Interdisciplinary network: Mathematical Models and Experimental Microbial Systems: Tools for Studying Evolution

2007年6月，我们举办了题为“数学模型和实验微生物系统：研究进化的工具，作为在这一领域形成网络的先驱”的讲习班。研讨会取得了巨大的成功，我们要求提供资金，以形成一个后续网络，作为关键的下一步，让羽翼未丰的互动蓬勃发展，弥合差距，建立联系，从而导致新的研究方向和长期合作。拟议中的网络将把数学家和生命科学家聚集在一起，共同研究进化生态学中的一些主要问题，这些问题受到两个基本问题的启发：什么决定了物种多样性？合作行为是如何演变的？这些问题在最近的一期《科学》特刊中得到了强调，这些问题是科学界在未来几十年面临的25个关键问题中的一个，这些问题使得这个网络的时间选择特别合适。研究进化问题的一个日益富有成效的方法是对微生物进行实验室实验，如细菌、病毒、酵母和一些黏菌，在那里可以观察到进化发生的过程，并且可以在分子、遗传、代谢和细胞水平上获得高质量的数据，这些数据对于建模过程是绝对必要的。这导致了微生物生态学的一场革命，最近发表在《自然微生物学》上的一篇文章强调，如果研究没有理论的指导和驱动，正在进行的革命的全部潜力将无法实现，已经建立的理论的普遍性必须通过微生物实验来检验。因此，我们的网络将汇集从数学家、理论模型师、实验微生物生态学家、微生物学家到生物化学家的一系列科学家。他们的专业知识将使我们能够在许多不同的水平上制定和解决复杂的进化问题，从多营养的，一直到种群，再到细胞水平。我们将举办四个讲习班，最终在电子年支助期结束时举行最后一次国际会议。网络成员之间的日常联系将通过网络网站保持，我们还将在第二次发放助学金时举办暑期班。EPSRC的支持将使我们能够为网络的增长和扩展奠定坚实的基础，最终建立一个世界领先的、自我可持续的进化研究虚拟中心。

In June 2007 we held a workshop entitled Mathematical Models and Experimental Microbial system: Tools for Studying Evolution as a precursor to forming a network in this area. The workshop was a huge success and we request funding to form a follow-on network as the essential next step to allow the fledgling interactions to flourish and to bridge gaps and forge links that will lead to new research directions and long term collaborations.The proposed network will bring together mathematicians and life scientists to jointly work on some of the major problems in evolutionary ecology inspired by two fundamental questions: What determines species diversity? and How did cooperative behaviour evolve?. These questions were highlighted in a recent special issue of Science from among 25 key problems that face the scientific community over the coming decades that make the timing of this network particularly apposite.An increasingly fruitful approach to studying evolutionary problems is to perform laboratory experiments on microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, yeast and some slime-moulds where evolution can be observed as it happens and where high-quality data can be obtained at molecular, genetic, metabolic and cellular levels, data that is absolutely essential to the modelling process. This has lead to a revolution in microbial ecology and a recent article in Nature Microbiology has emphasized that the full potential of the ongoing revolution will not be realised if research is not directed and driven by theory and that the generality of established theory must be tested using microbial experiments.Therefore our network will bring together a range of scientists from mathematicians, theoretical modellers, experimental microbial ecologists, microbiologists to biochemists. Their expertise will allow us to formulate and tackle complex evolutionary problems at many different levels, from multi-trophic, through to population and down to the cellular level. We will hold four workshops culminating in the final international meeting at the end of the thee-year support period. The day-to-day contact amongst the network members will be maintained through the network web-site and we will also hold a summer school in the second your of the grant. The EPSRC support will allow us to set up a solid foundation for the growth and expansion of the network culminating in the world-leading and self-sustainable virtual centre for studying evolution.