CAREER: Characterizing a Landscape of Signal Processing in the Immune System

智力上的功绩。信令网络是细胞和生物体的信息处理装置。它们驱动复杂的过程，如从单个细胞发育整个人类，并在对病原体的协调反应中保护身体。免疫系统为研究哺乳动物的发育提供了一个独特的机会。白血球经历了分化和增殖，这是一个在生物体的整个生命中永无止境的过程。这项研究的目标是呈现一个关于免疫系统、其功能及其发展的全球、系统的观点。这种方法是基于一种新的革命性技术--质量细胞术，它使我们能够以前所未有的分辨率和细节观察细胞信号和发育。这赋予了以一种全新的方式探索发展的力量，揭开了我们是如何由一个单一细胞组成的谜团。更广泛的影响。生物研究以新技术铺平道路，这些新技术会带来新的机会、新的挑战，最重要的是新的发现。阐明分子信号处理和发展的一般原理在现代生物学的许多基本挑战中都有很大的用处。这是一个令人兴奋的时代，在这个时代，跨学科研究可以真正对生物学产生影响。要产生这样的影响，需要经过定量和生物科学培训的科学家。该项目的一个关键部分是开发向更广泛的社区提取复杂科学的方法，包括为K-8举办科学博览会，以及在本科生和研究生水平上进行专门的系统生物学培训。在这个项目中开发的建模和可视化工具是向学生更切实和具体地展示生物系统的复杂性的理想工具，是理想的培训和推广资源。技术和计算的协同结合将对整个生物学的广泛主题产生变革性的影响。

Intellectual Merit. Signaling networks are the information processing devices of cells and organisms. These drive complex processes such as the development of an entire human being from a single cell and protecting the body in a coordinated response to a pathogen. The immune system presents a unique opportunity for studying development in mammals. White blood cells undergo differentiation and proliferation, a never-ending process throughout the life of the organism. The goal of this research is to present a global, systems view of the immune system, its function and its development. The approach is based on a new revolutionary technology, Mass-Cytometry, which enables us to observe cellular signaling and development at unprecedented resolution and detail. This empowers the exploration of development in a brand new way, unraveling the mystery of how we are made from just a single cell. Broader Impacts. Biological research is paved with novel technologies that lead to new opportunities, new challenges, and most importantly new discoveries. Elucidating general principles for molecular signal processing and development have great utility across a host of fundamental challenges in modern biology. This is an exciting era, during which interdisciplinary research can really make an impact on biology. To make such impact requires scientists trained in both quantitative and biological sciences. A key part of this project is to develop ways to distill complex science to a broader community, including science expo for K-8 and specialized systems biology training at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The modeling and visualization tools developed in this project are ideal for presenting the complexity of biological systems in a more tangible and concrete manner for students and are ideal training and outreach resources. The synergistic combination of technology and computation will have a transformative influence on broad topics across all of biology.