Mathematical Models and Computer Simulations of Telomere Shortening
Submission Type
Event
Faculty Advisor
Narendra Jaggi
Expected Graduation Date
2021
Start Date
4-13-2019 2:00 PM
End Date
4-13-2019 3:00 PM
Disciplines
Education
Abstract
As a culture of cells reproduces, telomeres, structures marking the ends of chromosomes, within each cell grow shorter with each division until disappearing entirely, halting the process in a phenomenon known as cellular senescence. Classical in-vitro studies on cellular senescence have found a bimodal distribution of what is called the proliferative potential. This has not been explained by older stochastic mathematical models. Very recent studies(2019) involving computer simulations of models that incorporate two distinct types of shortening mechanisms produce results that qualitatively mirror the observed bimodal distribution. In this research project, we simulate the evolution of this particular mathematical model using Python. We will present our computational results that reproduce the bimodal results that the authors1 have reported. We may also attempt to include in our model additional biologically relevant phenomena/mechanisms, in order to deepen the current understanding of cell senescence.
Mathematical Models and Computer Simulations of Telomere Shortening
As a culture of cells reproduces, telomeres, structures marking the ends of chromosomes, within each cell grow shorter with each division until disappearing entirely, halting the process in a phenomenon known as cellular senescence. Classical in-vitro studies on cellular senescence have found a bimodal distribution of what is called the proliferative potential. This has not been explained by older stochastic mathematical models. Very recent studies(2019) involving computer simulations of models that incorporate two distinct types of shortening mechanisms produce results that qualitatively mirror the observed bimodal distribution. In this research project, we simulate the evolution of this particular mathematical model using Python. We will present our computational results that reproduce the bimodal results that the authors1 have reported. We may also attempt to include in our model additional biologically relevant phenomena/mechanisms, in order to deepen the current understanding of cell senescence.