SYMPOSIUM MODELLING AND SIMULATION OF MORPHOGENESIS AND PATTERN FORMATION IN BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE

Satellite event of the 8th International Conference on High Performance Computing and Networking (HPCN 2000) conference (May 8 - 10, 2000, Amsterdam)

(picture by Sasha Panfilov)

(animation by Hans Meinhardt)

(picture by Jaap kaandorp)	(picture by Jaap kaandorp)
(picture by Eiriker Palsson)

ABSTRACT
A fundamental question in biology is how the interplay between the genome and the physical environment drives pattern formation and morphogenesis. Before long this question has been adressed in experimental studies. Already since the pioneering work of Turing (1952) and Lindenmayer (1968), simulation models have been used, in addition to in vivo and in vitro experiments, to study pattern formation and morphogenesis. With the availability of new computational techniques (particle-based techniques as for example lattice gases and the lattice Boltzmann method) in combination with large scale computing facilities, in silico experiments are becoming more and more an important option to study this question and investigate self-organisation and emergent behaviour in biological systems. Furthermore an enormous amount of progress has been made this last decade within the developmental biology of metazoans, with the discovery of some of the genes controlling how an embryo develops. Also, the genomes of some important experimental organisms have now been or are now being elucidated. Potentially this combination of new discoveries in developmental biological and new computational techniques may advance this field enormously. Work on morphogenesis and pattern formation, using modelling and simulation in addition to in vitro an in vivo experiments, has many implications for research in medicine and biology. Examples are studies on carcinogenesis, studies on regeneration capabilities and ecological studies on growth and form and the impact of the physical environment.

SPONSORS
The symposium is supported by the Dutch foundation for Scientific Research

PROGRAM
Wednesday May 10, 2000

10:15 - 11:00 Pattern formation in biological excitable systems; the morphogenesis of Dictyostelium - Kees Weijer (Anatomy Department, University of Dundee, United Kingdom)
11:00 - 11:45 On the way to the virtual heart- Sasha Panfilov (Theoretical Biology / Bioinformatics Group Utrecht University, The Netherlands)
Abstract
11:45 - 12:30 Formation of embryonic axes and organizing regions - Hans Meinhardt (Max-Planck-Institut fuer Entwicklungsbiologie, Tuebingen, Germany)
Abstract

12:45 - 14.15 Lunch

14.15 - 15.00 Modelling growth and form of sponges and stony-corals and the influence of the environment - Jaap Kaandorp (Section Computational Science, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
Abstract
15.00 - 15.45 A three dimensional model of cell movement in multicellular systems - Eirikur Palsson (Department of Mathematics, University of Utah, USA)
Abstract

The number of participants for this symposium is limited and registration in advance is required (click here).