Population and Ordering Dynamics in Bacterial Intestinal Infection

在这个项目中，PI将研究驱动线虫线虫感染机会细菌铜绿假单胞菌的种群和信息动力学。蠕虫作为宿主模型具有以下优点：其几何结构简单，易于培养和成像，而感染机制和先天性免疫反应在进化上是保守的。细菌在宿主内的物理运动，它们对宿主环境的感觉，以及它们的适应和集体反应将被成像和量化。数据将被分析并汇编成一个理论框架，灵感来自于人口动力学物理学和无序系统中有序现象的统计力学。这个项目将提供宿主内细菌动态的详细描述，被认为是毒力和对感染的抵抗力进化的关键决定因素。虽然该项目将侧重于线虫的感染，但新兴的理论概念预计将广泛适用。将开发新的工具，以实现长期高分辨率成像。该项目的真正跨学科性质和对发病机制的普遍兴趣有可能吸引不同的学生。PI将为高级本科生和研究生开发一门新课程，该课程将讨论动态生物系统的频谱，并开发复杂生物系统建模的理论和实践方面。该项目将成立一个讨论小组，由本科生和公立学校教师组成。该项目由物理系的生命系统物理学项目和综合组织系统系的生理和结构系统共同支持。

In this project the PI will study the population and information dynamics that drive the infection of the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans by the opportunistic bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The worm offers advantages as a host model: its geometry is simple and it is easy to cultivate and image, while mechanism of infection and innate immune response are evolutionary conserved. The physical locomotion of bacteria within the host, their sensation of the host environment, and their adaptation and collective response will be imaged and quantified. Data will be analyzed and compiled into a theoretical framework, inspired by the physics of population dynamics and the statistical mechanics of ordering phenomena in disordered systems. This project will provide detailed description of within-host bacterial dynamics, believed to be key determinant in evolution of virulence and resistance to infection. While the project will focus on infection of C. elegans, emerging theoretical concepts are expected to be broadly applicable. Novel tools will be developed to permit long-term high-resolution imaging. The true interdisciplinary nature of the project and the general interest in pathogenesis bear the potential to attract a diverse cohort of students. The PI will develop a new course intended for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, which will discuss a spectrum of dynamical biological systems and develop the theoretical and practical aspects of modeling a complex biological system. The PI will establish a discussion group to accompany the project, composed of undergraduate students and public school teachers.This project is being jointly supported by the Physics of Living Systems program in the Division of Physics and the Physiological and Structural Systems in the Division of Integrative Organismal Systems.