Distinguished Professor and Vannevar Bush Chair in the Biology department at Tufts University, and serves as director of the Tufts Center for Regenerative and Developmental Biology. His work on left-right asymmetric body structures is on Nature’s list of 100 Milestones of Developmental Biology of the Century.
