Multiscale Modeling in Cell Biology (2006)

Organizers: Yasmin Dolak-Struß (U. of Vienna), V. Small (IMBA, Vienna)

In the last decades, the development of new experimental methods and tools has allowed to gain new insights into the biological, chemical and mechanical nature of cell biology. However, biologists are still far away from having a complete picture. Mathematical modelling is an important tool to get a deeper understanding of the observed biological phenomena as well as to provide means to test different hypotheses and theories formulated by the experimentalists. Due to the complexity of the processes involved, a close interaction between experimentalists and mathematicians is needed in order to develop efficient mathematical models.

This thematic program aims to provide the framework for a successful cooperation between theory and experiment, with an emphasis on both the mathematical methods and the experimental facts.

A major part of the thematic program will be dedicated to the mathematical modeling of cell crawling. This process is essential for many biological processes such as wound healing or the immune response of our body. In most crawling cells, movement is driven by the actin cytoskeleton, a protein network inside the cell. This network is constantly being reorganized, growing at the front of the cell and contracting at the rear while exerting force to the substrate via particular adhesion proteins. The mathematical description of this process is indeed challenging, as chemical signals inside the cell contribute to changes in the structure of the network as well as external chemical or mechanical stimuli. Understanding these cytoskeletal dynamics has become a focus of research in Vienna – both experimentally (Small group, IMBA) and, quite recently, also from a mathematical point of view (Schmeiser group, WPI/U. of Vienna).
Other topics of the thematic program will include the mathematical modeling of actin-based motility as observed in the bacterial pathogen Listeria or biomimetic in vitro systems, and cell movement on the level of cell populations, with a particular focus on chemotaxis.

Events

Mathematical Modelling of Actin-Based Motility
Location: IMBA, Dr. Bohrg. 3, 1030 Vienna Time: 6. Nov 2006 (Mon) - 8. Nov 2006 (Wed); Opening: 9:00
Organisation(s) WPI IMBA/IMP WWTF WK Differential Equations Organiser(s) Yasmin Dolak-Struß (U.Wien) Vic Small (IMBA) Christian Schmeiser (WPI c/o U.Wien)
Remark: Contact: Yasmin Dolak-Struß (yasmin.dolak-struss@univie.ac.at)

Talks in the framework of this thematic program... (by date) , (by name)

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