Dynamics Club
Launched in 2022, Dynamics Club is a UCLA-based forum for junior scientists to discuss nonlinear dynamics in biology and physiology. Starting from 2024, this is also the home for the Interoception Dynamics Affinity Group.
Our monthly seminars are mostly on Zoom, with hybrid access to in-person events. Campus visits are made possible by the Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology (IBP), Institute for Quantitative and Computational Biosciences (QCBio) and Brain Research Institute (BRI).
Currently, we have 318 members. If you’re new, sign up here!
Job opportunities:
- A postdoctoral position is available with Dr. Natalie Porat-Shliom at NIH/NCI (Microscopy)
- A postdoctoral position is available with Dr. Anna Nelson at University of New Mexico (Details)
- A postdoctoral position is available with Dr. Catera Wilder at UCSF (Details)
- A postdoctoral position is available with Dr. Paul François at Université de Montréal (Details)
- A postdoctoral position is available with Dr. Russell Rockne at City of Hope (Details)
Key References (PDFs are available online):
Modeling Life by Alan Garfinkel, Jane Shetsov and Yina Guo (Teaching Materials)
Dynamics Club in April:
Detecting patterns and disruptions in spontaneous physiological fluctuations in the kidney using MRI
Speaker: Edwin Baldelomar, PhD (Instructor; WashU Medicine)
Date and Time: April 30 (Wednesday) at 11am Pacific Time / 2pm Eastern Time
Virtual event on Zoom (Meeting ID: 921 0138 5602; Passcode: 320403)
Abstract:
The kidneys maintain fluid-electrolyte balance and excrete waste in the presence of constant fluctuations in plasma volume and
systemic blood pressure. The kidneys perform these functions to control capillary perfusion and glomerular filtration by modulat-
ing the mechanisms of autoregulation. An effect of these modulations are spontaneous, natural fluctuations in glomerular perfu-
sion. Numerous other mechanisms can lead to fluctuations in perfusion and flow. The ability to monitor these spontaneous
physiological fluctuations in vivo could facilitate the early detection of kidney disease. The goal of this work was to investigate
the use of resting-state magnetic resonance imaging (rsMRI) to detect spontaneous physiological fluctuations in the kidney. We
performed rsMRI of rat kidneys in vivo over 10 min, applying motion correction to resolve time series in each voxel. We observed
spatially variable, spontaneous fluctuations in rsMRI signal between 0 and 0.3 Hz, in frequency bands associated with autoregu-
latory mechanisms. We further applied rsMRI to investigate changes in these fluctuations in a rat model of diabetic nephropathy.
Spectral analysis was performed on time series of rsMRI signals in the kidney cortex and medulla. The power from spectra in
specific frequency bands from the cortex correlated with severity of glomerular pathology caused by diabetic nephropathy.
Finally, we investigated the feasibility of using rsMRI of the human kidney in two participants, observing the presence of similar,
spatially variable fluctuations. This approach may enable a range of preclinical and clinical investigations of kidney function and
facilitate the development of new therapies to improve outcomes in patients with kidney disease.
Scheduled Sessions:
| Date | Topic | Speaker(s) |
| May 7 | Sleep is for brain cleaning: investigating drivers of the glymphatic system | Dr. Natalie Hauglund (Oxford University) |
| May | Guest Lecture: Topology changes of Hydra define actin orientation defects as organizers of morphogenesis | Dr. Daniel Pearce (UNIGE) |
| Jun 12 | Mechano-Electro-Chemical Coupling in Neuromodulation and Neuronal Injury | Dr. Casey Adam (Purdue University) |
| Jul | Guest Lecture: TBA | Dr. Kirstin Meyer (Yale University) |
| Jul | Robust and resource-optimal dynamic pattern formation of Min proteins in vivo | Michael Sandler (UCSD) |
| Aug | Sleep microstructure organizes memory replay | Dr. Wenbo Tang (Cornell University) |
| Sep | A mechanism for slow rhythms in coordinated pancreatic islet activity | Dr. Nicole Bruce (University of Tennessee) |
| Oct | Self-organized tissue mechanics underlie embryonic regulation | Dr. Paolo Caldarelli (Caltech) |
Past Events in 2025:
| Date | Topic | Speaker(s) | Materials |
| Jan 22 | Imaging cAMP Signaling Dynamics in the Heart: Exploring Sympathetic Responses in Real Time | Jessica Caldwell, PhD (UC Davis) | Pubmed |
| Feb 7 | State-Dependent Taste Modulation: Mechanisms of Sodium Appetite and Tolerance | Yameng Zhang (Oka Lab; Caltech) | Pubmed |
| Mar 5 | Cell signaling in “4D”: Dynamic p53 post-translational modifications regulate cell fate | Dan Lu, PhD (Harvard Medical School) | Pubmed |
| Mar 20 | Exploring the developmental roles of glia in the heart | Sarah Light, PhD (Notre Dame) | Pubmed |
Past Events in 2024
Past Events in 2023
Past Events in 2022