SCIENCE AT THE EDGE SEMINAR

QB/GEDD

Friday, February 15 at 11:30am

Room 1400 Biomedical and Physical Sciences Bldg.

Refreshments at 11:15

David Bortz

Department of Applied Mathematics

 University of Colorado at Boulder

Biomechanics and Population Dynamics of Microbial Communities

Multicellular microbial communities in suspension and on surfaces are ubiquitous from the laboratory to the ocean, and yet the nature and dynamics of those populations are still not well understood. Their biomechanical and biochemical properties have a large impact on human life - from controlling sepsis, to wastewater management, to biofuel production. While there are macro-scale, descriptive models, our current understanding of how multi-cellular colonies form, grow, fragment, and disseminate is still in its infancy.

Motivated by this biological phenomena, our research has focused on mathematical models for the microscale biomechanics.  In this talk, I will present some recent results related to accurately predicting flow-induced fragmentation and adhesion of microbial communities as well as the impact on their population dynamics.

Helen Geiger, Administrative Assistant

Quantitative Biology Graduate Program and

Gene Expression in Development and Disease

Biochemistry

603 Wilson Road, Room 212

East Lansing, MI   48824

Email: [log in to unmask]

Phone:  517-432-9895

QB Website: http://www.qbi.msu.edu/

GEDD Website: http://www.gedd.msu.edu/