AUTHOR=Schmit Jeremy D. 
  
TITLE=Biomolecular condensates, emergent properties, and the mesoscale concept gap
  
JOURNAL=Frontiers in Biophysics
  
VOLUME=Volume 4 - 2026
  
YEAR=2026
  
URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/biophysics/articles/10.3389/frbis.2026.1927727
  
DOI=10.3389/frbis.2026.1927727
  
ISSN=2813-7183
  
ABSTRACT=Biomolecular condensates exhibit numerous emergent properties including material properties, reaction rates, and molecular selectivity. In addition to these known properties, it is overwhelmingly likely that there are unknown emergent properties that are related to both function within condensates and the integration of condensates within cellular regulatory mechanisms. Identification of these unknown properties will require an increased emphasis on top-down methods because emergent properties, by definition, are difficult to identify from bottom-up data. This effort will have a tremendous payoff in helping to ameliorate a conceptual gap responsible for the apparent complexity behind some of the greatest challenges in modern medicine.