Exploring the Tension between Fidelity and Variability in Biology from Genetic to Neural Networks
Event Details
- Type
- Center for Studies in Physics and Biology Seminars
- Speaker(s)
-
Mariela Petkova, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow, Harvard University
- Speaker bio(s)
-
Biological systems constantly navigate a delicate balance between reproducibility and variability. Developmental processes exemplify remarkable precision—each person has five fingers —but neural circuits in the brain must maintain a flexible architecture to enable adaptive behavior. In this talk, I explore this tension through two complementary lenses: small genetic networks guiding precise cell identities in fly development, and large neural networks guiding animal behavior. Specific examples include how electric fish subtract self-generated electrical signals to accurately detect prey, and how zebrafish swim upstream in complete darkness by integrating local water flow rotations in a neural implementation of Stoke’s theorem. By performing quantitative measurements of gene expression and neural connectivity and relating them to the biological function of each network, I demonstrate that simple rules can emerge even from the most intricate networks.
- Open to
- Public
- Phone
- (212) 327-8636
- Sponsor
-
Melanie Lee
(212) 327-8636
leem@rockefeller.edu