The UK Physics of Life Roadmap

We would like to draw researchers’ attention to the PoL road-mapping activity that PoLNet3 are leading on. This road mapping exercise provides an opportunity for the PoL community to articulate progress, identify opportunities and support strategy and innovation for UK Physics of Life research which can furthers our understanding and address life-science challenges. 

Draft Roadmap Report

We are thrilled to announce the publication of the first draft of the Physics of Life Roadmap, which invites community input.
The Roadmap outlines key areas where physics can make a transformative impact, including:

• Distilling the complexities of living systems through mathematical models
• Creating innovative physics technologies for biological questions
• Developing designer biology through simplified experimental systems
• Understanding disease and aging with innovative physics approaches
• Tackling infections with new biological insights
• Combating climate change and ensuring food security through physics

​UK Physics of Life is establishing “good practice” in enabling impactful interdisciplinary research, including fostering a culture of early co-creation of research ideas and developing strategies to balance and integrate skills and priorities. These developments are not the isolated efforts of individual research teams, but the result of a unified national community working together.

By building on the momentum achieved so far, the roadmap aims to foster sustained community coordination and truly multidisciplinary partnerships that will advance scientific knowledge. The document provides a comprehensive overview of the UK Physics of Life community's perspective on research challenges and opportunities over the next 15 years, synthesising input from extensive community engagement. It offers recommendations for funders, universities, and the broader community to unlock the transformative potential of this field.

We invite all feedback and look forward to ongoing collaboration in shaping the future of this exciting and impactful research field. If you have any specific questions you'd like to raise, please send them to [email protected]. Your question may be featured during our roadmap session at Physics of Life Harrogate 2025 on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM.  For more information, please visit: https://iop.eventsair.com/pol2025/.

For the link to the the roadmap draft report, please go here or see pdf below. 

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What's the roadmap for?

The Physics of Life roadmap will be used to: 

• Inform the Physics of Life research community and wider stakeholders of the opportunities and potential of Physics of Life (in its entirety).  In doing so, it may  identify unmet needs (e.g. skills or opportunities for more effective working at this interface)  
• Position Physics of Life in relation to other key activities. For example, there may be some activities where Physics of Life leadership is required and others, where the Physics of Life community should seek to increase engagement in activities led by others. 
• Raise awareness of relevant stakeholders, including research communities, who could help shape future research questions 
• Be a resource for funders to inform research strategy by contributing towards the understanding of the importance and potential impact of Physics of Life research and the key opportunities that it presents in the short, medium and long term.

Roadmap Aims

1. ​Survey, and engage with, the UK physics of life research community, and relevant stakeholders, to review UK research strengths and opportunities in this area of research (to include case studies).
   
2. Synthesise and publish a summary of the Physics of Life research community’s view of research challenges and opportunities, along with an assessment of the significance and potential benefits of these challenges and opportunities.   
   
3. Articulate UK strengths for Physics of Life research in an international context and identify key opportunities for development in this space for the next 5, 15 and 25 years. 
   
4. Review the impact of PoLNET on the research community and assess how training needs might develop over the coming years.   

Who's the roadmap for?

Community – the roadmap will be publicised and delivered as part of the Physics of Life conference in Harrogate, 2025. The roadmap will act as a point of reference for current and future opportunities.
Funders – UKRI, Wellcome and other funders to highlight reasons to fund PoL research. 

Why Now?

• The​ PoLNET3 grant ends in March 2025. Additional funding received from UKRI between March 2024 and 2025 is being used to fund this roadmap alongside the PoL PDRA call. 
• The PoL SPF fund (£33M) will be completed by March 2025.
• It’s important momentum created from Physics of Life network(s) (PoLNET1- PoLNET3) and from grants funded by the PoL SPF isn't lost.
• It is therefore timely and important to highlight to funders what the strengths of the Physics of Life community are and where the community envisages priority areas/UK strengths, which may highlight important investment areas. 

​Who’s involved?  

• The Physics of Life community (ECRs, researchers, learned institutions, industry) - to ensure a broad range of voices are incorporated into the written roadmap.  This will involve collecting data, surveying the community and collecting information from community workshops and meetings.
• Physics of Life Roadmap 2023 Working Group (WG) (see below) - to provide written contributions on key aspects and expertise for the roadmap report.
• UKRI and Wellcome - to help define the remit of the review and act as critical friends to provide guidance on the process for developing this roadmap.  
• Physics of Life Steering Group - to provide comment and review of roadmap.

Community Engagement

Physics of Life community webinar on 16 May 12-1 pm 
We hosted an open webinar focused around the exciting opportunities we have as a community to help shape the future of Physics of Life research in the UK through the Roadmap discussions which are now underway. Please see the webinar recording at the bottom of this webpage. 

Community Survey: The Physics of Life created a community survey which requested community input. The deadline to complete this has now passed, but we will continue to review any incoming thoughts. Please take the time to ensure your voice is represented by completing the short 10 minute survey, which can be found here: https://forms.office.com/e/s8CXn3HfKr 

Theme Survey:  Based on the community survey data and together with analysis of recently funded research, high-impact articles, and transformative data, the PoL Roadmap working group created draft descriptions of the most disruptive active and emerging areas in UK Physics of Life research. 

Events: Physics of Life organised and partnered with several events to collect data and information from the community. 
​
Contact us: Please contact our Working group chair Professor Mark Leake ([email protected]) or any members of our working group members (see below).  

Physics of Life Roadmap 2023 Working Group (WG)

*Prof Mark Leake (University of York, [email protected])
​**Dr Karis Baker (University of Durham, [email protected])
Prof Olwyn Bryon (University of Glasgow, [email protected])
Prof Sonia Contera (University of Oxford, [email protected])
Prof Lorna Dougan (University of Leeds, [email protected])
Prof Nigel Goldenfeld (University of University of California San Diego, [email protected]) 
Prof Jamie Hobbs (University of Sheffield, [email protected])
Prof Martin Howard (John Innes Centre, [email protected])
Dr Davide Michieletto (University of Edinburgh, [email protected])
Prof Michelle Peckham (University of Leeds, [email protected])
Dr Alice Pyne (University of Sheffield, [email protected])
Prof Teuta Pilizota (University of Edinburgh, [email protected])
Prof Dr Petra Schwille (Max-Plank Institute of Biochemistry, [email protected]) 
Prof Ben Simons (University of Cambridge, [email protected])
Prof Stephen Smye (University of Leeds, [email protected])
 
* Working group Chair
** PoLNET Project Manager

PoLNET Webinar