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SUMMARY:Tools for engineering self-organisation and pattern formation in m
 icrobes and plants - James Brown
DTSTART:20100226T130000Z
DTEND:20100226T133000Z
UID:TALK23075@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:15560
DESCRIPTION:The generation and maintenance of complex patterns\, structure
  and shape in higher organisms is one of the most challenging aspects of d
 evelopmental biology. Understanding the pattern formation mechanisms that 
 govern cell fate and the feedback networks that associated with collective
  cellular behaviour is critical to the engineering of cellular interaction
 . In the past\, attempts to engineer biological development have been rest
 ricted to the induction of regulatory pathways\, with little or no control
  over the subsequent developmental processes that occur through interactio
 ns between cells within the engineered tissue. The emerging field of Synth
 etic Biology provides a unique opportunity to investigate spatiotemporal p
 atterning of gene expression and the mechanisms governing coordinated cell
  behavious during development of multicellular organisms. My aim is to eng
 ineer self-organising pattern formation in E.coli\, based on a reaction-di
 ffusion model\, through the modification of existing bacterial signalling 
 pathways\, coupled with regulatory gene control. Designs that encapsulate 
 artificial feedback loops provide the basis to develop complex self-regula
 ting systems. My work to date has focused on the development of a diverse 
 set of experimental and computational tools and methods\, with a view to t
 he rational and predictable design\, construction and characterisation of 
 such systems. This work will hopefully establish the foundational rules fo
 r the engineering of co-ordinated cell behaviour in higher organisms.
LOCATION:Department of Plant Sciences\, Large Lecture Theatre
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