Guy AMICHAY - Collective synchronization in the real world

Self-organization is a hallmark of biological systems. Yet how individual units operate to form a cohesive whole such as a brain, the immune system, or a flock of birds, is still riddled with mysteries. Self-organization in time (synchronization) is arguably one of its simplest manifestations, making it relatively tractable to study. However most studies of collective synchronization have relied, to date, on highly idealized mathematical models with limited incorporation of real-world data. We still lack a lot of basic understanding on both how, and why, natural systems synchronize. I will present my work along these lines, as well as discuss plans for the future where appropriate.