Individuality across the biosphere

The individual is a core concept in our understandings of life, and we may have the feeling that “we know one when we see one”. However there are a hierarchy of individuals ranging from genes to genomes, chemical replicators to cells, and individual cells acting together as individual multicellular organisms. The concept of individual seems to have been invented many times in the history of life. Recognizing these "major transitions" has been a powerful concept in evolutionary biology. New advances in quantitative biology, statistical physics, artificial life, and the study of agents can shed new light onto the nature of individuality and the processes by which it emerges at different levels. This gives insights across a wide spectrum of research fields including the origin of life, autocatalysis, autopoiesis, genetics, and the origin of multicellular “complex” life. With researchers investigating “how do planets make life” across scales and through time, ELSI is uniquely positioned to organize and lead in investigating these problems. This ELSI symposium will integrate perspectives from diverse researchers who are rarely in contact with each other, to understand the impact that these different approaches to 'individuality' can have on each other and begin to stimulate a new interdisciplinary approach.

Overview

Dates: January 7-9, 2026

Location: Digital Hall, Institute of Science Tokyo, Ookayama Campus, Meguro, Tokyo, Japan

Scientific Organizing Committee: Shawn Erin McGlynn (chair), Tomoaki Matsuura, Eric Smith, Nathaniel Virgo, Thilina Heenatigala, Shintaro Kadoya

Local Organizing Committee: Shawn Erin McGlynn (chair), Thilina Heenatigala, Shintaro Kadoya, Akiko Tanaka, Wakako Makanae, Yoshiko Katayama

Symposium Goal: The symposium aims to bring together colleagues from around the world to develop an understanding of individuality. 

Invited Speakers  (check the schedule frequently to follow any changes)

Wednesday, January 7

Day 1: The need for a concept of individuality

• 09:00-10:00 Registration and Coffee

• 10:00-10:15 Welcome and introduction to the symposium by Shawn Erin McGlynn.

Morning Session Chair: Shawn McGlynn

• 10:15-11:00 Nathaniel Virgo (University of Hertfordshire) 

• 11:00-11:45 Nobu Takeuchi (University of Auckland) Generalizing the central dogma as a cross-hierarchical principle of biology 

• 11:45-13:45 Lunch Break

Afternoon Session Chair: Shintaro Kadoya

• 13:45- 14:30 Tetsuhiro Hatakeyama (ELSI) Toward Universality in Multilevel Evolution: A Minimal Model Approach

• 14:30-15:15 Eörs Szathmáry (Parmenides Foundation, online talk) Hurdles for the origin of life and possible solutions

• 15:15-15:45 Coffee Break

• 15:45-16:30 Rebecca Mann (University of Sydney) Metabolic Wholes: The Organism as Having a Centred Metabolic Network  

• 16:30-17:15 Discussion Moderated by Shintaro Kadoya

Thursday, January 8

Day 2: Individuality in the particular history of Earth's biosphere

• 09:00-10:00 Poster session with coffee

Morning Session Chair: Tomoaki Matsuura

• 10:00-10:45 Tsuyoshi Komiya (Univ. Tokyo) Estimate of nutrient contents of seawater through geologic time.

• 10:45-11:30  John Hernlund (ELSI).  Individuality of Living Planets

• 11:30-11:45 Discussion Moderated by Tomoaki Matsuura

• 11:45-13:45 Lunch Break

Afternoon Session Chair: Rebecca Mann

• 13:45-14:30 Arisa Nishihara (Riken) Tracing the origin of photosynthesis: when and how did it evolve?

• 14:30-15:15 Reiko Shinkura (Univ. Tokyo) Interactions between the Gut Microbiota and Host Immune Molecules: How Do IgA Antibodies Distinguish Between Good and Bad Bacteria 

• 15:15-15:45 Coffee Break

• 15:45-16:30 Hyejin Youn (Seoul National University) From Many to One: Principles From Cells to Society

• 16:30-17:15 Discussion Moderated by Rebecca Mann

• 17:45-     Taiko Performance at Mishima Hall, ELSI-1

• 18:15-     Banquet at Agora, ELSI-1

Friday, January 9

Day 3: Frontiers of Individuality

• 09:00-10:00 Poster session with coffee

Morning Session Chair: Eric Smith

• 10:00-10:45 Michael Levin (Tufts Univ., online talk) Unconventional Individuals: whence, how, and whither

• 10:45-11:30 Paula Prondzinsky (Jamstec) Metabolic Individuality Across Scales: From Single Cells to Microbial Populations

• 11:30-11:45 Discussion Moderated by Eric Smith

• 11:45-13:45 Lunch Break

Afternoon Session Chair: Nathaniel Virgo

• 13:45-14:30 Yuichi Wakamoto (Univ. Tokyo) Emergence of non-genetic individuality under lethal stress

• 14:30-14:45 Tatsuya Shinoda (ELSI) Freeze–thaw cycles as a driver of protocell growth, selection, and molecular system assembly

• 14:45-15:15 Coffee Break

• 15:15-16:00  Kepa Ruiz Mirazo (University of the Basque Country) Ecological and evolutionary dynamics in the transition from metabolizing protocells towards minimal biological individuals.

• 16:00-16:45 Keisuke Suzuki (CHAIN, Hokkaido University) Agency at the Boundary: Integrating Mathematical Formalisms and Generative Autonomy

• 16:45 - 17:30 Discussion Moderated by Nathaniel Virgo and SOC members

Registration 

All attendees are requested to fill out the following registration form, and this will (1) tell us how to list your name and affiliation for your badge, (2) inform us whether you will attend the banquet so that we know how much food and drink to order, (3) allow you to submit an abstract for the poster session, and (4) allow you to inform us about any special needs or assistance you may require. This conference has no registration fee (although there will be a separate charge to attend the optional banquet).

Please register if you plan to attend. The registration deadline is December 14, 2025 (extended). 

Poster Session 

The full list of poster presentations is available here.

Our poster sessions are lively and active events and an integral part of the symposium. Please submit an abstract via the registration form by November 30, 2025. Poster display boards and necessary attachment hardware will be provided. Our poster boards are optimized for A0 size in portrait orientation (841mm wide × 1189mm tall).

Symposium Banquet

We will hold our symposium banquet from 18:30 to 21:00 on Thursday, 8 January. A variety of food and drinks will be provided. 

Banquet fee (please pay at the registration: Please note that this is a tentative estimate and is subject to change)

• ELSI PI/API: 10,000 JPY

• Other researhcers: 7,000 JPY

• Students: 2,000 JPY

Aftershops

13-16 January (the week following the 14th ELSI Symposium) a series of smaller and more focused follow-up "aftershops" will be held at ELSI. These are spontaneously generated events: participants are welcome to suggest and organise aftershops during the meeting and discussion periods. Please ask the organizers for help / assistance / feedback / collaboration on these. 

Code of Conduct

Harassment of any kind will not be tolerated. All event attendees and staff have the right to a space that is free of all forms of discrimination, intimidation, harassment, bullying, and/or retaliation. Participants who are requested to stop any harassing behaviour are expected to comply immediately. If you wish to report harassment, suspect that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact a member of the organizing committee as soon as possible.