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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20261021T123147Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20141211T190830Z
DTSTART:20141216T163000Z
DTEND:20141216T173000Z
UID:event1377@bu.edu
URL:http://physics.bu.edu/internal/events/show/1377
SUMMARY:Statistical Mechanics of Epigenetic Landscapes
DESCRIPTION:Featuring Alex Lang\n\nPart of the Departmental Seminars.\n\nDi
	ssertation Committee: Pankaj Mehta\, Kirill Korolev\, Martin Schmaltz\, Ahm
	ed Khalil\, Claudio Chamon\n\nAbstract: \nA common metaphor for describing 
	development is a rugged ‘‘epigenetic landscape’’ where cell fates a
	re represented as attracting valleys resulting from a complex regulatory ne
	twork. Here\, I introduce a framework for explicitly constructing epigeneti
	c landscapes that combines genomic data with techniques from spin-glass phy
	sics. Each cell fate is a dynamic attractor\, yet cells can change fate in 
	response to external signals. The model suggests that partially reprogramme
	d cells are a natural consequence of high-dimensional landscapes\, and pred
	icts that partially reprogrammed cells should be hybrids that co-express ge
	nes from multiple cell fates. I verify this prediction by reanalyzing exist
	ing datasets. The model reproduces known reprogramming protocols and identi
	fies candidate transcription factors for reprogramming to novel cell fates\
	, suggesting epigenetic landscapes are a powerful paradigm for understandin
	g cellular identity.\n\n![Lang](/resources/event-image/1377/71d6bd3_small)
LOCATION:SCI 328\, 590 Commonwealth Avenue\, 02215
STATUS:CONFIRMED
CLASS:PUBLIC
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