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School of Biomedical Engineering Special Seminar: Sara-Jane Dunn, PhD
March 18, 2019 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Sara-Jane Dunn, PhD
Scientist, Microsoft Research Limited
“The Logic of Embryonic Stem Cell Decision-Making”
March 18, 2019
12:00 – 1:00 pm
BRC Room 351 – 2222 Health Sciences Mall
Abstract:
Published experimental protocols demonstrate our ability to induce cell identity via differentiation or reprogramming. Yet despite this wealth of research, an explanation of how and why such cell state conversions arise remains fragmentary. Ideally, we would like to understand the complex, dynamic interplay of genetic components that manifests as cell fate decisions. To address this gap, computational analyses can be combined with mathematical modelling to interrogate experimental data and generate testable hypotheses on how a network of genetic interactions governs cell identity. We have demonstrated that such an interdisciplinary approach can be applied to understand the biological program governing self-renewal and reprogramming to naïve pluripotency in mouse embryonic stem cells. Moreover, we have developed the techniques that allow us to reason over the requirement for specific network motifs as a way of explaining how these behaviours arise. This talk will introduce our methodology, demonstrating how we can uncover the logic of decision-making in embryonic stem cells.
