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 340 members. If you’re new, sign up here!

   

Job opportunities:

   

Key References (PDFs are available online):

Modeling Life by Alan Garfinkel, Jane Shetsov and Yina Guo (Teaching Materials)

   

Dynamics Club in November:

Robust and resource-optimal dynamic pattern formation of Min proteins in vivo

Speaker: Michael Sandler (Graduate Student, Jun Lab; UCSD)

Date and Time: Nov 4 (Tuesday) at 11am Pacific Time / 2pm Eastern Time

Hybrid Event: Boyer Hall 554 and on Zoom (Meeting ID: 988 1031 5215; Passcode: 622638)

Abstract:
The Min protein system prevents abnormal cell division in bacteria by forming oscillatory, reaction-diffusion patterns between cell poles. Typically, such systems are sensitive to concentrations; but, we show that Min dynamic pattern formation is robust across a wide range of Min protein levels. Using genetically engineered Escherichia coli strains, we modulate the expression of minCD and minE under fast- and slow-growth conditions and build a MinD versus MinE phase diagram that reveals dynamic patterns, including travelling and standing waves. We also find that the natural expression level of Min proteins is resource-optimal. In addition, we observe an invariant wavelength of dynamic Min patterns across the phase diagram. We explain the experimental findings quantitatively with biophysical theory based on a model that considers the switching of MinE between its latent and active states, indicating its essential role as a robustness module for Min oscillation in vivo.

DynamicsClub

   

Scheduled Sessions:

Date Topic Speaker(s)
Dec 2 Neurophysiological principles of reward Dr. Annie Park
(Oxford University)
2026 Longitudinal monitoring of developmental plasticity in the mouse auditory cortex Dr. Megan Kirchgessner (NYU)

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
Apr 30 Detecting patterns and disruptions in spontaneous physiological fluctuations in the kidney using MRI Edwin Baldelomar, PhD (WashU) Pubmed
May 7 Sleep is for brain cleaning: investigating drivers of the glymphatic system Natalie Hauglund, PhD (Oxford) Pubmed
Jun 12 Mechano-Electro-Chemical Coupling in Neuromodulation and Neuronal Injury Casey Adam, DPhil (Purdue) Link
Aug 12 Sleep microstructure organizes memory replay Wenbo Tang, PhD (Cornell) Pubmed
Aug 21 Genetic and Molecular Strategies for Unraveling Sensory Circuit Development David YC Chen, PhD (Temple) Pubmed
Sep 16 Investigating the Bistability in Coordinated Oscillations of Pancreatic Islets Nicole Bruce, PhD (University of Tennessee) Pubmed
Oct 27 Forces that shape the embryo: Mechanical control of gastrulation dynamics Paolo Caldarelli, PhD (Caltech) Pubmed

   

Past Events in 2024

Past Events in 2023

Past Events in 2022