[SS16] Next-Generation Mathematical Biology: Where It Meets Bioinformatics

[SS16-01] Simulating Embryonic Development: A Collective Cellular Society

*Nika Shakiba^1,2 (1. University of British Columbia (Canada), 2. University of Osaka (Japan))

Keywords:

Embryonic development,Cell competition,Evolutionary game theory,Human development,Pluripotent stem cells

The developing embryo is a multicellular society reliant on orchestration between cells to generate sophisticated tissues. While seemingly peaceful, development is riddled with riots. Work in the last decade has connected “cell competition” between pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) derived from mammalian embryos to the first example of this type of contact-mediated cell killing, reported in 1975 in the developing fruit fly. While killing is an evolutionarily conserved social interaction between cells, its evolutionary basis remains unknown. Here, I will explore a combined experimental and computational effort to uncover mechanisms that drive competition and the impact of cell competition on the overall fitness of the embryo. Further, I will present a new international initiative that pairs empirical and theoretical models to simulate human embryonic development.