Structure and navigability of fitness landscapes: From models to data | Joachim Krug

Recorded on 08/24/2026 Watch the recording without ads at https://www.nitmb.org/event/spin-glas... Speaker: Joachim Krug Title:Structure and navigability of fitness landscapes: From models to data Part of the Spin Glass Theory and High-Dimensional Landscapes in Biology workshop Workshop Overview: Modern biology is grappling with a new class of problems defined by overwhelming complexity. From understanding evolution to deciphering the neural code, we are no longer studying linear chains of cause and effect but vast, high-dimensional systems of interacting components. The central challenge is to navigate the immense “landscape” that are mountainous terrains with countless peaks and valleys. On the other hand, arising from statistical physics, the theoretical framework of spin glasses was created precisely to describe systems driven by disorders and frustration – the exact same principles that shape biological complexity. The primary goal of this workshop is to cultivate a shared language and foster concrete collaborations based on this theoretical foundation to produce paradigm-shifting advances. By uniting mathematicians, physicists, and biologists, we aim to seed a new, interdisciplinary field capable of tackling previously intractable problems in evolution, neuroscience, and immunology. NITMB Overview: The NSF-Simons National Institute for Theory and Mathematics in Biology (NITMB) aims to integrate the disciplines of mathematics and biology in order to transform the practice of biological research and to inspire new mathematical discoveries. NITMB is a partnership between Northwestern University and the University of Chicago. It is funded by the National Science Foundation DMS-2235451 and the Simons Foundations MP-TMPS-00005320. The mission of the NITMB is to create a nationwide collaborative research community that will generate new mathematical results and uncover the “rules of life” through theories, data-informed mathematical models, and computational and statistical tools.