Gulliver

Learning to outgrow the competition: Reaction–diffusion systems that adapt to time-dependent environments

Jeldy Cubas Hernandez — 2026-09-08T10:17:47Z

A fundamental challenge in both biology and engineering is understanding how adaptation can emerge from simple physical or chemical building blocks. Biological adaptation appears to rely on two key capabilities: information processing, to enable learning of complex tasks, and reproduction, to give such learning its value through reproductive success. Creating and coordinating these capabilities poses both a formidable engineering challenge and a fundamental evolutionary puzzle. Here, we (…)

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Jean Veron joins Gulliver

Jeldy Cubas Hernandez — 2026-09-07T10:15:15Z

Gulliver is pleased to welcome Jean Veron as a new PhD student. His doctoral research will focus on near-surface diffusion in non-equilibrium physicochemical media, under the supervision of Joshua McGraw. Jean joins Gulliver as part of his doctoral studies at ESPCI.

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From active to odd to smart matter

Jeldy Cubas Hernandez — 2026-07-28T09:10:28Z

The study of active matter has reshaped our understanding of collective states of matter far from equilibrium by proving that energy pumped into the microscopic scale leads to order on the macroscopic scale, collective motion, and anomalous mechanical responses. More recently, the discovery of odd elasticity and nonreciprocal mechanical couplings has extended these ideas to solid-like active systems, revealing materials with nonconservative elastic response. Simultaneously, innovative (…)

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Effect of solvent structure on the Wien effect and ionic correlations at the nanoscale

Jeldy Cubas Hernandez — 2026-05-21T09:10:52Z

In this study, we examine how the structure of the solvent affects the correlations and conductivity of moderately concentrated electrolytes. We describe polar solvents with a nonlocal permittivity, ε(k), which we then incorporate into stochastic density functional theory (SDFT), focusing on ion transport in water. Using nonlocal SDFT and classical molecular dynamics simulations, we study the ionic hydration shell and its deformation under an electrostatic field. This allows us to identify (…)

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Compositional memory matters for early molecular systems

Jeldy Cubas Hernandez — 2026-05-21T09:04:10Z

The error catastrophe refers to the proliferation of nonfunctional molecules in conditions where molecular replication has low accuracy, which is likely to correspond to conditions present at the Origin of Life. This error catastrophe can be avoided thanks to transient compartmentalization, provided that the compartments are sufficiently tight to prevent molecular leakage. Typically, transient compartmentalization models assume that the content of the compartments is completely pooled (…)

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Gulliver is pleased to welcome Mark Ediger as a Saint Gobain chair for a one month period

Jeldy Cubas Hernandez — 2026-05-21T08:43:30Z

Mark's research focuses on developing a molecular-level understanding of dynamics in polymeric materials and low molecular weight glass formers. He will give a seminar in the lab on June 1st.
DOI: https://chem.wisc.edu/staff/ediger-...

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pH gradient-driven deformation of a crista-like vesicle

Jeldy Cubas Hernandez — 2026-05-04T09:53:58Z

The inner membrane of mitochondria presents folds, the cristae, which are the production place of ATP. This synthesis is catalized by transmembrane proteins and relies on a flow of protons confined to the surface of the membrane. We posit that, in turn, the proton flux shapes the crista membrane in a way that suits these proteins. To study this hypothesis, we model a crista as a spherical vesicle submitted to a diffusive proton gradient flowing from the poles to the equator. Using Helfrich (…)

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France-Japan DNA encryption

Olivier Dauchot — 2026-04-02T13:20:17Z

Synchronized DNA sources for unconditionally secure cryptography
Congratulation to Sandra, Victoria, Vassily, Matthieu, Yannick and all the team for this world premiere. ArXiv paper Vidéo Présidence Vidéo du CNRS Le monde Libération La voix du Nord

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Spreading and absorption of silicone oil droplets on silicone elastomer films

Jeldy Cubas Hernandez — 2026-03-27T15:34:26Z

When a liquid droplet completely wets a hard substrate, its spreading dynamics follow Tanner's law, with the droplet radius growing as the one-tenth power of time. Here, we investigate how these dynamics change when silicone oil droplets spread on soft silicone elastomer and gel films supported by a rigid silicon substrate. While the droplets fully wet the elastomer surface, they also simultaneously swell the elastomer film. By varying the film thickness, we observe deviations from the (…)

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Francois Villemot joins Gulliver

Jeldy Cubas Hernandez — 2026-01-20T12:02:38Z

We are pleased to welcome Francois Villemot as our new CNRS research engineer in Gulliver. Francois obtained his PhD in Montpellier in 2014, followed by postdoctoral positions in the USA and Paris, and several years at a Paris-based start-up He joins us to support fundamental research, in particular regarding numerical methods and computational infrastructure.

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