Wolfgang Pauli Institute (WPI) Vienna

Mathematical Biology (2004)

Organizers: Yasmin Dolak (U. Linz), Hans Othmer (U. Minneapolis), Benoit Perthame (U. Paris), Christian Schmeiser (U. Vienna), Angela Stevens (U. Heidelberg)

Scientific Theme and Short Description:

The application of mathematical methods to problems from Theoretical Biology and Biophysics is a rapidly growing research area. Several groups within the WPI (WK Differential Equations, Wittgenstein prize Markowich, EU-RTN network HYKE) are involved in projects in this field. For these groups it is particularly important that interactions with biologists will be supported by this program. The visitor program will concentrate on the following areas:
  1. Chemotaxis: Chemotaxis is the directed movement of cells, bacteria or other organisms, caused by concentration gradients of chemical substances. This mechanism is of emminent importance in biology. Biological processes, where chemotaxis plays an important role range from embryogenesis and tumour growth to the immune response. Typical problems to be tackled within this program are the derivation of macroscopic models from observations of individual cell behaviour as well as the description of macroscopic phenomena, such as the aggregation of cells or other pattern formation effects, by asymptotic analysis or numerical simulation.
  2. Cell movement: Here the emphasis is on the behaviour of individual cells. Several mechanisms involved in the movement of cells have been identified, such as actin polymerization, myosin triggered contraction, and attachment to the substrate via integrins. However, even for rather simple cell types a complete picture is still missing. Successful mathematical modelling in this field will require strong interaction with experimental biologists.
  3. Angiogenesis: The sprouting of new blood vessels from an existing vascular network is known as angiogenesis. During this process, capillaries grow in response to external chemical stimuli and organize themselves into a dendritic structure. Angiogenesis is crucial for many processes such as wound healing or embryogenesis, but also for tumor growth and metastasis. Here lies the focus of the mathematical modelling. Nonlinear models can help to understand the underlying biological processes, which is fundamental for medical treatment and future cancer therapies.

Report of the workshop:

Modelling of Cell Motility and Angiogenesis
November 8-10, 2004, Vienna, Austria

The aim of the workshop “Modelling of Cell Motility and Angiogenesis” was to bring together both theoreticians and biologists and to stimulate discussions and an exchange of ideas between the two groups. It was organized within the thematic program on Mathematical Biology (involving research visits of scientists and workshops or conferences) of the Wolfgang Pauli Institute in Vienna. The workshop took place in a very informal and relaxed setting. Talks were being given in the morning and in the afternoon, with plenty of time in between to work and to discuss together. Morning sessions started with one-hour key talks providing introductions to the main topics. After that, four to five shorter talks were presented, experimental and theoretical topics being mixed on purpose. Roughly speaking, there were 5 groups of topics:

Mathematical modeling of vasculogenesis

Imaging of cell migration in complex environments and adhesion dynamics

Actin based motility and cytoskeletal dynamics

Computational models for cell migration

Mathematical models for chemotaxis and cell signaling (both microscopic and macroscopic)

Right from the beginning, there was a strong interaction between the audience and the speakers, and lively discussions took place. In particular, the ease of interaction between experimentalists and mathematicians was a pleasant surprise. The participants agreed that this meeting could be the starting point of a series of similar events hosted by the WPI.

Events

Workshop on Cell Motility and Cytoskeletal Dynamics

Location: WPI Nordbergstr. 15 /
Time: 10. Nov 2005 (Thu) - 12. Nov 2005 (Sat); Opening: 9:00
Organiser(s)
Y. Dolak (RICAM, Linz)
C. Schmeiser (WPI, University of Vienna)
V. Small (IMBA, Vienna)
Remark:

Organisation:


Workshop: Modelling of Cell Motility and Angiogenesis

Time: 8. Nov 2004 (Mon) - 12. Nov 2004 (Fri); Opening: 9:00
Topics:
Cell movement and angiogenesis: mathematical modelling and cell biology
Organiser(s)
Y. Dolak (Linz)
H. Othmer (Minneapolis)
B. Perthame (Paris)
C. Schmeiser (Vienna)
A. Stevens (Leipzig)
Remark:

Organisation:


Visitors

Alt, Wolfgang 10. Nov 2005-13. Nov 2005
Ambrosi, Davide 8. Nov 2004-12. Nov 2004
Calvez, Vincent 8. Nov 2004-12. Nov 2004
Carlier, Marie 8. Nov 2004-12. Nov 2004
Carrillo, Jose 8. Nov 2004-12. Nov 2004
Cuadrado, Silvia 8. Nov 2004-12. Nov 2004
Danuser, Gaudenz 9. Nov 2005-13. Nov 2005
DiFrancesco, Marco 17. May 2004-11. Jun 2004
Filbet, Francis 8. Nov 2004-12. Nov 2004
Friedl, Peter 8. Nov 2004-12. Nov 2004
Gamba, Andrea 8. Nov 2004-12. Nov 2004
Goudon, Thierry 14. May 2004-17. May 2004
25. Jan 2005-3. Feb 2005
Hillen, Thomas 8. Nov 2004-12. Nov 2004
Holcman, David 10. Nov 2005-13. Nov 2005
Iglesias, Pablo 8. Nov 2004-12. Nov 2004
Joanny, Jean-Francois 8. Nov 2004-12. Nov 2004
King, John 8. Nov 2004-12. Nov 2004
Kucik, Dennis 8. Nov 2004-12. Nov 2004
Michel, Philippe 8. Nov 2004-12. Nov 2004
Möhl, Christoph 9. Nov 2005-12. Nov 2005
Mogilner, Alexander 8. Nov 2004-12. Nov 2004
Othmer, Hans G. 8. Nov 2004-12. Nov 2004
Othmer, Hans 8. Nov 2005-14. Nov 2005
Painter, Kevin 8. Nov 2004-12. Nov 2004
Paluch, Ewa 9. Nov 2005-12. Nov 2005
Perthame, Benoit 8. Nov 2004-12. Nov 2004
Preziosi, Luigi 8. Nov 2004-12. Nov 2004
Shillcock, Julian 9. Nov 2005-12. Nov 2005
Small, Vic 8. Nov 2004-12. Nov 2004
Stevens, Angela 8. Nov 2004-12. Nov 2004
11. Nov 2005-13. Nov 2005
Stolarska, Magdalena 8. Nov 2004-12. Nov 2004
Sykes, Cecile 8. Nov 2004-12. Nov 2004
Triolo, Livio 8. Nov 2004-12. Nov 2004
Wechselberger, Martin 7. Oct 2004-7. Oct 2004
Zaag, Hatem 13. May 2004-16. May 2004
Zaman, Muhammad Hamid 8. Nov 2004-12. Nov 2004

PostDocs

Chalub, Fabio 31. Oct 2004-16. Dec 2004
Jabin, Pierre Emmanuel 1. Sep 2004-30. Nov 2004
© WPI 2001-2004. www.wpi.ac.at