The Physics of Life 2025 conference, held at the Harrogate Convention Centre from March 24-27, prominently featured contributions from Durham BSI members. Ehmke Pohl chaired the session on "Natural and Synthetic Molecular Machines", and he and the other BSI members Margarita Staykova, Jonathan Heddle, and Aakash Basu delivered invited talks. A testament to their expertise and profile in the field of biological physics.

Durham, UK – June 2025 — A exciting new exhibition at Ushaw College is inviting visitors to explore the vibrant intersection of art and science. Titled Creative Encounters, the exhibition celebrates the innovative collaborations between artists and scientists from our community, showcasing how creative dialogue can lead to fresh perspectives and unexpected insights.

The Biophysical Sciences Institute (BSI) Early Career Researcher (ECR) group launched the new event series, “What on Earth am I Doing (Next)?”, on 4 June with a lively and well-attended session in the Department of Chemistry. The session was led by the BSI ECR groups’ chair Libbi Moon and new ECR member Matt Grobellaar and attracted researchers from across Durham University who were eager to explore career possibilities and share ideas.

A short film by artist-researcher Dr. Daksha Patel, titled Interfacing, has received international recognition, winning an award at the Oregon Documentary Film Festival (Winter 2025). The film was created in response to pioneering biophysical research into lipid membranes led by Dr. Margarita Staykova at Durham University.

Durham University hosted the highly successful Early Career Researchers’ (ECR) Winter Symposium 2025, welcoming around 100 participants from universities, institutes and companies across the UK and beyond. The one‑day event brought together researchers working at the interface of biomathematics, biophysics, biological chemistry, chemical biology and bioengineering, highlighting the strength of interdisciplinary collaboration in the life sciences.

The 2026 Physics of Life Summer School, held in September 2025, brought together early career researchers from across the UK and beyond for a week of scientific discussion, interdisciplinary connections, and community building. Hosted in Durham, the programme showcased the breadth and ambition of research at the interface of physics and the life sciences, while offering participants unique opportunities to learn, connect

A new online exhibition showcases the fascinating intersection of science and art, displaying scientific images of biological systems alongside creative responses from professional artists and the wider public.

The BSI is moving into the redeveloped Mountjoy Centre. This represents a step change for the institute, an opportunity to build upon the sense of community that makes the BSI special. While the location may be new, the focus remains the same: a collegial approach to building collaboration and innovation.

A recent publication in Nucleic Acids Research reports the discovery of new DNA associated enzymes from some of the most extreme environments on Earth and shown that they can improve rapid medical tests for infectious diseases.

Nevrargenics Ltd have won the 2025 Bionow Project of the Year Award in the annual Bionow awards at the Concorde Conference Centre in Manchester. The award recognised their lead programme Ellorarxine™ as one of the most innovative and impactful life sciences projects in the UK.