معرفی
Ricard Solé is an ICREA Research Professor at the Catalan Institute for Research and Advanced Studies, based at Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), where he leads the Complex Systems Lab within the Department of Experimental and Health Sciences. He is also External Professor at the Santa Fe Institute (USA), fellow of the European Centre for Living Technology (Italy), and external faculty at the Center for Evolution and Cancer at UCSF. He teaches undergraduate courses in Biomathematics, Biological Design, and Complex Diseases.
Research Interests: Ricard Solé's work focuses on the emergence of complexity in biological systems. He investigates the evolutionary origins of major transitions—such as the rise of protocells, multicellularity, symbiosis, cognition, and language—through the lens of synthetic biology and mathematical modeling. He introduced the concept of 'synthetic major transitions' to simulate evolutionary innovations in the lab. Another key area involves unstable evolutionary dynamics in RNA viruses and cancer, where high mutation rates drive adaptation. He also explores 'terraforming' ecosystems to prevent catastrophic shifts, advocating for a multiscale synthesis across synthetic biology, ecology, and systems theory.
The recent publications highlight his interdisciplinary approach, bridging virology, network theory, and evolutionary dynamics. His 2021 review on phase transitions in virology and 2018 paper on mutualistic networks as evolutionary spandrels reflect his focus on critical transitions and emergent structures in complex biological systems.
Scientific Awards and Recognitions:
- ERC Advanced Grant (2012)
- Fellow, European Centre for Living Technology
Advising and Grants: While specific students are not listed, Ricard Solé leads a research lab and likely mentors graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. His research is supported by major grants, including funding from the European Research Council and Fundación Botin, enabling long-term, high-risk theoretical and experimental work in synthetic and evolutionary systems.
Labs and Teams: He heads the Complex Systems Lab at the PRBB in Barcelona, fostering interdisciplinary research at the intersection of physics, biology, and computation.
