Title: Recreational Biology - Topological Puzzles in Cell Biology
Speaker: Dr. Manu Prakash, Stanford University, Woods Institute for the Environment, USA
Date: Tuesday, 28th March, 2023
Time: 1:50 pm
Venue: Dasheri, SLC, NCBS Bangalore
Abstract:
Recreational mathematics involves mathematical puzzles and games, often appealing to children and untrained adults, inspiring their further study of the subject. Can a similar analogy be drawn in biology? Without making any claims of usefulness, we will explore a wide range of topological puzzles in cellular physiology: Can single cells be toroidal in nature? Can cytoskeletal geometry encode complex behavior in free living protists? Do cells get stuck in topological traps? Finally, we will reect on role of curiosity as an engine for discovery in life sciences.
All are welcome!