Life Sciences Lecture Series Summer 2025 I Form and Function: Living to non-living and back again

What differentiates living from non-living matter? Professor Yanlan Mao will consider how the biophysical properties of living matter enable them to grow, morph, adapt and repair, generating diverse yet sustainable biological form and function in nature’s perfect circular economy. She will examine the problems with the non-living matter that we use to build our world around us today, from plastics to textiles to concrete, creating a world far from nature’s perfect balance. She will discuss how we can take inspiration from nature to create animate materials to make and build a more sustainable and regenerative future.

The lecture will be followed by a reception in the Grant Museum.