Active processes in crowded environments

The interior of a cell is densely packed with macromolecules ("molecular crowding"). Recent observations point towards an important role of active processes in crowding. In this project, we will simulate three scenarios with "active crowders". We study the competition between activity and density, which are expected to have opposite effects on particle mobility, fluidizing and jamming the cytoplasm. We test their effects on binding equilibria and on chemical reactions, with the goal of establishing a new model for crowding in cells.