One
of the great challenges for future biologists will be to understand the
general principles that govern the dynamics of biological processes involving
the orchestration of thousands of interacting components.
- Single-cell
level. The engineering
principles by which cellular components act together to produce the
robust behavior underlying the cell cycle, metabolism, and motility
are still largely unknown but attracting increased attention.
- Multicellular
level. How the
spatio-temporal patterns of feedback and feed-forward signaling in genetic
networks orchestrate the dynamics of development is still poorly understood
in spite of great advances in finding the genes controlling morphogenesis.
- Neurobiology.
Although chemical and electrophysiological processes in single neurons
are well-characterized, our understanding of how cellular and circuit
properties work together to produce the complex patterns of neuronal
activity underlying animal behavior is very limited.
- Populations
and communities. The dynamics of aggregation and the emergence of
collective behavior are not well understood in terms of how these arise
as consequences of individual dynamics.
To meet
such challenges, the Princeton University departments of Molecular
Biology, Ecology and Evolutionary
Biology, Physics, and Program
in Applied and Computational Mathematics, joined by researchers at
the Institute of Advanced Study, and
the NEC
Research Laboratory, are instituting a training program in Biological
Dynamics. Its cornerstones are (1) modeling and/or measuring biological
dynamics, (2) instrumentation and methodology for measuring biological
dynamics, and (3) mathematics and statistical analysis of biological dynamics.
Fellows accepted into the Program are supported in the first year by Princeton
University, and by the training program during their second and third
years of graduate study. Students in the program major in their particular
departments. The participating departments have general examinations and/or
course requirements which allow the breadth of focus required in the Program
without compromising the essential disciplinary requirements of the Departments.
In addition to the usual Departmental requirements and opportunities,
the Fellowships and Program carry with them several additional features.
First, a team-taught one semester cross-disciplinary
course in mathematical models of biological systems will be a central
feature. This course will ideally be taken in the first year of graduate
study. A computing laboratory/lounge is available for Burroughs Wellcome
Fellows and others working at this interface, to serve as a physical focus
for the activities of this group, to promote scientific interchange, and
to help build a sense of community. Each Fellow will be assigned an advisor
from Program participants, and a potential fellow will have such an advisor
in her/his first year of graduate study. Participation in a research colloquium
revolving around dynamical systems is also expected. An annual research
retreat will highlight the activities of the group. Finally, a research
fund will be established, which will be available to support the activities
of Fellows in years two and three years.
The Program is nearing its end and therefore is not accepting new students. For all inquiries please contact John
Hopfield or Simon
A. Levin, c/o Amy Bordvik,
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 213 Eno Hall, Princeton
University, Princeton, NJ 08544-1003
Related programs
The
Graduate Program in Quantitative and Computational Biology
Center for the Study of Brain, Mind, and Behavior
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