Agora for Biosystems Celebrating 20 years 8-9 December 2017 ”The Music of Life” (The term Agora derives from the name of a place of assembly and discussions in ancient Greek cities).
Agora for Biosystems An international center for dialogue between experimenters and theorists in the biosciences (The term Agora derives from the name of a place of assembly and discussions in ancient Greek cities).
Objectives The Agora for Biosystems is intended to provide a creative environment for interaction between theorists and experimenters in the biological sciences and related fields of research. This primarily includes: multidisciplinary research conferences seminars graduate courses summer schools in the interface of biology, medicine, physics, computer science, and theory of science.
Objectives (contd.) • A specialist library with literature and internet links related to the field is being created and continuously updated. • The purpose is to promote and advance the scientific knowledge and understanding of the interconnected systems of organisms and their environment. • A further aim is to create a platform for dialogues between science and the humanities.
Research Areas The research at Agora for Biosystems was initially organized in larger long-term programs: Origin and Evolution of Life Biological Networks Neural Systems and Processes Consciousness, Cognition and Behavior Models and Technologies Inspired by Biology At present, the focus is on the long-term project Human Nature Exploration, aiming at increasing our understanding of what it means to be a human, from different perspectives.
History 1991-94 Graduate course on Theoretical Biology and Philosophy of science, jointly with KTH, KI, and SU 1995 Sigtuna Workshop on Role and Control of Random Events in Biological Systems 1996 Discussions with funding agencies and the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (KVA) 1997 Agora for Biosystems is founded at KVA and funded by several agencies 2001 Agora for Biosystems moves to new (old) premises at Sigtunastiftelsen 2012 Agora for Biosystems moves administration from KVA to the Sigtuna Foundation 2013 Agora moves back to the main building, close to Forum
Organization ORGANIZERS Hans Liljenström, Director, Dept. of Energy and Technology, SLU, Uppsala Peter Århem, Dept. of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm Clas Blomberg, Theoretical Physics, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm Dietrich von Rosen, Dept. of Energy and Technology, SLU, Uppsala Fredrik Ullén, Dept. of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm SOURCES OF FUNDING EU The John Templeton Foundation The Sigtuna Foundation ADMINISTRATION The Sigtua Foundation (Previously the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, KVA) Websites: www.agoraforbiosystems.se, www.sigtunastiftelsen.se
Scientific Advisory Board The Agora Scientific Advisory Board consists of internationally renowned scientists from different fields of research, until presently: Jean-Pierre Changeux, Institut Pasteur, Paris Anders Ehrenberg, Dept. of Biophysics, StockholmUniversity Hermann Haken, Institute of Synergetics, University of Stuttgart Simon Laughlin, Dept of Zoology, Cambridge University Frank Moss, Center for Neurodynamics, Universityof Missouri Sakire Pögün, Center for Brain Research, Ege University Rudolf Rigler, Dept. of Medical Physics, Karolinska Institutet Eörs Szathmary, Theoretical Ecology, Collegium Budapest Lars Terenius, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet
Examples of meetings since 1995 Sigtuna Workshop on the Role and Control of Random Events in Biology, Sep 1995 Workshop on Origin of Life, Nov 1997 Workshop on Hippocampal Modeling, Jan 1998 Agora Meeting on Fluctuations in Biological Systems, Aug 1999 Nordic Summer School on Computational Biology, Jun 2000 (in collaboration with Nordita). Workhsop on Olfaction - Facts and Models, Mar 2001 Workshop on Cellular Dynamics, Oct 2002 Meeting on Modeling Mental Processes and Disorders, in cooperation with Center for Brain Research, Izmir, May 2004 Workshop on Synergetics and self-organization, Jun 2006 Conference on Linnaean Tradition in Modern Biology, Oct 2007 Workshop on Stochastic Resonance in Biology, Jul 2011 International Conference on Cognitive Neurodynamics, ICCN’13, June 2013 Agora Conference on Free Will, Jun 2017
Symposia on Science and Society “What is Life?”, Nov 1997 (with John Casti, Stefan Edman, Hans Hof, Eva Moberg, Erling Norrby) “The Mystery of Consciousness”, Mar 1998 (with Rainer Carls, Irene Matthis, Sverre Sjölander) “Intentionality – in religion and science”, Feb 1999 (with Walter Freeman, Ulf Jonsson, Magnus Kihlbom) “The Unique Individual – From Molecule to Man”, Apr 1999 (with Magnus Kihlbom, Erna Möller, Birgitta Tullberg) “Chance or Meaning?”, Oct 2001 (with Mats Björklund, Carl- Reinhold Bråkenhielm, Stina Ekman, Suzanne Gieser, Dietrich von Rosen, Håkan Snellman) “Faith and Science”, a series of symposia 2001-2010 ”On the Human Nature”, what is it to be human, a series of symposia 2011- ”What is Time?”, Sep 2016 (with Paul Davies, Antje Jackelén) ” Science – Wisdom – Worldviews ”, 5-6 May 2017
First Public Seminar
Agora’s 10th Anniversary Seminar
Examples of Collaborative Meetings
Some of Agora’s Prominent Guests Paul Davies, Beyond/University of Arizona Walter Freeman, UC Berkeley Donald Griffin, Harvard Patrick Haggard, UCL Mark Hallett, NIH John-Dylan Haynes, Berlin John Hopfield, Caltech/Princeton Scott Kelso, Florida Atlantic University Christof Koch, Caltech/Allen Inst. (Seattle) Benjamin Libet, UC San Francisco Ernst Mayr, Harvard John-Maynard Smith, University of Sussex Alfred Mele, Florida State University Denis Noble, Oxford Frans de Waal, Emory University Edward O Wilson, Harvard
Special Journal Issues Vol. 7(4), 1996 Vol. 187(4), 1997 Vol. 62&63, 2001 Vol. 171, 1994 On the Role and On the Origin and Fluctuations in Mind and Matter: Control of Biological Essays from Evolution of Life Random Events Biology, Physics Systems in Biological and Systems Philosophy
Special Journal Issues H. Liljenström, Ed. 2018
Books 1997 2005 2000
Books Contents October 2007 I. General Introduction II. Basic Physics Concepts III. The General Trends and the Objects IV. Going Further with Thermodynamics V. Stochastic Dynamics VI. Basic Macromolecular Applications VII Non-linearity VIII. Applications IX Going Further
Books 2008
Books 2010 2014
Project: COMPLEX (EU FP7) 2012-16 2007
Project: HumaNatE (JTF) 2013-(15) Human Nature Exploration Interdisciplinary reflection and dialogue on the human condition
Project: Cusanus (JTF) 2015-17 Science and Religion – A Forum for Dialogue and Education www.cusanus.se
Some pictures Agora for Biosystems is located in Sigtuna, Sweden
Some pictures
Some pictures Premises at Sigtunastiftelsen Meeting place & Guest house
Some pictures Agora Conference on Fluctuations in Biological Systems 3-7 Aug 1999
Some pictures Workshop on Consciousness and Comparative Anatomy Aug 2002
Some pictures Lunch break in the Rose Garden
Some pictures
Some pictures
Some pictures Agora Conference on Fluctuations in Biological Systems 3-7 Aug 1999
Some pictures Musical entertainment in the Grand Hall
Some pictures Some staff and board members
Some pictures Jean-Pierre Changeux, Agora board member
Some pictures Workshop on physical basis for consciousness Sep 2002
Some pictures Agora’s 10th Anniversary Seminar, ”Man, Nature, and God”, Oct 2007
Some pictures Agora’s 10th Anniversary Conference on The Linnaean Tradition in Modern Biology, KVA Oct 2007
Some pictures Agora’s 10th Anniversary Conference on The Linnaean Tradition in Modern Biology, KVA Oct 2007
Some pictures ICCN 2013, June 2013
Some pictures Agora Conference on Free Will, June 2017
Location Sweden Sigtuna
Location Agora for Biosystems is located in premises belonging to the Sigtuna Foundation (Sigtuna- stiftelsen) M. Björkqvists allé 2-4 Sigtuna, Sweden Tel. +46-(0)8-59258900
Thank You Welcome to visit www.agoraforbiosystems.se
Recommend
More recommend
