SMB Digest March 11, 2014 Volume 14 Issue 11
ISSN 1086-6566
Editor: Wandi Ding wding1(at)gmail(dot)com
Note:
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application for membership, may be found in the SMB Home Page,
Access the Bulletin of Mathematical Biology, the official journal
Inquiries about membership or BMB fulfillment should be sent to
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Issue's Topics:
q-bio Conference - St. John's College, Aug 13-16
Summer school on Infectious Diseases-Finland, August 17-24
NSF-BIO: EAGER proposals
16 PhD positions - Universität Münster
2 PhD positions in Theoretical Ecology-U of Amsterdam
PhD Position - Queensland U of Technology
PhD Position in Applied Math - U of Waterloo
Leader Position: iSSB, Evry, France
SMBnet Reminders
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Date: Sun, Mar 9, 2014 at 9:25 AM
Subject: q-bio Conference - St. John's College, Aug 13-16
Abstract submission is open for The Eighth Annual q-bio Conference.
The deadline for abstract submission has been extended to April 1.
The q-bio Conference is intended to advance predictive modeling of
cellular regulation. The emphasis is on modeling and quantitative
experimentation for understanding and predicting the behaviors of
particular regulatory systems, phenomena that manifest themselves
in many biological systems, and/or general principles of cellular
information processing.
The single-track program will include invited talks from leading
experimental and theoretical researchers, as well as contributed
talks and poster presentations selected from abstract submissions.
The program includes two banquets, multiple sessions covering a
range of topics, and two evening poster sessions. There are several
tutorials on the first day of the conference. More information is
Lodging is available for most participants at the conference venue,
facilitating interactions and stimulating informal discussions of
quantitative biology. Space is available for about 200 participants.
If registration demand exceeds capacity, preference will be given to
individuals selected to make presentations at the meeting. We expect
to open online registration by April 2014.
WHEN: August 13 - August 16, 2014 (Tutorials and Main Conference)
WHERE: St. John's College, 1160 Camino Cruz Blanca, Santa Fe,
New Mexico 87505, USA
Confirmed Speakers: Naama Barkai, Weizmann Institute of Science;
William Bialek, Princeton University (Closing Banquet Talk);
Markus W. Covert, Stanford University; Nathalie Dostatni, Institut
Curie; Johann Elf, Uppsala University; Thierry Emonet, Yale
University; Paulien Hogeweg, Utrecht University; Diane S. Lidke,
University of New Mexico School of Medicine; George Oster,
University of California, Berkeley; Shayne M. Peirce-Cottler,
University of Virginia; Alan S. Perelson, Los Alamos National
Laboratory (Opening Banquet Talk); Linda R. Petzold, University
of California, Santa Barbara; Peter K. Sorger, Harvard Medical
School
Abstracts must be formatted correctly to be accepted. Templates for
formatting can be found on our website at:
To submit an abstract, please click
for abstract submission. You will be notified of your acceptance
status in April.
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Date: Wed, Mar 5, 2014 at 8:04 AM
Subject: Summer school on Infectious Diseases-Finland, August 17-24
Application deadline 15 April:
Summer school: Dynamics of Infectious Diseases
(17-24 August 2014, Finland)
We are pleased to invite students and young researchers to the
2014 edition of The Helsinki Summer School on Mathematical Ecology
and Evolution, an EMS-ESMTB School in Applied Mathematics, which will
focus on the dynamics of infectious diseases. The school will be held
between 17 and 24 August 2014 in Turku, Finland. The core program
consists of five series of lectures.
Odo Diekmann: Population dynamics of infectious diseases
Frank Ball: Stochastic models of epidemics
Thomas House: Networks and epidemics
Michel Langlais: Spatial dynamics of infectious diseases
Troy Day: Evolution of hosts and pathogens
All young researchers working in mathematical epidemiology, ecology
or evolution can apply from all countries, especially from Europe
and the Mediterranean. The school is aimed at graduate students of
mathematics, but we also welcome students of biology with sufficient
background in mathematics, as well as advanced undergraduates and
postdocs.
The deadline for applications is 15 April 2014. There is no
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Date: Fri, Mar 7, 2014 at 1:39 PM
Subject: NSF-BIO: EAGER proposals
Behavior derives from the emergent properties of a large collection
of overlapping neural circuits. A primary challenge in neuroscience
is that these circuits incorporate neuronal activity at a variety of
spatial and temporal scales. Additionally, circuit plasticity occurs
over time scales significantly longer than the proximate behavior.
Identification of relevant neural ensembles underlying cognitive
behaviors thus requires new reagents and instrumentation, analytic
tools, modeling techniques and theoretical frameworks.
As part of the President’s "Brain Research Accelerated by Innovative
Neurotechnologies" (BRAIN) initiative, the Divisions of Integrative
Organismal Systems (IOS) and Biological Infrastructure (DBI) in the
Biological Science Directorate (BIO) plan to support Early Concept
Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) proposals with the potential
to transform our ability to analyze brain function underlying
behavioral and cognitive processes.
More details can be found at
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Date: Thu, Mar 6, 2014 at 8:00 AM
Subject: 16 PhD positions - Universität Münster
16 PhD Fellowships in Life Sciences, Mathematical Modelling and
Image Analysis
The International Max Planck Research School – Molecular Biomedicine
(IMPRS-MBM) and the Cells in Motion Excellence Cluster (CiM) offer
16 PhD Fellowships in Life Sciences and Mathematical Modelling and
Image Analysis.
The CiM Graduate School and IMPRS-MBM - jointly run by the University
of Münster and the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine -
offer interdisciplinary approaches to biomedical research with a
strong emphasis on imaging. PhD projects range from the analysis of
basic cellular processes to clinical translation, from the generation
of mathematical models to the development of new imaging-related
techniques and compounds.
Research areas:
Molecular Biology
In vivo Imaging
Image Analysis
High Resolution Optical Imaging
Biophysics
Chemical Biology
Label Chemistry
Mathematical Modelling
and more.
Applications for the 3-year PhD program can be submitted from 1 March
– 10 May 2013. Projects start in October 2013. Applications can only
be submitted via our online system.
The program offers excellent scientific and transferable skills
training, a competitive tax-free fellowship and support with
administrative matters, accomodation, visas etc. There are no tuition
fees. The program language is English. We invite applications from
highly qualified and motivated students of any nationality from
biological sciences, chemistry, mathematics, computer sciences
and physics. We are looking forward to your application for a PhD
fellowship in Münster, "the world's most liveable city"
(LivCom Award 2004).
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Date: Thu, Mar 6, 2014 at 11:09 AM
Subject: 2 PhD positions in Theoretical Ecology-U of Amsterdam
Two vacancies for PhD positions are available in the research group
of Prof. André de Roos, the Theoretical Ecology group within the
Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED, see
ibed.uva.nl)
at the University of Amsterdam. Theoretical Ecology is an expanding
research group, currently comprising 2 professors, 3 assistant
professors, 1 post-doc, and 4 PhD candidates, and hosts two ERC
Advanced Grants. It has active research programs in structured
population modeling, resource-consumer interactions, epidemiology,
demography, and evolutionary and eco-evolutionary theory.
The PhD positions are part of the research program Eco-evolutionary
dynamics of community self-organization through ontogenetic asymmetry,
which is funded by an ERC Advanced Grant to Prof. dr. André de Roos.
This research program focuses on the ecology and evolution of the
complex life cycles that characterize the majority of animal species.
In species with such life cycles juveniles and adults (or smaller and
larger individuals) often differ in their energetic efficiency, as they
feed on different resources. Recent research has shown that this
so-called "ontogenetic asymmetry in energetics" has counterintuitive
consequences for population dynamics and may lead to self-organization
in species interactions, but it is not yet known to what extent it also
shapes the interaction networks in ecological communities in general.
The main questions addressed in the ERC research project therefore are
(1) under what conditions does ontogenetic asymmetry in energetics
evolve as a driver of self-organization in ecological communities and
(2) to what extent has ontogenetic asymmetry in energetics contributed
to the diversity of life and the evolution of complex life cycles.
Both PhD projects will be embedded in the larger context of the
research program sketched above. The precise topic of each of the two
PhD projects is yet to be determined and may also depend on the
experience and interests of the PhD candidates themselves, as long
as the topic fits within the larger research theme of the program.
The research involves the formulation of population dynamic models
that account for population size distributions and complex life
cycles. Models with be analyzed using both analytical as well as
numerical approaches, such as numerical bifurcation programs and
simulations, to develop theory about the ecological and evolutionary
dynamics of population with complex life cycles. Model predictions
will be confronted with experimental and empirical data from the
literature or available through collaborations with other research
groups.
Application deadline 31 March 2014.
For details and application instructions, visit the UvA website:
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Date: Thu, Mar 6, 2014 at 9:33 PM
Subject: PhD Position - Queensland U of Technology
A PhD scholarship is available to work in the group of Associate
Professor Mat Simpson, Queensland University of Technology (QUT).
The project will involve the construction of discrete models of
collective cell motion with an emphasis on elucidating the role of
cell shape and size upon system dynamics. New continuum partial
differential equation models describing motile cell behaviours will
be developed and the student will have an opportunity to validate
these novel theoretical models by using, or generating, experimental
data at QUTs Institute for Health and Biomedical Innovation
The successful applicant will have a high-quality degree in applied
mathematics, engineering or physics, and be able to demonstrate an
interest in using mathematical and computational methods to
understand biological systems. Experience in partial differential
equations and computational methods for their solution are desirable.
This scholarship is funded by QUT to support A/Prof Simpson's
Australian Research Council Future Fellowship, and will supply a
stipend with that is commensurate with other PhD students in
Australia. QUT will provide standard and high performance
computational resources, a travel budget and the opportunity to
teach into the undergraduate mathematics program. The successful
applicant will also have the opportunity to apply for additional
funding to support their research during their PhD program.
with support provided by A/Prof Ruth Baker at the Wolfson Centre
To apply, email your curriculum vitae, academic transcript, and a
brief statement about your research interests and experience, to
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Date: Sun, Mar 9, 2014 at 7:21 AM
Subject: PhD Position in Applied Math - U of Waterloo
Postdoctoral Fellowship in Applied Mathematics
Applications are invited for a postdoctoral fellowship in the
Department of Applied Mathematics at the University of Waterloo,
with an anticipated start date of September 1, 2014. This is a
one-year fellowship with the possibility of renewal for another year.
In addition to engaging in research close collaboration with a
faculty member or members in the department, the successful
candidate will be responsible for teaching two, one-term courses.
Candidates should indicate in their cover letter which faculty
member(s) they propose to work with. Selection will be based on the
candidate's research potential, fit with a research area in the
department and teaching ability. All interested recent PhDs are
encouraged to apply.
The Department of Applied Mathematics has 22 regular faculty and two
lecturers. Research interests include scientific computing, control
theory, differential equations and dynamical systems, fluid dynamics,
mathematical biology and medicine, and mathematical physics. The
department has a substantial graduate program with over 80 graduate
students pursuing Masters or PhD degrees, and strong undergraduate
programs in applied mathematics and mathematical physics. More
Application for this fellowship is through the website MathJobs.org.
Candidates should submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae and a
also arrange for three letters of recommendation, with at least one
letter addressing the candidate's teaching abilities, to be submitted
Review of applications will begin April 30, 2014 and will continue
until the position is filled. We appreciate all replies to this
advertisement, but only applicants under consideration will be
contacted. This position is contingent upon funding.
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Date: Thu, Mar 6, 2014 at 4:33 AM
Subject: Leader Position: iSSB, Evry, France
is recruiting a team leader in the field of synthetic biology. We
would appreciate if you would forward the attached announcement to
anyone potentially interested. The recruited team leader is expected
to develop an original and independent line of research in the field
of synthetic biology that is synergetic with the institute research
activities. Examples include - but are not limited to:
design-construction and characterization of gene circuits, cell
engineering, minimal cell, in vitro synthetic biology, and cell-cell
communications. Start up funds up to 500 k€ will be made available
to the awardee to build his/her own research laboratory and team
within the institute.
The institute is located in Evry (30 km south of Paris – 35 min by
French BioPark of leading research academic and private laboratories
in genomics, post-genomics and related sciences.
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Subject: SMBnet Reminders
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