Allen Ehrlicher examines how biology creates forces and reacts to them. Specifically, the Associate Professor from the Department of Bioengineering at the McGill University in Montreal, Canada focuses on studying molecules and cells to try and understand the physics behind cellular processes of our bodies function or failure. When Jochen Guck, director at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, visited Ehrlicher in 2022 and mentioned the possibility of him coming to Erlangen through a new cooperation program, Ehrlicher jumped at the chance. He explains: “I spent five years in Germany so I was already familiar with the Max Planck Society and I knew this would be a fantastic opportunity for me.”

The MPZPM has initiated the RFSR program to allow outstanding scientists to perform independent research at the new interdisciplinary research center in Erlangen. For Professor Ehrlicher this meant the opportunity to study samples using Real-Time Deformability Cytometry (RT-DC), a novel method developed for studying mechanical properties of single cells. Throughout his two weeks stay, he was also able to have many stimulating discussions and find new areas of collaboration with the scientists who will move into the new MPZPM building in 2024. Ehrlicher has high hopes for the center: “It’s really exciting what’s been happening here. This will be if not the then certainly a new beacon in the field of biophysics research. I think people will be very hard pressed to find a better place to be.” He looks forward to visiting again in the future.