| Project ID |
BPN518 |
| Website |
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| Start Date |
Mon 2009-Aug-10 16:33:08 |
| Last Updated |
Mon 2009-Aug-10 21:10:57 |
| Abstract |
Understanding symmetry breaking is at the heart of developmental biology. Symmetry breaking answers the age-old questions
regarding the origins of polarity, cellular differentiation and how the leopard got its spots. The two-component reaction-diffusion
system first purposed by Alan Turing gives a simple model on how an initially uniform concentration of two substances, can become
non-uniform and even form patterns, through local stochasticity, chemical reactions. Such patterns are now known as Turing
patterns. This process can be used to help explain the origin of symmetry breaking and pattern generation in biological systems. In
this project we seek to create synthetic Turing patterns in E. coli colonies. Theoretical synthetic circuits will be analyzed analytically
and through FEM in order to test for the possibility of pattern formations. Circuits will then be constructed experimentally in E. coli
to form Turing patterns. Studying synthetic Turing patterns allows for a further understanding of symmetry breaking in nature, as
well as explores cellular communication in synthetic multi-cellular systems. |
| Status |
New |
| Funding Source |
Federal |
| IAB Research Area |
NanoTechnology: Materials, Processes & Devices |
| Researcher(s) |
Daniel C. Huang, William J. Holtz, Justin Hsia |
| Advisor(s) |
Michel M. Maharbiz, Murat Arcak |
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