Intersection of Mechanics and Metabolism Across Biological Scales
The 2026 4D Cellular Physiology (4DCP) conference will delve into the fascinating crosstalk between mechanics and metabolism across biological scales, from single cells to entire organisms. This emerging field of mechano-metabolism addresses how physical forces and cellular metabolism work together to drive development, tissue repair, adaptation, and homeostasis - and how their imbalance contributes to diseases like cancer. Talks and discussions will spotlight cutting-edge research on mechano-metabolism in development, pathophysiology, tissue microenvironments, and morphogenesis. Attendees will also gain insights into novel tools, methods, and theoretical frameworks at the interface of mechanics, signaling, and metabolism.
Janelia will cover lodging and meals for all onsite participants, and travel support is available to those in need (please indicate need in your application). Participants are expected to stay for the duration.
The meeting will begin at 6pm ET on the first day and end by 1pm ET on the last.
Application deadline: Jan 8, 2026 (11:59pm ET)
Please note: Because Janelia conferences are intentionally small and selective, we may not be able to accommodate all applicants. We strive for as broad a representation across labs as possible and therefore may limit participation to one person per group. Preference is given to applicants who are active researchers in the field and intend to present their work as a poster or selected talk.
Organizers
Jennifer Lippincott-Schwartz, HHMI/Janelia Research Campus
Janelia’s 4DCP Group Leaders (*indicated below)
Invited Participants
*Alejandro Aguilera Castrejón, HHMI/Janelia Research Campus
*Misha Ahrens, HHMI/Janelia Research Campus
Shahad Albadri, Institut de la Vision
Elias Barriga, Dresden University of Technology
Kivanc Birsoy, Rockefeller University
Christopher Chen, Boston University
Elizabeth Chen, UT Southwestern
Daniel Cohen, Princeton University
Alba Diz-Muñoz, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL)
Sirio Dupont, University of Padova
*Isabel Espinosa Medina, HHMI/Janelia Research Campus
Daniel Feliciano, HHMI/Janelia Research Campus
Lydia Finley, Sloan Kettering Institute
Margaret Gardel, University of Chicago
Zev Gartner, University of California, San Francisco
Amy Gladfelter, Duke University
Dafni Hadjieconomou, Institut du Cerveau (ICM)
Liam Holt, New York University
*Anoj Ilanges, HHMI/Janelia Research Campus
Thomas Lecuit, Aix-Marseille University/CNRS
*Jiefu Li, HHMI/Janelia Research Campus
Stephen Liberles, HHMI/Harvard University
*Yin Liu, HHMI/Janelia Research Campus
Satyajit Mayor, National Centre for Biological Science (NCBS)
Irene Miguel Aliaga, Francis Crick Institute
Vamsi Mootha, HHMI/Harvard Medical School
Denise Montell, University of California, Santa Barbara
Celeste Nelson, HHMI/Princeton University
Maria Rodriguez Colman, University Medical Center Utrecht
Jared Rutter, HHMI/University of Utah
Timothy Ryan, Cornell University
*Allyson Sgro, HHMI/Janelia Research Campus
*Hari Shroff, HHMI/Janelia Research Campus
Beth Stevens, HHMI/Harvard University & Broad Institute/MIT
Ron Vale, HHMI/Massachusetts Institute of Technology
*Meng Wang, HHMI/Janelia Research Campus
*Shaohe Wang, HHMI/Janelia Research Campus
Jennifer Zallen, HHMI/Sloan Kettering Institute
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What is 4DCP?
Learn more about Janelia's 4D Cellular Physiology program.
Application deadline: Jan 8, 2026 (11:59pm ET)