The physics of the interstellar medium

The process of star formation in galaxies requires the conversion of the available gas reservoir into stars and is the engine for the metal enrichment and dust pollution of the interstellar medium (ISM) and the flow of baryons within and outside galaxies. We rely on a multi-wavelength approach and comparison with theoretical predictions to characterise the physical conditions of the various components of the ISM in star-forming galaxies over different scales. Studies on nearby, resolved galaxies are combined with statistical analysis to infer how these processes vary with galaxy mass, metallicity and environment. The ultimate aim is to exploit studies of nearby galaxies in the cosmological context to better understand how galaxies form and evolve.