SEMINAR: Emergence of Collective Intelligence in Biological Systems

Guest:  Aşkın  Kocabaş, Koc University

Title: Emergence of Collective Intelligence in Biological Systems

Date/Time: 22 October 2025, 13:40

Location: FENS G032

Abstract: For those curious about nature, swarming of grasshoppers, flocking of starlings, and schooling of sardines are among the most mesmerizing phenomena we can observe. But why do social organisms engage in these collective activities? Can groups perform tasks more effectively than individuals? And can we use basic physical and evolutionary principles to uncover the rules behind such complex behaviors? In this talk, I will review our experimental efforts to uncover this mystery in the lab. By combining active matter physics with complex dynamical systems theory, we have uncovered surprising links between non-Hermitian physics, symmetry breaking, and collective behaviors. While these concepts are specifically studied in condensed matter physics, I will discuss their potential evolutionary benefits and how they give rise to group-level intelligence in biological systems. Additionally, I will demonstrate how widespread these responses are across different biological systems, ranging from pathogenic biofilms, social worms to neural networks. Finally, I will try to convince attendees that the interplay between the seemingly unrelated fields of non-Hermitian physics and evolutionary biology offers valuable insights into the benefits and complexities of collective behaviors.
 

Bio: Aşkın Kocabaş graduated from Bogazici University’s Department of Physics in Istanbul. He received his Ph.D. degree from Bilkent University in Ankara, where he trained in optics and photonics. During his Ph.D. studies, Dr. Kocabaş developed optical Moire cavities to slow down and control propagating plasmon polaritons. After completing his Ph.D., Dr. Kocabaş shifted his interest to biology. He was awarded the Human Frontier Science Fellowship, which supported his risky and ambitious transition from basic physics to biological research. Subsequently, he joined the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Harvard University. There, he primarily worked on the optogenetic control of neural activities and animal behaviors. Following his postdoctoral research, he joined Koç University in Istanbul. His research revolves around interacting biological systems, utilizing active-matter physics and optical techniques to unravel the evolutionary and physical principles underpinning the collective behaviors of various organisms.