3 papers
cond-mat.soft2026
Epithelia Realize Nematopolar Topological Defect Structures
Tianxiang Ma, Niels de Graaf Sousa, Valeriia Grudtsyna +2
We introduce a shape-based polar order parameter that captures the structural asymmetry of cells within epithelial monolayers. By combining bright-field imaging and traction force…
cond-mat.soft2026
Non-equilibrium geometric forces steer spiral waves on folded surfaces
Varun Venkatesh, Farzan Vafa, Martin Cramer Pedersen +1
Spiral waves are ubiquitous signatures of non equilibrium dynamics, appearing across chemical, biological, and active systems. Yet, in many living systems these waves unfold on cur…
cond-mat.soft2025
Phase diagram, confining strings, and a new universality class in nematopolar matter
Farzan Vafa, Amin Doostmohammadi
We study a minimal model of a system with coexisting nematic and polar orientational orders, where one field tends to order and the other prefers isotropy. For strong coupling, the…