Fwd: SmallTalks Nov 6th in 13-2137

[Debra L. Martin]

>
>
>This Thursday marks another installment of Small Talks, an informal
>interdisciplinary seminar series for students by students.   Please join us
>from 4-5p in 13-2137, for a Small Talk by Sabrina L Spencer.  Light 
>refreshments
>& drinks will be served.
>
>#############
>
>Stochasticity in cell fate decisions
>
>Sabrina L Spencer, MIT, PhD student, Computational & Systems Biology
>
>Thursday, Nov 6th, 4-5pm, Room 13-2137
>
>Discussion Topic
>
>Diversity within a population of organisms is typically ascribed to 
>genetic differences.  However, even members of a genetically 
>identical population of cells or organisms raised in an identical 
>environment can exhibit variability in behavior and appearance.  The 
>field of systems biology has recently begun to focus on possible 
>non-genetic origins of cell individuality.  This individuality is 
>thought to arise in part from the stochastic nature of chemical 
>reactions inside a cell, which can produce variability in the 
>concentrations of cellular contents (RNA, proteins) across a 
>population.  A critical question, then, is whether these chance 
>differences between individual cells have direct physiological 
>consequences for cells.
>
>
>
>Early in my PhD, I became intrigued by the fact that even at 
>saturating doses, some human cells exposed to a death-inducing drug 
>called TRAIL undergo apoptosis (a form of controlled cell death) 
>whereas others survive. This is true even of cell populations that 
>are genetically homogeneous.  Because TRAIL is currently in clinical 
>trials as an anti-cancer therapy, variability in response is of 
>potential clinical significance.  In my talk, I will summarize my 
>findings from the past three years.  I have used time-lapse imaging 
>of single cells with fluorescent reporters as well as mathematical 
>modeling to show that transient cell-to-cell differences in the 
>internal concentrations of apoptosis regulators are a key 
>contributor to variability in cell fate.  Thus, stochastic 
>fluctuations inside cells can have a significant impact on 
>life-or-death decisions.
>
>
>#############
>
>Small Talks -- Educational Seminars for Students by Students
><http://web.mit.edu/small-talks>http://web.mit.edu/small-talks
>Sponsors -- Graduate Student Life Grants, DMSE, MechE, Chemistry, 
>RLE, Aero/Astro, MEMS at MIT
>Every Week, Thursday Afternoons, 4-5p
>Light Refreshments & Drinks
>
>Each hour-long Small Talk features a researcher introducing their 
>domain of research for an audience of fellow scholars. Presenters 
>speak for about a half-hour and give a general overview of their 
>research area, spiced with a few personal research examples, leaving 
>plenty of time for Q&A.  This is not intended as a practice-talk for 
>a conference or for delivery of detailed research results.  Instead, 
>we ask presenters to introduce the basics and big picture of their 
>broad category of work.  The intent of Small Talks is to raise 
>general awareness of current research across MIT; to increase 
>opportunities for collaborations; and to be an informal, 
>interdisciplinary forum for students.
>
>#############
>
>_______________________________________________
>Small-talks-announce mailing list
><imap://tkm@po11.mit.edu:993/fetch>UID>.INBOX>33034>Small-talks-announce at mit.edu
><imap://tkm@po11.mit.edu:993/fetch>UID>.INBOX>33034>http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/small-talks-announce
>
>


-- 
*****************************************
Debra L. Martin, Programs Manager
MIT
Vice President for Research Office, Rm 11-268
77 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA  02139
617-258-0310, 617-252-1003 (fax)
debra at mit.edu
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