Integrating genomics with hierarchical physical models of DNA and chromosomes
We propose to focus a multidisciplinary CECAM workshop on the analysis and the modeling of the 3D organisation of the genome. In particular, we want explore, if it is possible to predict genome folding as a function of the DNA sequence and epigenetic state by adapting models and tools developed in computational soft matter physics to study structure formation in polymer systems, and whether this will enable us to understand how these genomes are regulated. The workshop will debate whether for systems of this enormous complexity, the “bottom up” ab initio approaches that have proven so successful in the physical sciences can every prove as useful in biology.
