Immersive Modeling and Analytics of Multi-scale Biological Systems

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A key motivation of my research program is to explore computers as "think tools". In particular, I am interested in creating computationally augmented environments (physical or virtual), in which we can explore seemingly complex systems. At the core, I am interested in studying emergent system properties, where the net effect of interacting subsystems seems to be greater than a collection of its individual parts. Since my early exposure to informatics and computer science as a student, I have been keenly interested in biological systems, their inner workings, how they are constructed, built, and maintained, and Nature's evolutionary mechanisms to create such systems. One thing that I have learnt through my research is that computer scientists and biologists think about complex systems in similar ways. Biologists tend to think about their objects of study as discrete entities (micro molecules, proteins, organelles, cells, tissues, organs, systems, etc). Computationally, these `objects' can be represented as `agents', entities that have specific properties and follow certain rules of interaction that result in dynamic system behaviours and manifestations. As a computer scientist I look at how to capture, illustrate and make such seemingly complex systems explorable through 3D, interactive computer models. The agent-based models, that we develop in my Evolutionary & Swarm Design research lab, help to communicate fundamental principles of complex systems and their dynamics. Interactive models make complex 3D worlds accessible to new ways of investigation, where one is immersed in the actual simulated systems. Thus the computer acts as a collaborative "think tool" that facilitates virtual brain storming as well as detailed experimentation and explorations. "To see is to begin to understand". And to explore our own learning paths through interactive models does deepen our understanding. More recently, my research team has started to investigate mixed reality user interfaces for visualization, navigation, presentation, and exploration of model hierarchies across temporal and spatial scales. From our experiences with virtual and augmented reality, immersive display technologies have proven to be game changers for data presentation and interactive exploration. In searching for innovative ways of disseminating our research, we make complex models accessible to a wider user base by making simulations run seamlessly across a range of computing platforms (mobile, desktop, tablet, game stations, cloud computing). We have started to use computer game engines to make our simulations platform agnostic. Game engines also provide excellent development platforms which are not only accessible to computer scientists, but also to artists, designers, educators, and biologists or medical researchers as domain experts. "Crowd sharing" will provide a high level of accessibility and support collective advancements of computational models.