Abstract: he overall research interests of my laboratory are in understanding the systems behavior of mammalian cells. Currently, we are using neurons as a model system. This talk will focus on the modeling approaches that can be used to understand how components within the cells interact with one another to process information and regulate cellular machines. Such information processing leads to co-ordinated regulation of the functioning of cellular machines resulting in phenotypic behavior. I will discuss graph theory approaches that we are using for pseudo-dynamic analyses to identify regulatory motifs and mapping the chemical interaction space within the cell during propagation of connectivity when the cell receives extra-cellular signals. To analyze regulatory motifs in depth, I will discuss the use of ODE models and their limitations. I will discuss the development of spatial models of regulatory motifs using PDEs to understand functional microdomains and how these can be used for realistic biochemical simulation of cellular processes. Mathematical and computational challenges in these areas will be highlighted.

Refreshments at 4:30 in 657 Rhodes Hall.