The shape of a cell, the sizes of subcellular compartments and the spatial distribution of molecules within the cytoplasm can all control how molecules interact to produce a cellular behavior. This talk describes how these spatial features can be included in mechanistic mathematical models of cell biology. The Virtual Cell (VCell) computational modeling and simulation software is designed for spatial modeling of cellular reaction-diffusion systems. VCell facilitates choices between physical formulations that implicitly or explicitly account for cell geometry and between deterministic vs. stochastic formulations for biochemical reactions. It is also built on top of a database, to facilitate sharing of models and reuse of model components.

NERG is hosting its annual Practice Presentation Session on October 30th at 7:30 PM at Dr. Chris Butson’s house. Snacks and refreshments will be provided. If you are presenting at Society for Neuroscience or another conference and would like to participate in this practice session please sign-up here, both poster and oral presentations are welcome! This is a great way to practice your presentation skills and receive feedback in a supportive environment.