Description:

Title: Parameter identifiability for PDE models of fluorescence microscopy experiments

Abstract: The dynamics of intracellular proteins is key to many cellular functions. One of the most versatile experimental techniques for probing protein dynamics in living cells is FRAP (fluorescence recovery after photobleaching). This experiment generates time-series data that average out spatial information about diffusion, transport, and binding dynamics of proteins. Partial differential equations (PDE) models provide the appropriate framework to model the fluorescence dynamics and to infer parameters such as diffusion coefficients or reaction rates. However, it is not known whether these parameters can be identified based on the spatially-averaged data available from FRAP experiments. We recently investigated limitations of known methods in assessing parameter identifiability for PDE models and proposed methods for learning parameter combinations based on re-parametrization and profile likelihoods analysis. In this work, our motivation stems from studying dynamic RNA binding proteins in biomolecular condensates that play key roles in the development of frog oocytes.

Bio: Veronica Ciocanel is an Assistant Professor of Mathematics and an Assistant Professor of Biology (joint) at Duke University

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The NSF-Simons National Institute for Theory and Mathematics in Biology Seminar Series aims to bring together a mix of mathematicians and biologists to foster discussion and collaboration between the two fields. The seminar series will take place on Fridays from 10am - 11am at the NITMB offices in the John Hancock Center in downtown Chicago. There will be both an in-person and virtual component.