CAREER: Mathematics for Biological Engineering

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CAREER: Mathematics for Biological EngineeringYiannis N. KaznessisUniversity of MinnesotaBES-0644792The research objective of this project is to develop the mathematics of biological engineering and to investigate and design inducible gene expression systems combining theory and experiments. The education objective is to train and attract a new generation of engineers and scientists to computational and experimental systems biology. Exposing high school teachers and students to computational bioengineering is a specific educational/outreach aim. Intellectual merit: The current rapid expansion of biological knowledge offers a great opportunity to rationally engineer biological systems that respond to signals. The large number of components and interactions involved in dynamic gene regulation warrants a quantitative systems biology perspective. The creation of mathematical theories and accurate models of all known molecular events involved in transcriptional/translational regulation can provide new descriptive and predictive insight into the dynamic behavior of gene networks. The proposed activities advance knowledge in computational systems and synthetic biology. They also result in novel gene regulatory networks, such as bio-logical AND gates. Broader impacts: The ambitious idea of engineering cells that will function as miniature factories has given rise to new fields of research, systems and synthetic biology. The objectives are the design and construction of new biological parts, devices and systems from natural biological systems. The computational bioengineering theories and algorithms proposed will positively impact rational biological engineering. Broad applications range from biofuel development, to detectors for biochemical and chemical weapons, to devices that will remove environmental pollutants, to disease diagnosis, to gene therapies, even to engineered microbes to produce hydrogen from sunlight and water. Computational and mathematical biology, implemented with an eye towards engineering applications, are exciting fields. Assisting high school teachers to employ the considerable computational biology resources at the University of Minnesota and teaching them how mathematics and biology can be combined productively in the computer is a priority detailed in this project. Expected outcomes are participants with the ability to instruct high school students in the fundamental concepts of computational biology, and eventually high school students interested in pursuing a science/engineering career.