Whats Hot in Aging Research by uscbiscgrad on Scribd
Monday, February 26, 2018
Tuesday, February 20, 2018
Multi-University Alumni Career Fair
Alumni and friends of universities across the USA (and abroad!) are welcome to meet with representatives from the participating organizations to build their professional network or connect with recruiters regarding current (or future) position openings.
Participating organizations will be recruiting experienced alumni and recent graduates for a wide range of industries and positions.
DETAILS
Date: Friday, March 9, 2018
Time: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm PST
Location: USC University Park Campus, outdoors on Trousdale Parkway (rain or shine!)
Parking
TO REGISTER
•To register, click here.
FREE HEADSHOTS
Need a professional photo to update your LinkedIn profile? Professional photographers will be at the event offering free headshots, compliments of the USC Career Center. look for the booth in front of the Tommy Trojan statue on Trousdale Parkway to get your photo taken.
RESUME BOOK
For those interested, we will be putting together a candidate resume book for participating organizations. We will email registrants with further details.
PREPARE FOR THE FAIR
•Make a list of organizations that you are interested in and research them. Visit their websites, learn their latest news, and prepare questions. Your preparation will become evident in your interaction with company representatives and you will stand out.
•Familiarize yourself with the event venue. Employer tables will be organized alphabetically along Trousdale Parkway.
•View our Career Fair preparation videos
•Practice your 30-second commercial for recruiters
WHAT TO WEAR
First impressions are critical! Wear professional attire in accordance with your gender expression. Overall suggestions:
•Dress in a dark or neutral color matching business suit.
•Wear freshly pressed clothing and polished dress shoes that are comfortable to walk in.
•Grooming is important: hair and nails should be neat and clean.
•Keep makeup as natural as possible. Avoid flashy or bright nail polish.
•Minimize jewelry.
WHAT TO BRING
•Copies of your resume in a padfolio
•Bag to hold your padfolio and promotional materials from organizations
•Bottle of water and a light snack (i.e. energy bar)
•Printed Evitebrite registration
Participating organizations will be recruiting experienced alumni and recent graduates for a wide range of industries and positions.
DETAILS
Date: Friday, March 9, 2018
Time: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm PST
Location: USC University Park Campus, outdoors on Trousdale Parkway (rain or shine!)
Parking
TO REGISTER
•To register, click here.
FREE HEADSHOTS
Need a professional photo to update your LinkedIn profile? Professional photographers will be at the event offering free headshots, compliments of the USC Career Center. look for the booth in front of the Tommy Trojan statue on Trousdale Parkway to get your photo taken.
RESUME BOOK
For those interested, we will be putting together a candidate resume book for participating organizations. We will email registrants with further details.
PREPARE FOR THE FAIR
•Make a list of organizations that you are interested in and research them. Visit their websites, learn their latest news, and prepare questions. Your preparation will become evident in your interaction with company representatives and you will stand out.
•Familiarize yourself with the event venue. Employer tables will be organized alphabetically along Trousdale Parkway.
•View our Career Fair preparation videos
•Practice your 30-second commercial for recruiters
WHAT TO WEAR
First impressions are critical! Wear professional attire in accordance with your gender expression. Overall suggestions:
•Dress in a dark or neutral color matching business suit.
•Wear freshly pressed clothing and polished dress shoes that are comfortable to walk in.
•Grooming is important: hair and nails should be neat and clean.
•Keep makeup as natural as possible. Avoid flashy or bright nail polish.
•Minimize jewelry.
WHAT TO BRING
•Copies of your resume in a padfolio
•Bag to hold your padfolio and promotional materials from organizations
•Bottle of water and a light snack (i.e. energy bar)
•Printed Evitebrite registration
Molecular Biology Seminar Series
Zach Pincus
Washington University in St. Louis.
Lab Website
Live Fast, Die Young: Long Life and Good Health in C. elegans.
Friday, February 23, 2018
12:00 PM
RRI 101
Abstract: My lab seeks to understand why some individuals live longer and/or healthier lives than others. Within a genetically identical population, long- vs. short-lived C. elegans diverge early in adulthood. The first observable differences are in expression of key regulatory microRNAs. Subsequently, physiological function diverges as well. While short-lived individuals experience more rapid declines in physiological health ("live fast, die young"), long-lived individuals systematically outlive their span of good health and experience an "extended twilight" of low function. Last, we find that only select longevity mutants alter this relationship between lifespan and healthspan.
Washington University in St. Louis.
Lab Website
Live Fast, Die Young: Long Life and Good Health in C. elegans.
Friday, February 23, 2018
12:00 PM
RRI 101
Abstract: My lab seeks to understand why some individuals live longer and/or healthier lives than others. Within a genetically identical population, long- vs. short-lived C. elegans diverge early in adulthood. The first observable differences are in expression of key regulatory microRNAs. Subsequently, physiological function diverges as well. While short-lived individuals experience more rapid declines in physiological health ("live fast, die young"), long-lived individuals systematically outlive their span of good health and experience an "extended twilight" of low function. Last, we find that only select longevity mutants alter this relationship between lifespan and healthspan.
Hearing and Communication Neuroscience Seminar
Richard Mooney, Ph.D.
Tuesday, February 20
4:00 - 5:00 PM
HNB 100
Research Description:
Our broad research goal is to understand the neural mechanisms by which experience guides learning, behavior, and perception. Our group explores the structure and function of sensorimotor circuits important to learned vocal communication in the songbird and to auditory-motor integration in the mouse. In the course of these explorations, my research group has developed a wide range of technical expertise in both avian and mouse models, including in vivo multiphoton neuronal imaging, chronic recording of neural activity in freely behaving animals, in vivo and in vitro intracellular recordings from identified neurons, and manipulation of neuronal activity using electrical, chemical and optogenetic methods. Our group also has extensive experience with viral transgenic methods to manipulate gene expression, including genes implicated in human neurological disorders. Together, these methods provide a broad technical approach to identify the neural circuit mechanisms important to vocal learning, auditory perception and communication.
Tuesday, February 20
4:00 - 5:00 PM
HNB 100
Research Description:
Our broad research goal is to understand the neural mechanisms by which experience guides learning, behavior, and perception. Our group explores the structure and function of sensorimotor circuits important to learned vocal communication in the songbird and to auditory-motor integration in the mouse. In the course of these explorations, my research group has developed a wide range of technical expertise in both avian and mouse models, including in vivo multiphoton neuronal imaging, chronic recording of neural activity in freely behaving animals, in vivo and in vitro intracellular recordings from identified neurons, and manipulation of neuronal activity using electrical, chemical and optogenetic methods. Our group also has extensive experience with viral transgenic methods to manipulate gene expression, including genes implicated in human neurological disorders. Together, these methods provide a broad technical approach to identify the neural circuit mechanisms important to vocal learning, auditory perception and communication.
Travel/Research Awards for Graduate School Funded Fellows
Travel award applications are due to the Graduate School on Friday, March 2, 2018 at 12:00 PM. Eligible students include Provost’s, DIA, Annenberg, Rose Hills, Global, Endowed, Provost’s Mentored Teaching, Final Year, DOD NDSEG, Haynes, Ford, and Mellon/ACLS. Joint Graduate School/School fellows are not eligible. Students are only eligible for one travel award for the entire tenure of their fellowship.
Signature Page
Signature Page
Travel Award Signature Page 2017 by uscbiscgrad on Scribd
Thesis Center Information Sessions - Spring Dates & Times
The Graduate School will be hosting Thesis Center information Sessions for students who are submitting their thesis or dissertation this Spring. The sessions will be about 50 minutes long. Advisors and faculty are also welcome and encouraged to attend.
There will be one session on University Park Campus, and one session on Health Sciences Campus:
UPC: Wednesday February 28th, 2018 @ 12:00, in THH 301
HSC: Wednesday March 7th, 2018 @12:00, in MCH 156
Topics will include important information for both students and advisors, such as:
• Thesis Center navigation
• submission deadlines
• required documentation
There will be an opportunity for questions following the presentation. These dates and times will also be listed in myGradSchool for reference.
There will be one session on University Park Campus, and one session on Health Sciences Campus:
UPC: Wednesday February 28th, 2018 @ 12:00, in THH 301
HSC: Wednesday March 7th, 2018 @12:00, in MCH 156
Topics will include important information for both students and advisors, such as:
• Thesis Center navigation
• submission deadlines
• required documentation
There will be an opportunity for questions following the presentation. These dates and times will also be listed in myGradSchool for reference.
Draft Agenda, Storm Processes & Impacts Workshop, Apr 17-18
Please consider this invitation to participate in the upcoming US Coastal Research Program’s workshop on Storm Processes and Impacts, April 16-18, 2018 in St. Petersburg, FL: https://uscoastalresearch.org/storms-workshop.
The goal of the workshop is to convene coastal stakeholders across all sectors – academia, government, industry, NGOs – to synthesize our present capabilities for modeling storm processes, predicting impacts, and to determine/prioritize needed advancements. The planned DUring Nearshore Event eXperiment (DUNEX) will also be discussed. The workshop has an interactive format, with only half of the time spent on standard presentations. There will be a subsequent call for academic proposals, funded by the U.S. Coastal Research Program, for graduate student research that focuses on addressing pertinent challenges identified in the workshop.
The hotel reservation and registration deadline is March 15, 2018!
The goal of the workshop is to convene coastal stakeholders across all sectors – academia, government, industry, NGOs – to synthesize our present capabilities for modeling storm processes, predicting impacts, and to determine/prioritize needed advancements. The planned DUring Nearshore Event eXperiment (DUNEX) will also be discussed. The workshop has an interactive format, with only half of the time spent on standard presentations. There will be a subsequent call for academic proposals, funded by the U.S. Coastal Research Program, for graduate student research that focuses on addressing pertinent challenges identified in the workshop.
The hotel reservation and registration deadline is March 15, 2018!
StormsWorkshopAgenda_DRAFTasof19Feb2018 by uscbiscgrad on Scribd
Marine & Environmental Biology Seminar Series
Dr. Andrew Allen
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego
J. Craig Venter Institute
Lab website
Iron Bioavailability in High-CO2 Oceans and Other Vignettes: New Perspectives on Genomics and Metabolism in Diatoms
February 20
12:00 PM
AHF 153 (Torrey Webb Room)
Abstract: It has become increasingly clear that iron availability plays a major role in regulating phytoplankton assemblages in HNLC regions. However there remains a large degree of uncertainty related to how eukaryotic marine phytoplankton acquire iron from the environment. Genome enabled functional studies have since revealed insights into key iron acquisition pathways, including the key ferric iron concentrating protein ISIP2a. To better characterize the functionality and substrate specificity of ISIP2a and other Fe sensitive proteins we have initiated systematic reverse genetics studies in the model diatom P. tricornutum. These data suggest that diatoms utilize distinct pathways for assimilation of different forms of dissolved iron including uncomplexed inorganic ferric iron, organically complexed iron and highly transient ferrous iron. New data also suggest that carbonate ions are required for activity of the ferric iron assimilation system, suggesting that ocean acidification might affect iron uptake and the relative contribution of distinct iron acquisition pathways. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that ISIP2a is transferrin, ‘phytotransferrin’, which independently and convergently evolved carbonate-coordinated ferric iron binding. Therefore, in response to predicted increases seawater, temperature, atmospheric pCO2 and associated decreases in the pH of seawater we expect a shift to occur in relative usage of iron acquisition strategies to increase the importance of usage of complexed- and siderophore-bound iron. Also, new findings which suggest that simple sequence requirements may enable DNA from foreign sources to persist in the diatom nucleus as extrachromosomal episomes, revealing a potential mechanism for organellar and foreign DNA acquisition, will be discussed. Additionally, new findings related to nitrogen metabolism in diatoms will be presents.
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego
J. Craig Venter Institute
Lab website
Iron Bioavailability in High-CO2 Oceans and Other Vignettes: New Perspectives on Genomics and Metabolism in Diatoms
February 20
12:00 PM
AHF 153 (Torrey Webb Room)
Abstract: It has become increasingly clear that iron availability plays a major role in regulating phytoplankton assemblages in HNLC regions. However there remains a large degree of uncertainty related to how eukaryotic marine phytoplankton acquire iron from the environment. Genome enabled functional studies have since revealed insights into key iron acquisition pathways, including the key ferric iron concentrating protein ISIP2a. To better characterize the functionality and substrate specificity of ISIP2a and other Fe sensitive proteins we have initiated systematic reverse genetics studies in the model diatom P. tricornutum. These data suggest that diatoms utilize distinct pathways for assimilation of different forms of dissolved iron including uncomplexed inorganic ferric iron, organically complexed iron and highly transient ferrous iron. New data also suggest that carbonate ions are required for activity of the ferric iron assimilation system, suggesting that ocean acidification might affect iron uptake and the relative contribution of distinct iron acquisition pathways. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that ISIP2a is transferrin, ‘phytotransferrin’, which independently and convergently evolved carbonate-coordinated ferric iron binding. Therefore, in response to predicted increases seawater, temperature, atmospheric pCO2 and associated decreases in the pH of seawater we expect a shift to occur in relative usage of iron acquisition strategies to increase the importance of usage of complexed- and siderophore-bound iron. Also, new findings which suggest that simple sequence requirements may enable DNA from foreign sources to persist in the diatom nucleus as extrachromosomal episomes, revealing a potential mechanism for organellar and foreign DNA acquisition, will be discussed. Additionally, new findings related to nitrogen metabolism in diatoms will be presents.
Monday, February 12, 2018
This Week on Campus | 2/12-2/18
February 12 | NGP Distinguished Speaker Series Presents: Dr. Conor Liston
February 13 | USC Stem Cell Seminar: Celeste Simon, University of Pennsylvania—“Hypoxia, metabolism, and tumor progression”
February 13 | Assess it: Career self-assessment (Part of the USC Dornsife Career Pathways Work it Series)
February 13 | Crafting an Elevator Pitch that will Leave a Lasting Impression
February 13 | Bayou Bash Themed Dinner
February 14 | Grad Fest
February 14 | Ash Wednesday
February 14 | Celebrate Valentine's Day with OIS
February 14 | Strings: Open Performance Evening
February 15 | Reproducible Research, Open Science & Digital Scholarship: Learn to Write Scientific Papers of the Future
February 15 | Chemical Biology Tools to Perceive and Perturb Carbohydrates and Carbohydrate Processing Enzymes in Living Systems
February 15 | Statistical analysis: What statistical methods are appropriate for my study design and data collected?
February 15 | Feel Better Workshop
February 15 | 2018 International Darwin Day Celebration w/ Special Guest Neil Shubin
February 15 | Jazz Night featuring the USC Thornton Concert Jazz Orchestra
February 16 | USC Stem Cell Student/Postdoc Seminar
February 17 | Lunar New Year
February 17 | Late Night SC' & Cardinal and Gold: Black Panther
February 17 | Men's Basketball vs. Oregon State
February 13 | USC Stem Cell Seminar: Celeste Simon, University of Pennsylvania—“Hypoxia, metabolism, and tumor progression”
February 13 | Assess it: Career self-assessment (Part of the USC Dornsife Career Pathways Work it Series)
February 13 | Crafting an Elevator Pitch that will Leave a Lasting Impression
February 13 | Bayou Bash Themed Dinner
February 14 | Grad Fest
February 14 | Ash Wednesday
February 14 | Celebrate Valentine's Day with OIS
February 14 | Strings: Open Performance Evening
February 15 | Reproducible Research, Open Science & Digital Scholarship: Learn to Write Scientific Papers of the Future
February 15 | Chemical Biology Tools to Perceive and Perturb Carbohydrates and Carbohydrate Processing Enzymes in Living Systems
February 15 | Statistical analysis: What statistical methods are appropriate for my study design and data collected?
February 15 | Feel Better Workshop
February 15 | 2018 International Darwin Day Celebration w/ Special Guest Neil Shubin
February 15 | Jazz Night featuring the USC Thornton Concert Jazz Orchestra
February 16 | USC Stem Cell Student/Postdoc Seminar
February 17 | Lunar New Year
February 17 | Late Night SC' & Cardinal and Gold: Black Panther
February 17 | Men's Basketball vs. Oregon State
Molecular Biology Seminar Series
Dan Gibson
Synthetic Genomics, Inc.
DNA Technologies
Design & synthesis of cells from the bottom up
Friday, February 16, 2018
12:00 noon
RRI 101
Host: Ian Ehrenreich
Abstract: The American physicist Richard Feynman once said, ‘What I cannot create, I do not understand’. With that inspiration, we set out to attain a deeper understanding of life by assembling it ourselves. Over the past 15 years, our teams at the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI) and Synthetic Genomics, Inc. (SGI) have been developing tools to design whole genomes, synthesize and assemble them in the lab, and install them into a living cell. Our goal was not just to elucidate the genetic components required for life, but also to establish the capacity to create organisms custom-tailored to specific industrial applications. Progress towards these goals will be discussed.
Synthetic Genomics, Inc.
DNA Technologies
Design & synthesis of cells from the bottom up
Friday, February 16, 2018
12:00 noon
RRI 101
Host: Ian Ehrenreich
Abstract: The American physicist Richard Feynman once said, ‘What I cannot create, I do not understand’. With that inspiration, we set out to attain a deeper understanding of life by assembling it ourselves. Over the past 15 years, our teams at the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI) and Synthetic Genomics, Inc. (SGI) have been developing tools to design whole genomes, synthesize and assemble them in the lab, and install them into a living cell. Our goal was not just to elucidate the genetic components required for life, but also to establish the capacity to create organisms custom-tailored to specific industrial applications. Progress towards these goals will be discussed.
Monday, February 5, 2018
This Week on Campus | 2/5-2/11
February 5 | LinkedIn: Getting Started
February 5 | Music as Medicine: Renée Fleming and Antonio Damasio in Conversation
February 6 | USC Stem Cell Seminar: Kathryn Anderson, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center—“The dynamics of mouse gastrulation EMT: cell biology controls cell fate”
February 7 | What Matters to Me & Why with Lynn Swann
February 7 | GRE Test-Taking Strategies
February 7 | Music@RushHour: Video Game Music for Two Pianos
February 8 | Spring Career Fair
February 8 | Viral Evolution, the 1918 Spanish Flu, and the Chemical Biology of Proteostasis
February 8 | CV it: Writing a curriculum vitae
February 8 | Feel Better Workshop
February 8 | Writing Winning Proposals
February 8 | Conversation@PAM: Fusion Food
February 8 | Queeraoke
February 9 | USC Stem Cell Student/Postdoc Seminar
February 9 | GRE Practice Exam
February 9 | OIS Movie Night
February 10 | OWN IT Women's Leadership Conference
February 10 | Cardinal & Gold: Vday Cookie Decorating
February 5 | Music as Medicine: Renée Fleming and Antonio Damasio in Conversation
February 6 | USC Stem Cell Seminar: Kathryn Anderson, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center—“The dynamics of mouse gastrulation EMT: cell biology controls cell fate”
February 7 | What Matters to Me & Why with Lynn Swann
February 7 | GRE Test-Taking Strategies
February 7 | Music@RushHour: Video Game Music for Two Pianos
February 8 | Spring Career Fair
February 8 | Viral Evolution, the 1918 Spanish Flu, and the Chemical Biology of Proteostasis
February 8 | CV it: Writing a curriculum vitae
February 8 | Feel Better Workshop
February 8 | Writing Winning Proposals
February 8 | Conversation@PAM: Fusion Food
February 8 | Queeraoke
February 9 | USC Stem Cell Student/Postdoc Seminar
February 9 | GRE Practice Exam
February 9 | OIS Movie Night
February 10 | OWN IT Women's Leadership Conference
February 10 | Cardinal & Gold: Vday Cookie Decorating
The 2018 USC Student Recognition awards
The 2018 USC Student Recognition awards are given to undergraduate, graduate and professional students whose dedication and notable contributions have enriched the quality of life on campus, in the community, or the world at large. By honoring these students, USC continues to celebrate the values of leadership, service, and engagement.
To be eligible, nominees must be scheduled for graduation in either May 2018 or August 2018, or have graduated in December 2017. Faculty and staff may nominate as many students as they deem worthy of consideration; however, not all nominees will receive a Student Recognition award.
Nominated students may be considered for one of the following awards:
Undergraduate Students:
The Order of Troy: Recipients of The Order of Troy have distinguished themselves beyond their peers in at least one facet of university life and have made notable contributions to the university community as active leaders or critical contributors in service to peers, the university community, or the world at large. These students have pursued academic excellence while devoting extensive time and energy in service outside the classroom.
The Order of the Laurel and the Palm: Exemplary leadership and high achievement characterize those selected for the Order of the Laurel and the Palm, the highest honor accorded to undergraduates completing their programs of study. Recipients display significant leadership that touches multiple facets of university life and have made notable contributions that leave a lasting impact on the university community and/or the world at large through their commitment to service and value of the university’s highest goals and ideals. Less than one percent of undergraduates earning their degrees are selected as members of the Order of the Laurel and the Palm.
Graduate/Professional Students:
The Order of Arête: Arête, taken from the Greek, means virtue or excellence in attaining one’s utmost human potential. Members of the Order of Arête have distinguished themselves above their peers through campus or community leadership roles beyond those required for their programs of study, often making notable contributions to the university, academic discipline, community or world at large. In these leadership roles, members demonstrate significant depth and scope of responsibility, and they are recognized for upholding value and meaning over individual achievement. The award represents the highest honor accorded graduate students upon completion of their academic programs.
The nomination and selection process is as follows:
Nominations are available online at http://studentrecognition.usc.edu/ and close at 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 1, 2018. Only complete nominations will be considered.
Faculty and staff nominators must provide all information about each nominee’s involvement and justify their excellence in leadership, scholarship, and service. Please note that this year, for the first time, nominations will require the student ID number for each nominee.
Nominators are responsible for the completion of nomination forms. Student nominees will not be involved in the selection process.
At least three members from the Student Recognition Review Committee will review each completed nomination.
The committee will select honorees based on the guidelines for each award above.
The committee will notify award recipients and their nominators via email and invite them to attend the USC Student Recognition Ceremony taking place on Thursday, May 10, 2018 at Bovard Auditorium at 1 p.m.
More information about the awards is located on the Student Recognition website. Please direct any specific questions to either co-chair: Gabe Valenzuela at valenzug@usc.edu or Scott Smith at sas@usc.edu.
To be eligible, nominees must be scheduled for graduation in either May 2018 or August 2018, or have graduated in December 2017. Faculty and staff may nominate as many students as they deem worthy of consideration; however, not all nominees will receive a Student Recognition award.
Nominated students may be considered for one of the following awards:
Undergraduate Students:
The Order of Troy: Recipients of The Order of Troy have distinguished themselves beyond their peers in at least one facet of university life and have made notable contributions to the university community as active leaders or critical contributors in service to peers, the university community, or the world at large. These students have pursued academic excellence while devoting extensive time and energy in service outside the classroom.
The Order of the Laurel and the Palm: Exemplary leadership and high achievement characterize those selected for the Order of the Laurel and the Palm, the highest honor accorded to undergraduates completing their programs of study. Recipients display significant leadership that touches multiple facets of university life and have made notable contributions that leave a lasting impact on the university community and/or the world at large through their commitment to service and value of the university’s highest goals and ideals. Less than one percent of undergraduates earning their degrees are selected as members of the Order of the Laurel and the Palm.
Graduate/Professional Students:
The Order of Arête: Arête, taken from the Greek, means virtue or excellence in attaining one’s utmost human potential. Members of the Order of Arête have distinguished themselves above their peers through campus or community leadership roles beyond those required for their programs of study, often making notable contributions to the university, academic discipline, community or world at large. In these leadership roles, members demonstrate significant depth and scope of responsibility, and they are recognized for upholding value and meaning over individual achievement. The award represents the highest honor accorded graduate students upon completion of their academic programs.
The nomination and selection process is as follows:
Nominations are available online at http://studentrecognition.usc.edu/ and close at 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 1, 2018. Only complete nominations will be considered.
Faculty and staff nominators must provide all information about each nominee’s involvement and justify their excellence in leadership, scholarship, and service. Please note that this year, for the first time, nominations will require the student ID number for each nominee.
Nominators are responsible for the completion of nomination forms. Student nominees will not be involved in the selection process.
At least three members from the Student Recognition Review Committee will review each completed nomination.
The committee will select honorees based on the guidelines for each award above.
The committee will notify award recipients and their nominators via email and invite them to attend the USC Student Recognition Ceremony taking place on Thursday, May 10, 2018 at Bovard Auditorium at 1 p.m.
More information about the awards is located on the Student Recognition website. Please direct any specific questions to either co-chair: Gabe Valenzuela at valenzug@usc.edu or Scott Smith at sas@usc.edu.
Computational Biology Open Faculty Search Seminar Series
Dr. Adam MacLean
University of California, Irvine
Profile
Multiscale modeling and inference of stem cell lineage dynamics with single-cell data
Thursday, February 8
2:00 PM
RRI 101
Abstract: The rapid expansion of single-cell data (e.g. scRNA-seq) offers great potential to characterize cell types and their interactions in new depth. Significant challenges for the analysis of such data include clustering cells, predicting lineage relationships, and building cell-cell communication networks. However analysis alone is not enough: models are essential to explain complex phenomena and identify underlying mechanisms. Here we present models of multiscale stem cell dynamics that describe phenomena from fast - phosphorylation/diffusion - to slow scales - cell division/differentiation, and the resultant tissue-level effects. We have developed methods for parameter-free inference to characterize these models when time course data are lacking, and demonstrate their effectiveness on models of the Wnt pathway. We go on to develop an optimization-based framework for single-cell data analysis that outperforms current clustering methods and infers cell-cell signaling networks. Using hematopoiesis as a model system, we demonstrate its ability to reconstruct a multi-branched lineage and predict the timing of key differentiation events. By combining single-cell analysis tools with models of transcriptional, pathway, and lineage dynamics, we are able to explore cell state stability landscapes. Our analysis of hematopoietic landscapes has led to the prediction of new cell states and transition paths. As ongoing and future work, we discuss how to extend models to be able to determine the stability properties of single cells.
University of California, Irvine
Profile
Multiscale modeling and inference of stem cell lineage dynamics with single-cell data
Thursday, February 8
2:00 PM
RRI 101
Abstract: The rapid expansion of single-cell data (e.g. scRNA-seq) offers great potential to characterize cell types and their interactions in new depth. Significant challenges for the analysis of such data include clustering cells, predicting lineage relationships, and building cell-cell communication networks. However analysis alone is not enough: models are essential to explain complex phenomena and identify underlying mechanisms. Here we present models of multiscale stem cell dynamics that describe phenomena from fast - phosphorylation/diffusion - to slow scales - cell division/differentiation, and the resultant tissue-level effects. We have developed methods for parameter-free inference to characterize these models when time course data are lacking, and demonstrate their effectiveness on models of the Wnt pathway. We go on to develop an optimization-based framework for single-cell data analysis that outperforms current clustering methods and infers cell-cell signaling networks. Using hematopoiesis as a model system, we demonstrate its ability to reconstruct a multi-branched lineage and predict the timing of key differentiation events. By combining single-cell analysis tools with models of transcriptional, pathway, and lineage dynamics, we are able to explore cell state stability landscapes. Our analysis of hematopoietic landscapes has led to the prediction of new cell states and transition paths. As ongoing and future work, we discuss how to extend models to be able to determine the stability properties of single cells.
Sunday, February 4, 2018
Marine Ecology Open Faculty Search Seminar Series
Dr. Laura Gomez-Consarnau
University of Southern California
Lab Website
Light-harvesting in the surface ocean: the ecological role of proteorhodopsin-based photoheterotrophy
Monday, February 5
11 AM
AHF 153 (Torrey Webb Room)
Abstract: Sunlight drives virtually all life on the Earth’s surface, with about 50% of primary productivity occurring in marine systems. However, before the year 2000, all known phototrophic metabolisms in the ocean were based on chlorophyll-like molecules. This traditional view of phototrophy changed radically with the discovery of marine bacterial proteorhodopsins (PR). Since then, PR genes and transcripts have repeatedly been found in extremely high abundances in all sunlit environments, particularly in the surface ocean. PRs are simple light driven proton pumps that allow microbes to transform light into chemical energy. My lab combines physiology studies, with (meta)-genomics, (meta)-transcriptomics and environmental quantifications to try to understand the role of light on PR-based photoheterotrophy in the ocean. In this talk I will show that the solar energy captured by PR-photoheterotrophy can promote bacterial growth, substrate uptake and survival to starvation under organic matter limitation. Also outside the prokaryotic domains, there’s growing evidence that eukaryotic phytoplankton can produce large amounts of PR in response to nutrient limitation. I will further show the first quantitative field estimates of PR in marine systems, and that this photosystem could absorb as much or more light energy than chlorophyll-a–based photosynthesis. Given the predicted expansion of oligotrophic environments in response to global warming, the importance of PR-photoheterotrophy is expected to increase in the future oceans.
University of Southern California
Lab Website
Light-harvesting in the surface ocean: the ecological role of proteorhodopsin-based photoheterotrophy
Monday, February 5
11 AM
AHF 153 (Torrey Webb Room)
Abstract: Sunlight drives virtually all life on the Earth’s surface, with about 50% of primary productivity occurring in marine systems. However, before the year 2000, all known phototrophic metabolisms in the ocean were based on chlorophyll-like molecules. This traditional view of phototrophy changed radically with the discovery of marine bacterial proteorhodopsins (PR). Since then, PR genes and transcripts have repeatedly been found in extremely high abundances in all sunlit environments, particularly in the surface ocean. PRs are simple light driven proton pumps that allow microbes to transform light into chemical energy. My lab combines physiology studies, with (meta)-genomics, (meta)-transcriptomics and environmental quantifications to try to understand the role of light on PR-based photoheterotrophy in the ocean. In this talk I will show that the solar energy captured by PR-photoheterotrophy can promote bacterial growth, substrate uptake and survival to starvation under organic matter limitation. Also outside the prokaryotic domains, there’s growing evidence that eukaryotic phytoplankton can produce large amounts of PR in response to nutrient limitation. I will further show the first quantitative field estimates of PR in marine systems, and that this photosystem could absorb as much or more light energy than chlorophyll-a–based photosynthesis. Given the predicted expansion of oligotrophic environments in response to global warming, the importance of PR-photoheterotrophy is expected to increase in the future oceans.
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