Achievement

Michelle Costa, an INCBN IGERT Trainee and a Ph.D. graduate student in Chemical Engineering has developed a novel adaptively coarse-grained Monte Carlo algorithm for the membrane - cytosol interface. The motivation was to investigate how receptor clustering can lead to an enhancement in signal transduction leading to upregulation of proliferative pathways observed in various cancers. By attending the INCBN IGERT seminars where interdisciplinary research was discussed, Ms. Costa has learned of areas in experimental biology where such a computational approach would be valuable as well as predictive. This interdisciplinary experience gave motivation and direction to her research. A few publication containing the results of this work are currently being prepared.