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Subject: Society for Mathematical Biology Digest
SMB Digest June 8, 2016 Volume 16 Issue 23
ISSN 1086-6566
Editor: Alex Fletcher digest.alex(at)gmail(dot)com
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Issue's Topics:
ECMTB/SMB 2016 Pre-conference Workshop, July 10, UK
Society for Experimental Biology Cell Symposium, Sept 14-15, UK
Workshop: COMBINE 2016, Sept 19-23, Newcastle, UK
Workshop: BIOMAT-2016, Oct 30 - Nov 5, People's Republic of China
PhD Position: Bioinformatics/Computational Biology, UNSW, Australia
PhD Position: Cardiac Modelling, Maastricht University, Netherlands
Request for Information from the NIH Common Fund
Selected NIH Intramural Research and other job openings - June 2016
SMBnet Reminders
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Date: Thu, Jun 2, 2016 at 5:38 PM
Subject: ECMTB/SMB 2016 Pre-conference Workshop, July 10, UK
ECMTB/SMB 2016 Pre-conference Workshop
Please join us before the start of the scientific meeting for a variety of
presentations and discussions around careers in mathematical biology. The
workshop has four main components:
1. For graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, there will be a session
led by Robert Smith? and Christina Cobbold about strategies for the
academic job market.
2. This will be followed by a career panel with professionals from industry
and academia to discuss alternative career paths. The panel will be
moderated by early career scientists Linus Schumacher (postdoctoral
fellow) and Alexandra Hogan (graduate student).
3. The last formal part of the workshop will be a session for researchers at
all career levels about the philosophical and administrative challenges
of multidisciplinary appointments. The interactive panel discussion will
be lead by Christina Cobbold, Adriana Dawes, Elissa Schwartz and Rebecca
Tyson, who either currently have joint appointments, or who have served
in an administrative capacity on joint appointments. This will be
followed by an open discussion for people to discuss some of the
potential obstacles and solutions for scientists who wish to
substantively bridge more than one academic discipline.
4. The workshop will conclude with dinner and informal discussions and
networking.
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Date: Fri, Jun 3, 2016 at 5:45 PM
Subject: Society for Experimental Biology Cell Symposium, Sept 14-15, UK
Society for Experimental Biology Cell Symposium
"Bridging Scale in Models of Cell to Tissue Behaviour: Recent Progress and
Future Challenges"
13-15 September 2016; Lady Margaret Hall, University of Oxford
#SEBMSC16
Recent years have witnessed remarkable progress in molecular and
live-imaging studies of cell and tissue biology, leading to large datasets
that require careful interpretation. There has also been a dramatic increase
in computational power. As a result, mathematical models play an ever
greater role in helping us understand how subcellular phenomena, cell
mechanical interactions and long-range signalling collectively give rise to
tissue-level function. To understand tissue-level function, one must be able
to integrate across temporal and spatial scales in addition to understanding
each scale. Modelling at each scale can require very different areas of
technical skills, while integration across scales necessitates the solution
to novel mathematical and computational problems.
By bringing together interdisciplinary researchers working in a variety of
different application areas, this workshop aims to identify the common
mathematical challenges arising in the development of 'multiscale' models of
biological systems and accelerate progress in this area. Immediately
preceding the workshop there will be an optional one-day tutorial on Chaste
simulation of multicellular models.
Confirmed keynote speakers:
* Dr Katie Bentley (Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, USA)
* Dr Jordi Garcia-Ojalvo (Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Spain)
* Prof Henrik Jönsson (University of Cambridge, UK)
* Prof Stanislav Shvartsman (Princeton University, USA)
Organised by:
* Prof Ruth Baker (University of Oxford, UK)
* Dr Alexander Fletcher (University of Sheffield, UK)
The Society for Experimental Biology (SEB), Multi-Scale Biology (MSB)
Network and 2020 Science have some funding available to help support PhD
students and early career scientists attend this symposium. For further
details and to register, visit:
----------------------------------------------------
Date: Sun, Jun 5, 2016 at 12:18 PM
Subject: Workshop: COMBINE 2016, Sept 19-23, Newcastle, UK
COMBINE 2016: 7th Computational Modeling in Biology Network Workshop
19-23 September 2016, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
The "Computational Modeling in Biology" Network (COMBINE) is an initiative
to coordinate the development of the various community standards and formats
in systems biology and related fields. COMBINE 2016 will be a workshop-style
event with oral presentations, posters, and breakout sessions. The five
meeting days will include talks about the COMBINE standards and associated
or related standardization efforts, as well as presentations of tools using
these standards. Oral presentations will be selected from the submitted
abstracts. In addition, poster sessions will allow people to inform each
other about their software and other projects in a setting that fosters
interaction and in-depth discussion.
== IMPORTANT DATES ==
Abstract submission: 8 July 2016
Scholarship application: 8 July 2016
Notification: 15 July 2016
COMBINE Workshop: 19-23 September 2016
== KEYNOTE SPEAKERS ==
- Alfonso Bueno-Orovio (Oxford)
- Carole Goble (Manchester)
- Michael Hucka (Caltech)
- Dagmar Iber (ETH Zurich)
- Andrew Millar (Edinburgh)
- Chris J. Myers (Utah)
- Yujiang Wang (Newcastle)
== TOPICS OF INTEREST ==
Topics include, but are not limited to:
- Data exchange and model standards for systems biology
- Graphical notation standards for systems biology
- Standards for sharing and analysing biological pathway data
- Standards for computational biological models
== CALL FOR ABSTRACTS ==
We solicit high-quality abstracts, to be refereed by the COMBINE
Coordinators below, for either oral or poster presentation at the Workshop.
Abstracts will appear on the COMBINE website only, there will be no formal
publication.
Please see the COMBINE website for submission instructions.
== TRAVEL SCHOLARSHIPS ==
PhD students and postdocs may apply for travel funds to attend COMBINE. More
information on the COMBINE website.
== ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ==
COMBINE 2016 is generously supported by:
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (UK) [AUDACIOUS project
EP/J004111/2]
- Interdisciplinary Computing and Complex BioSystems Group (ICOS)
- School of Computing Science, Newcastle University
- National Science Foundation (USA)
== LOCAL ORGANISERS ==
Paolo Zuliani & Anil Wipat, ICOS Group, School of Computing Science,
Newcastle University.
== COMBINE COORDINATORS ==
Gary Bader (Toronto)
Martin Golebiewski (Heidelberg)
Michael Hucka (Caltech)
Nicolas Le Novère (Babraham)
Chris J. Myers (Utah)
David Nickerson (Auckland)
Falk Schreiber (Monash)
Dagmar Waltemath (Rostock)
----------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, Jun 1, 2016 at 2:59 PM
Subject: Workshop: BIOMAT-2016, Oct 30 - Nov 5, People's Republic of China
Dear colleague,
I would like to draw your attention to the International Conference BIOMAT
2016, which will be held in Tianjin, People's Republic of China, October
30th - November 5th, 2016.
We stress that the BIOMAT 2016 will be held at the Chern Institute of
Mathematics in Tianjin, People's Republic of China.
For this conference, the BIOMAT Consortium is offering 50 to 60 FELLOWSHIPS
to support the local expenses. The deadline for abstract and full papers
submission has been extended.
For the specific link to the 2016 conference, please see
Latex and Word templates for extended abstract and paper submissions are
also available at this website.
The BIOMAT Consortium is an international non-profit association of
scientific faculty members of universities and research institutions
worldwide, their scientific research students as well as other interested
scientific practitioners on the areas of Mathematical Biology, Biological
Physics and the generic mathematical modelling of biosystems.
The fundamental mission of the BIOMAT Consortium is the enhancement of the
scientific activity of these areas on developing countries, by assembling
together professionals, from mathematicians and physicists to biologists,
research physicians and engineers in high level conferences. The only link
which is supposed to exist among the attendees is the scientific interest on
the mathematical and computational modelling of biological phenomena and on
biologically-inspired approaches to these interdisciplinary fields.
BIOMAT 2016 is the sixteenth event of the series, which took place in
several countries in the past. for the full list, please visit
If interested in joining the event, please contact
Sincerely
Ezio Venturino
----------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, Jun 8, 2016 at 11:37 AM
Subject: PhD Position: Bioinformatics/Computational Biology, UNSW, Australia
The Viral Immunology Systems Program (VISP) at the Kirby Institute for
Infection and Immunity at the University of New South Wales, Sydney
Australia is looking for PhD students to work on research projects in the
area of bioinformatics / computational biology as well as statistical
analyses that are aimed at understanding viral evolution and the role of
host immune response. These projects and will involve high- throughput data,
such as next-generation sequencing, as well as immunological data (flow-
cytometry, single cell sorting and sequencing of T and B cell repertoire).
The group has recently established single cell genomics laboratory assays to
study antigen specific T cell responses and their subtype evolution during
an infection.
Computational projects are suited to students with a strong background in
quantitative disciplines such as Bioinformatics, Computer Science, Physics,
Statistics, Mathematics or similar. Successful applicants will join a team
of researchers at the Kirby Institute and The School of Medical Sciences,
which hosts > 140 PhD and Masters students and researchers in various field
of Medical Sciences. There is also a great opportunity to interact with
researchers involved in wet-lab activities.
We have recently established the VISP program and the web page is under
construction. Additional information on the Computational Biology Group's
research interests is available at:
Please include a cover letter and CV that provide details about research
interests, education, employment history (if any), skills.
Post-graduate scholarships are available to support tuition and living
expenses for domestic (Australian Postgraduate Award APA)
and overseas PhD students to study in Australia. More information on the
postgraduate research scholarships is available at:
Top-up scholarships are available in our group for USD5-10K.
----------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, Jun 7, 2016 at 8:58 AM
Subject: PhD Position: Cardiac Modelling, Maastricht University, Netherlands
We have a PhD position in Maastricht with a closing date coming very soon.
In this project, computer simulation of the failing heart will be combined
with data from patients and animal experiments to determine how pacemaker
therapy can be optimally delivered in the individual patient.
This would be a great opportunity for an applied mathematics / engineering
masters student with an interest in cardiac research who's interested in
working in a different country. The student will be based in Maastricht and
collaborate closely with Bordeaux and Graz.
Interested candidates will need to send a cover letter and your CV to Joost
----------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 31 May 2016 14:50:35 +0000
Subject: Request for Information from the NIH Common Fund
Request for Information from the NIH Common Fund: Characterizing and
Understanding the Organization of Individual Cells within Human Tissues
The NIH Common Fund has released a Request for Information (RFI) to
solicit input regarding a proposal for a new Common Fund program aimed at
characterizing and understanding organization of large numbers of primary
cells in human tissues using high throughput approaches. Recent advances in
multiplexed imaging, proteomics, genomics and transcriptomics are starting
to reveal that cells in tissues and organs are more heterogeneous and have
much richer organizational structure than previously thought. There is now
the opportunity to increase the throughput and apply these technologies
to identify the foundational principles underlying cellular organization
in human tissues that could lead to a new level of understanding in many
scientific areas.
The NIH seeks input from researchers, academic institutions, professional
societies, businesses, non-profit organizations, other government
agencies, and other stakeholders on the opportunities and challenges
with applying methods, approaches and technologies to enable the study of
entire organs at the individual cell level and cell interactions in situ
that form a functional tissue. The deadline for submitting information
is June 22, 2016. For further information, please see the RFI notice
encourages collaboration and supports a series of exceptionally high impact,
trans-NIH programs. These programs are supported by the Common Fund, and
managed by the NIH Office of the Director in partnership with the various
NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) - "The Nation's Medical Research
Agency" - includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the
U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal
agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational
medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments and cures for
both common and rare diseases. For more information about the NIH and its
----------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 1 Jun 2016 13:46:42 +0000
Subject: Selected NIH Intramural Research and other job openings - June 2016
Staff Scientist
Section on Development and Affective Neuroscience, NIMH
(Review of applications begins: July 1)
The Section on Development and Affective Neuroscience (SDAN) in the
Intramural Research Program (IRP), National Institute on Mental Health
(NIMH), seeks a Staff Scientist.
Research in SDAN is designed to achieve an integrated understanding of
brain system perturbations that occur in pediatric emotional disorders,
particularly anxiety disorders. SDAN then attempts to use this understanding
to identify children at particularly high risk, to improve current treatments,
and to develop new ones. Current projects in SDAN examine the predictive
utility of functional magnetic imaging (fMRI) profiles for diverse clinical
outcomes, applied in research on children and adolescents at temperamental
risk for anxiety or receiving treatment for anxiety.
The NIMH IRP brings together a highly interactive and dynamic group of
collaboratively focused scientists. These individuals are at the forefront
of research on mental disorders. SDAN is housed on the main NIH campus in
Bethesda, Maryland.
The SDAN Staff Scientist serves as a laboratory leader who contributes
to mentoring of postdoctoral fellows and other laboratory staff and
trainees. The position requires specific expertise in the analysis of
fMRI data, as reflected in training and publication record. The successful
candidate should have a doctoral degree, postdoctoral research experience,
and an outstanding publication record. Requisite expertise includes basic
analysis of fMRI data using the general linear model as well as expertise in
more advanced approaches to fMRI data. The main job of the Staff Scientist
will be to be the leader of data analytic approaches in SDAN and to apply
advanced analytic approaches in particular, with a focus on computational
neuroscience, multivoxal pattern analysis (MVPA), and machine learning.
Salary is commensurate with experience.
Applicants should submit their curriculum vitae with bibliography, statement
of interest, and names and contact information for three references to Daniel
2016, and accepted until the position is filled. HHS, NIH, and NIMH are
equal opportunity employers.
The NIH Intramural Research Program
Link to Fellowships and Positions of Interest to fellows
Link to NIH Jobs
----------------------------------------------------
Subject: SMBnet Reminders
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