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SUMMARY:The executable pathway to biological networks - Jasmin Fisher (Mic
 rosoft Research)
DTSTART:20090701T123000Z
DTEND:20090701T133000Z
UID:TALK18596@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Dr Fabien Petitcolas
DESCRIPTION:*Abstract*: Computational modelling of biological systems is b
 ecoming increasingly important in efforts to better understand complex bio
 logical behaviours. 'Executable Biology' is a pioneering approach focused 
 on the design of executable computer programs that mimic biological phenom
 ena. While traditional mechanistic models in biology are usually described
  by diagrams (giving a fairly static picture of cellular processes)\, exec
 utable biology seeks to translate such static diagrams into dynamic models
  using formal computational methods that were originally designed for the 
 construction and analysis of complex man-made systems (e.g.\, computers an
 d computer programs). In this talk\, I will illustrate the usefulness of t
 his framework through our group’s efforts to use Boolean Networks\, Proc
 ess Calculi\, Live Sequence Charts\, and Interacting State Machines to mod
 el signalling pathways governing normal animal development and disease\, o
 rganogenesis\, and immunodominance. If time permits\, I will also highligh
 t some of the main challenges that executable biology poses for Biology an
 d Computer Science.\n\n*Biography*: Jasmin Fisher is a Researcher in the C
 omputational Science Lab at Microsoft Research Cambridge. She holds a Ph.D
 . degree in Neuroimmunology from the Weizmann Institute of Science and was
  previously (2003-2004) a postdoctoral fellow in the department of Compute
 r Science at the Weizmann Institute\, where she worked with Prof. David Ha
 rel\, and then (2004-2007) a postdoctoral researcher in the School of Comp
 uter Science at the EPFL working with Prof. Tom Henzinger. Her research fo
 cuses on the applications of formal methods to biological modelling\, as w
 ell as on the development of novel formalisms and tools to better understa
 nd complex biological systems. She is mainly interested in processes of ce
 ll fate determination and signalling networks operating during normal deve
 lopment and disease (e.g.\, cancer\, diabetes\, obesitiy).\n
LOCATION:Small public lecture room\, Microsoft Research Ltd\, 7 J J Thomso
 n Avenue (Off Madingley Road)\, Cambridge
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