Internal Seminar: Tosif Ahamed, Student, Information Processing Biology Unit (Maruyama Unit + Stephens Unit)

Internal Seminar: Tosif Ahamed, Student, Information Processing Biology Unit (Maruyama Unit)

Title: Towards an equation of motion for a worm

Abstract: The study of motion is one of the oldest and most successful areas of scientific enquiry. Indeed, many of the greatest discoveries in mathematical and physical sciences can be directly traced back to fundamental questions about how things move (differential, integral and variational calculus, non-Euclidean geometry to name a few). Application of these ideas to the study of biological locomotion however, is a relatively recent development. Consequently, it remains to be seen whether the movement of living organisms in all its complexity can be tamed. In other words, "Is it possible to describe the locomotion of an entire organism by a small set of differential equations?". More importantly, what insights can be derived from such a description? For my PhD I am exploring these and related questions using high resolution video recordings of freely moving roundworms (C. elegans) and the theory of nonlinear dynamics. In this talk I will show some of my progress and some surprising things I have learnt about how worms move.

Refreshments will be served afterwards. We hope to see you there! 

Sincerely,  

Internal Seminar Organizing Committee: 

Marylka Yoe Uusisaari
Yasha Neiman 
Rob Campbell 
Margaret Mars Brisbin 
Maéva Techer 
Jigyasa Arora
Yuka Suzuki
Andreas Thomasen
Kun-Lung Li