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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20210108T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20210108T113000
DTSTAMP:20260518T095543
CREATED:20210103T194659Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210109T154059Z
UID:15374-1610103600-1610105400@qcb.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:QCBio Research Seminar: Dino Osmanovic (Franco)
DESCRIPTION:TITLE: “Chemical reactions and condensates” \nABSTRACT: In the past decade\, condensates have been implicated as a mechanism of organization in biological systems. In addition to the potentially biologically relevant aspects of this\, it has also encouraged physicists to revisit some aspects of the classic theories of phase separation\, but now with inclusion of elements that more closely mimic elements of biological reality. In this talk\, I shall present an example of such\, where I will show how simple models of phase separating liquids with the inclusion of non-equilibrium chemical reactions can lead to novel behaviors. \n\nhttps://qcb.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2021/01/Dino-Osmanovic-edited.mp4
URL:https://qcb.ucla.edu/event/qcbio-research-seminar-dino-osmanovic-franco/
LOCATION:ZOOM\, CA\, United States
CATEGORIES:Research Seminars
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://wp-misc.lifesci.ucla.edu/qcb/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2021/01/Unknown-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20210108T113000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20210108T120000
DTSTAMP:20260518T095543
CREATED:20210103T195126Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210113T013242Z
UID:15378-1610105400-1610107200@qcb.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:QCBio Research Seminar: Sharmila Venugopal\, Assistant Adjunct Professor\, Integrative Biology and Physiology - PART I
DESCRIPTION:TITLE: “Merging Experimental and Computational Approaches to Study Neurodegenerative Disease Dynamics” \nABSTRACT: Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s affect millions of people around the world and are a growing health concern in aging populations. A major roadblock in developing effective treatments involve the diverse etiology and progression rates\, combined with a lack of clear understanding of how disease alters the nervous system. Basic science plays a crucial role in developing a deeper understanding of pre-symptomatic disease mechanisms using animal models of human disease.  Exploiting this opportunity\, our lab has taken a unique stride to merge data-driven computational modeling with diverse experimental approaches to examine the workings of a neural microcircuit and its vulnerability in neurodegeneration. In my talk\, I will discuss our work on computational and mathematical modeling \, use of a biohybrid technique to integrate models into experiments in real-time\, and our novel findings in a devastating neurodegenerative motor neuron disease\, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis\, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. \nhttps://qcb.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2021/01/Sharmila-Venugopal-edited.mp4
URL:https://qcb.ucla.edu/event/qcbio-research-seminar-sharmila-venugopal-assistant-adjunct-professor-integrative-biology-and-physiology/
LOCATION:ZOOM\, CA\, United States
CATEGORIES:Research Seminars
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://wp-misc.lifesci.ucla.edu/qcb/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2021/01/Sharmila-Venugopal.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20210113T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20210113T100000
DTSTAMP:20260518T095543
CREATED:20210114T192138Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210114T192138Z
UID:15892-1610528400-1610532000@qcb.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:Developmental Systems Biology Faculty Search - MCDB | QCBio | BSCRC Seminar: Adrian Jacobo\, PhD\, The Rockefeller University\, New York\, NY
DESCRIPTION:TITLE: “Symmetry breaking during morphogenesis of a mechanosensory organ” \nABSTRACT: The development of mechanosensory epithelia\, such as those of the auditory and vestibular systems\, results in the precise orientation of mechanosensory hair cells and consequently directional sensitivity. After division of a precursor cell in the zebrafish lateral line\, the daughter hair cells differentiate with opposite mechanical sensitivity. This process produces neuromasts containing equal numbers of hair cells of two opposite polarities\, half of them sensitive to caudad water movement and half to rostrad flow.  \nUsing a combination of experimental tools and mathematical modeling we show how Notch-mediated lateral inhibition produces a bistable switch that reliably gives rise to hair-cell pairs of opposite polarity. This spontaneous symmetry breaking drives polarity-dependent movements of hair cells that lead to the establishment of a mirror-symmetric organization of the organ. We model these reconfigurations by describing the effective surface tensions of the hair cells and the changes in these quantities throughout the developmental process. These results provide a unified experimental and theoretical framework to describe the polarity selection and directed migration of hair cells in the zebrafish lateral line. 
URL:https://qcb.ucla.edu/event/developmental-systems-biology-faculty-search-mcdb-qcbio-bscrc-seminar-adrian-jacobo-phd-the-rockefeller-university-new-york-ny/
LOCATION:ZOOM\, CA\, United States
CATEGORIES:Research Seminars
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://wp-misc.lifesci.ucla.edu/qcb/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2021/01/Seminar-flyer-Adrian-Jacobo3.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20210113T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20210113T120000
DTSTAMP:20260518T095543
CREATED:20210114T192851Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210114T192851Z
UID:15901-1610535600-1610539200@qcb.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:Developmental Systems Biology Faculty Search - MCDB | QCBio | BSCRC Seminar: Eviatar Yemini\, PhD\, Columbia University\, New York\, NY
DESCRIPTION:TITLE: “Biologist\, Know Thy Cells – A Colorful Barcoding Method to ID Cell Types\, their Fate\, and Decode Brainwide Communication” \nABSTRACT: A major challenge in biological imaging is resolving cell identities. These are necessary for determining cell-specific protein expression and function\, the effect of transcription factors on cell fate\, and the contribution of individual neurons to brainwide activity and behavior. Present methods are limited to a piecemeal approach\, using multiple strains to identify a few cell types at a time. I introduce a new method and software that can identify many cell types\, and in some cases all neurons\, in vivo using a single strain. My method combines cell reporters with five distinguishable fluorescent proteins to create unique\, stereotyped color codes that identify cell types. I illustrate this in C. elegans\, engineering a multicolor transgene called NeuroPAL (a Neuronal Polychromatic Atlas of Landmarks)\, to create an identical colormap in all worms that uniquely identifies every neuron\, showcasing three applications. First\, I identify the neuronal expression patterns of all metabotropic receptors for acetylcholine\, GABA\, and glutamate\, thus completing a map of this communication network. My findings indicate that second-messenger systems are the primary means of GABA communication in worm\, and further suggest widespread extrasynaptic GABA signaling. Second\, I analyze the conserved transcription factor EOR-1/PLZF and\, despite its ubiquitous expression\, uncover a precise role in neuronal fate. Third\, I identify brainwide codes for gustatory and olfactory stimuli. My findings show a complex code that challenges the present view that global neuronal activity is simply low dimensional. To facilitate the workflow\, I present semi-automated cell identification software and optimal-coloring software to apply the same method in other tissues and organisms. Lastly\, I discuss future applications: investigating how whole-nervous-system activity is remodeled to change behavior during early development\, sexual maturation\, in response to environmental stress\, and even across 15+ million years of evolutionary divergence. 
URL:https://qcb.ucla.edu/event/developmental-systems-biology-faculty-search-mcdb-qcbio-bscrc-seminar-eviatar-yemini-phd-columbia-university-new-york-ny/
LOCATION:ZOOM\, CA\, United States
CATEGORIES:Research Seminars
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://wp-misc.lifesci.ucla.edu/qcb/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2021/01/Seminar-flyer-Eviatar-Yemini5.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20210114T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20210114T130000
DTSTAMP:20260518T095543
CREATED:20210114T193401Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210114T193401Z
UID:15909-1610625600-1610629200@qcb.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:Developmental Systems Biology Faculty Search - MCDB | QCBio | BSCRC Seminar: Hannah Long\, DPhil\, Stanford University\, Stanford\, CA
DESCRIPTION:TITLE: “Enhancer Loss and Gene Dosage Sensitivity Drives a Human Craniofacial Disorder” \nABSTRACT: In recent years\, the importance of understanding the role of non-coding regulatory mutations in human disease has become increasingly apparent. This is illustrated by a hotspot of non-coding mutations at the far end of a large gene desert surrounding the SOX9 gene that result in a human craniofacial disorder called Pierre Robin sequence (PRS). To test whether this locus harbours developmental regulatory elements that are perturbed in PRS patients\, we utilized a well-characterized in vitro differentiation model of facial development. Within the PRS-associated region we identified two clusters of enhancers that regulate SOX9 expression during a restricted window of facial progenitor development\, at distances of up to 1.45 Mb. Enhancers within these clusters exhibit highly synergistic activity that is dependent on the Coordinator motif and TWIST1 binding and are conserved in activity down to Coelacanth fish. We observe dramatic changes in 3D conformation of the SOX9 locus during facial progenitor development and propose a mechanism for extreme long-range gene regulation. Using mouse models\, we demonstrate that specificity of PRS manifestations arises from the convergence of two developmental features: confinement of Sox9 dosage perturbation to the developing facial structures due to context-specific enhancer activity\, and a heightened sensitivity of the lower jaw to Sox9 level reduction. Overall\, we characterize the longest-range human enhancers involved in congenital malformations described to date\, provide molecular insights into disease aetiology to directly classify PRS as an enhanceropathy\, and illustrate how small changes in gene expression can lead to morphological variation. 
URL:https://qcb.ucla.edu/event/developmental-systems-biology-faculty-search-mcdb-qcbio-bscrc-seminar-hannah-long-dphil-stanford-university-stanford-ca/
LOCATION:ZOOM\, CA\, United States
CATEGORIES:Research Seminars
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://wp-misc.lifesci.ucla.edu/qcb/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2021/01/Seminar-flyer-Hannah-Long2.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20210115T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20210115T233000
DTSTAMP:20260518T095543
CREATED:20210109T154453Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210116T161044Z
UID:15752-1610708400-1610753400@qcb.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:QCBio Research Seminar: Sharmila Venugopal (Part II)
DESCRIPTION:TITLE: “Merging Experimental and Computational Approaches to Study Neurodegenerative Disease Dynamics” \nABSTRACT: “Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s affect millions of people around the world and are a growing health concern in aging populations. A major roadblock in developing effective treatments involve the diverse etiology and progression rates\, combined with a lack of clear understanding of how disease alters the nervous system. Basic science plays a crucial role in developing a deeper understanding of pre-symptomatic disease mechanisms using animal models of human disease.  Exploiting this opportunity\, our lab has taken a unique stride to merge data-driven computational modeling with diverse experimental approaches to examine the workings of a neural microcircuit and its vulnerability in neurodegeneration. In my talk\, I will discuss our work on computational and mathematical modeling \, use of a biohybrid technique to integrate models into experiments in real-time\, and our novel findings in a devastating neurodegenerative motor neuron disease\, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis\, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.” \nhttps://qcb.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2021/01/Sharmila-Venugopal-edited-1.mp4
URL:https://qcb.ucla.edu/event/qcbio-research-seminar-sharmila-venugopal-part-ii/
LOCATION:ZOOM\, CA\, United States
CATEGORIES:Research Seminars
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://wp-misc.lifesci.ucla.edu/qcb/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2021/01/Sharmila-Venugopal.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20210115T113000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20210115T120000
DTSTAMP:20260518T095543
CREATED:20210103T195622Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210115T220924Z
UID:15384-1610710200-1610712000@qcb.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:QCBio Research Seminar: Cyrillus Tan (Meyer)
DESCRIPTION:TITLE: “A quantitative view of strategies to engineer cell-selective ligand binding” \nABSTRACT: Selective binding to specific target cells is a critical property of many therapies. To enhance selectivity in specific situations\, a series of new strategies have been proposed in the drug development literature\, including affinity\, valency\, multi-specificity\, and other alterations to target cell binding. We have developed a simple and general\, multivalent ligand-receptor binding model that can help to direct therapeutic engineering. Using this model\, we provide generalized and quantitative analyses of the effectiveness and limitations of each strategy. We also demonstrate that combining strategies can offer enhanced selectivity. This work provides guidance for future therapeutic development. \nhttps://qcb.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2021/01/Cyrillus-Tan-edited.mp4
URL:https://qcb.ucla.edu/event/research-seminar-cyrillus-tan-meyer/
LOCATION:ZOOM\, CA\, United States
CATEGORIES:Research Seminars
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://wp-misc.lifesci.ucla.edu/qcb/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2021/01/Cyrillus-Tan.jpeg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20210115T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20210115T130000
DTSTAMP:20260518T095543
CREATED:20210114T193131Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210114T193131Z
UID:15905-1610712000-1610715600@qcb.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:Developmental Systems Biology Faculty Search - MCDB | QCBio | BSCRC Seminar: Juan Alvarez\, PhD\, Harvard University\, Cambridge\, MA
DESCRIPTION:TITLE: “Organoid Maturation by Circadian Entrainment “ \nABSTRACT: Stem cell-derived tissues that recap endogenous physiology are key for regenerative medicine. Yet\, most methods yield products that function like fetal\, not adult tissues. Organoids are typically grown in constant environments\, while our tissues mature along with behavioral cycles. I show that inducing circadian rhythms in pancreatic islet organoids\, by entraining them to daily feeding-fasting cycles or “meals”\, elicits their metabolic maturation. The results show that rhythms can be harnessed to further functional maturation of organoids destined for human therapeutics. 
URL:https://qcb.ucla.edu/event/developmental-systems-biology-faculty-search-mcdb-qcbio-bscrc-seminar-juan-alvarez-phd-harvard-university-cambridge-ma/
LOCATION:ZOOM\, CA\, United States
CATEGORIES:Research Seminars
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://wp-misc.lifesci.ucla.edu/qcb/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2021/01/Seminar-flyer-Juan-Alvarez3.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20210119T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20210119T110000
DTSTAMP:20260518T095543
CREATED:20210114T192543Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210114T192553Z
UID:15897-1611050400-1611054000@qcb.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:Developmental Systems Biology Faculty Search - MCDB | QCBio | BSCRC Seminar: Akankshi Munjal\, PhD\, Harvard Medical School\, Boston\, MA
DESCRIPTION:TITLE: “Building an integrated framework for tissue morphogenesis with the zebrafish inner ear” \nABSTRACT: How simple tissues give rise to geometrically complex organs with robust shapes and functions is a fundamental question in biology with important implications in disease and translational medicine. The current mechanistic framework explains how upstream genetic and biochemical information pattern cellular mechanics and thereby tissue dynamics. In this framework\, the main driving force is cell-intrinsic and generated by actomyosin contractility. The extracellular matrix (ECM) that surrounds most cells is considered to be a passive mechanical scaffold that may shape these forces through differential stiffness. I will present a case which inverts this expectation. Zebrafish semicircular canals form from invaginations in the otic epithelium (buds) that extend and fuse to form the hubs of each canal. We find that conventional actomyosin-driven behaviors are not required. Instead\, local secretion of hyaluronan\, made by the enzymes ugdh and has3\, drives canal morphogenesis. Charged hyaluronate polymers osmotically swell with water and generate isotropic extracellular pressure to deform the overlying epithelium into buds. The mechanical anisotropy needed to shape buds into tubes is conferred by a polarized distribution of cellular protrusions\, linked between cells\, that we term cytocinches. Hyaluronate-pressure shaped by anisotropic tissue stiffness may be a widespread mechanism for powering morphological change in organogenesis and tissue engineering. In my independent research program\, I will use the zebrafish inner development to investigate emerging behaviors in tissue morphogenesis as a result of under-explored players such as the mechano-chemical roles of the ECM\, feedback interactions between patterning and morphogenesis\, and the contribution of tissue geometry in determining robust organ shape. My long-term vision to build an integrated framework for tissue morphogenesis encapsulating generalizable design principles through a description of how multi-scale interactions and feedback give rise to information and mechanics\, and to use insights from fundamental research to advance translational medicine. 
URL:https://qcb.ucla.edu/event/developmental-systems-biology-faculty-search-mcdb-qcbio-bscrc-seminar-akankshi-munjal-phd-harvard-medical-school-boston-ma/
LOCATION:ZOOM\, CA\, United States
CATEGORIES:Research Seminars
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://wp-misc.lifesci.ucla.edu/qcb/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2021/01/Seminar-flyer-Akankshi-Munjal2.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20210119T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20210119T130000
DTSTAMP:20260518T095543
CREATED:20210114T191740Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210114T194118Z
UID:15888-1611057600-1611061200@qcb.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:Developmental Systems Biology Faculty Search - MCDB | QCBio | BSCRC Seminar: Charlene Guillot (Ryan)\, PhD\, Harvard Medical School\, Boston\, MA
DESCRIPTION:TITLE: “Understanding how environmental cues regulate Neuro-Mesodermal progenitor cells in development and disease” \nABSTRACT: The trunk and tail of vertebrates arise from the addition of mesodermal (i.e.\, muscle and vertebrae) and neural (i.e.\, spinal cord) cells from the progenitor zone in the tailbud. This developmental program is critical for the proper formation of the posterior body axis and leads to congenital anomalies\, such as Neural Tube Defects (NTDs)\, when not accurately executed. Environmental cues and genetics are both risk factors for NTDs in humans. However\, the exact mechanism by which NTDs arise is unknown. It was only recently that Neuro-mesodermal progenitor (NMP) cells were identified as a population of bi-potent cells forming the mouse’s posterior axis. The identification of this new cell type allows us to revisit the spinal cord and the mesodermal tissue formation\, which is directly relevant for understanding the etiology of NTDs. The study of NTDs is challenging as they are multifactorial and arise during a short time window in early development that is hardly accessible to imaging and perturbation experiments in mouse. Motivated to establish a new framework to study the events leading to NTDs\, I provided the first evidence for the existence of Neuro-Mesodermal progenitor cells in the chicken embryo and developed novel techniques to study NMPs with single-cell resolution. My laboratory will utilize unbiased transcriptomics\, targeted single-cell lineage tracing\, and dynamics imaging to identify novel genes involved in NTDs pathologies and determine how NMPs fail to contribute to the axis when the embryo is environmentally challenged.  \nIt is not often that a critical new cell type is discovered in developmental biology. My laboratory will take advantage of this opportunity to develop an integrative understanding of how environmental cues regulate NMP cells and their lineage. I expect our work will open potential avenues for data-driven prevention of NTDs during pregnancy. 
URL:https://qcb.ucla.edu/event/developmental-systems-biology-faculty-search-mcdb-qcbio-bscrc-seminar-charlene-guillot-ryan-p-h-d/
LOCATION:ZOOM\, CA\, United States
CATEGORIES:Research Seminars
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://wp-misc.lifesci.ucla.edu/qcb/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2021/01/Seminar-flyer-Charlene-Guillot-Ryan1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20210120T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20210120T120000
DTSTAMP:20260518T095543
CREATED:20210114T191248Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210114T194013Z
UID:15883-1611140400-1611144000@qcb.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:Developmental Systems Biology Faculty Search - MCDB | QCBio | BSCRC Seminar: Yogesh Goyal\, PhD\, University of Pennsylvania\, Philadelphia\, PA
DESCRIPTION:TITLE: “Cellular plasticity and fate choices in developing tissues and single cancer cells” \nABSTRACT: While cellular processes are often reproducible and precise\, cells may also alter their molecular states and adopt new fates in response to stimuli\, a phenomena referred to as “plasticity”. I am interested in understanding the control principles governing cellular plasticity and fate decisions in response to mutational and pharmacologic stresses in tissue development and cancer. I will first describe my work on quantitative approaches to monitor and control developmental signaling during fly embryogenesis. My findings reveal the complex and counterintuitive effects of pathogenic germline mutations in the highly conserved Ras signaling pathway on spatiotemporal patterning and morphogenesis. This work has implications for a large class of developmental abnormalities and our understanding of their origins and potential treatments. The second part of my talk is motivated by recent studies revealing how rare and transient non-genetic fluctuations in individual cancer cells enable them to survive pharmacologic stress\, such as molecularly targeted therapies. Unlike the binary nature of Darwinian selection whereby mutations are either present or not\, non-genetic fluctuations can exist on one\, or even multiple continuums of variation. How this non-genetic variability maps to the eventual resistant fates upon drug exposure is an emerging paradigm of cellular plasticity. Integrating novel theoretical and experimental frameworks\, I will present my findings on 1. Identifying the origins and nature of the unique transcriptional molecular states underlying this plasticity; and 2. Connecting these molecular states to their eventual drug-resistant fates by tracking thousands of uniquely barcoded cell lineages. Moving forward\, my group will adapt these quantitative approaches and concepts to measure\, model\, and engineer plasticity and its roles in tissue development and disease. 
URL:https://qcb.ucla.edu/event/developmental-systems-biology-faculty-search-mcdb-qcbio-bscrc-seminar-yogesh-goyal-p-h-d-university-of-pennsylvania-philadelphia-pa/
LOCATION:ZOOM\, CA\, United States
CATEGORIES:Research Seminars
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://wp-misc.lifesci.ucla.edu/qcb/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2021/01/Seminar-flyer-Yogesh-Goyal2.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20210121T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20210121T110000
DTSTAMP:20260518T095543
CREATED:20210114T190607Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210114T190810Z
UID:15875-1611223200-1611226800@qcb.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:Developmental Systems Biology Faculty Search - MCDB | QCBio | BSCRC Seminar: Michael F. Wells\, PhD\, Broad Institute & Harvard University\, Cambridge\, MA
DESCRIPTION:TITLE: “Exploration of human genetic and phenotypic diversity through cell villages” \nABSTRACT: Our species is characterized by an immense diversity in neurological and psychological traits. Common and rare genetic variants have been linked to trait differences and disease risk in human populations\, though the underlying biology is poorly understood and difficult to study at large scales. In this presentation\, I will first describe a novel experimental platform that enables high-throughput investigations into the influence of human genetic variation on the earliest stages of brain development. This system\, known as a “cell village” captures genetic\, molecular\, and phenotypic heterogeneity in a shared in vitro environment\, thus facilitating the detection of relationships among human alleles\, gene expression\, and cellular behaviors. I will then describe how I used cell villages to identify a single nucleotide polymorphism in the IFITM3 gene that could explain over half of the variance in neural progenitor cell susceptibility to the Zika virus\, which is a pathogen that causes severe neurodevelopmental disorders. I will conclude with a brief discussion on the future of the village approach and how I plan to deploy this technology to investigate the role of progenitor cell competition in neurodevelopment and disease. 
URL:https://qcb.ucla.edu/event/developmental-systems-biology-faculty-search-mcdb-qcbio-bscrc-seminar-speaker-michael-f-wells-phd/
LOCATION:ZOOM\, CA\, United States
CATEGORIES:Research Seminars
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://wp-misc.lifesci.ucla.edu/qcb/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2021/01/Seminar-flyer-Michael-Wells1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20210121T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20210121T140000
DTSTAMP:20260518T095543
CREATED:20210114T193736Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210114T193736Z
UID:15913-1611234000-1611237600@qcb.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:Developmental Systems Biology Faculty Search - MCDB | QCBio | BSCRC Seminar: Amjad Askary\, PhD\, California Institute of Technology\, Pasadena\, CA
DESCRIPTION:TITLE: “Imaging-based genetic recording of developmental histories” \nABSTRACT: Systems-level understanding of cell fate decisions has been hampered by limitations of the existing methods to capture developmental history of the cells. Synthetic recording\, which uses genome editing to create sequence diversity in genetic barcodes\, is emerging as a promising approach for mapping cell lineage and molecular history. However\, readout of the information stored in the barcodes by sequencing leads to loss of crucial information about the spatial context of the cells and their organization in the tissue. We have developed a system for scalable in situ readout of DNA barcodes and single nucleotide modifications in cells and tissue sections. Together with multiplexed in situ transcriptional profiling and CRISPR base editing\, this method enables us to trace lineage of many cells in each individual embryo\, reconstruct lineage trees\, and even connect the gene expression and signaling history of the progenitors to their eventual fates. In this talk\, I present our approach to imaging-based barcoding and discuss how this technology can be used to investigate elusive aspects of cell fate specification in the mammalian retina.  \n 
URL:https://qcb.ucla.edu/event/developmental-systems-biology-faculty-search-mcdb-qcbio-bscrc-seminar-amjad-askary-phd-california-institute-of-technology-pasadena-ca/
LOCATION:ZOOM\, CA\, United States
CATEGORIES:Research Seminars
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://wp-misc.lifesci.ucla.edu/qcb/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2021/01/Seminar-flyer-Amjad-Askary-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20210122T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20210122T113000
DTSTAMP:20260518T095543
CREATED:20210112T232941Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210114T014126Z
UID:15806-1611313200-1611315000@qcb.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:QCBio Research Seminar: Tevfik Umut Dincer (Ernst)
DESCRIPTION:TITLE: “Genomewide supervised prediction of activating and repressive regions in over hundred cell and tissue types” \nABSTRACT: While the vast majority of variants associated with common disease risk are distributed across the non-coding genome\, our understanding of the regulatory elements contained within remains notably incomplete. Strategies for identifying and characterizing these regulatory elements\, such as high-throughput reporter assays and CRISPR-dCas9 screens\, have been essential in decoding this complex regulatory landscape\, but they only provide information on the particular regions they cover and are currently available only in a limited number of cell types. By leveraging data from these functional assays and epigenetic features (such as histone modifications and chromatin accessibility)\, we built a supervised model to estimate the activating and repressive potential of any particular segment of the genome for over hundred cell and tissue types. We evaluate how our model learns regulatory activity from different datasets and investigate strategies for generalizing regulatory activity predictions to multiple cell types.
URL:https://qcb.ucla.edu/event/qcbio-research-seminar-tevfik-dincer-ernst/
LOCATION:ZOOM\, CA\, United States
CATEGORIES:Research Seminars
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://wp-misc.lifesci.ucla.edu/qcb/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2021/01/tevfik_dincer_photo_800.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20210122T113000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20210122T120000
DTSTAMP:20260518T095543
CREATED:20210104T174455Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210104T174725Z
UID:15463-1611315000-1611316800@qcb.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:QCBio Research Seminar: Iris Dror (Plath)
DESCRIPTION:TITLE: “XIST controls X chromosome dampening and autosomal genes in early human development” \nABSTRACT: \nFemale human pre-implantation embryos and naïve human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) equalize X-linked gene expression with males via X-chromosome dampening (XCD)\, a unique strategy of dosage compensation in mammals. The mechanisms controlling XCD are unknown. Here\, we show that the long non-coding RNA XIST\, which mediates X-chromosome inactivation (XCI)\, is required for XCD. XIST employs similar principles and protein partners\, including SPEN\, to execute XCD and XCI\, but displays a lower accumulation and different distribution on the dampened versus the inactive X. Unexpectedly\, XIST also spreads to specific autosomal regions and induces the downregulation of autosomal developmental genes in female naïve hPSCs and pre-implantation embryos. Thus\, XIST balances X-linked gene expression but causes imbalances in autosomal gene expression between male and female cells in early human development. Together\, our results show that the XIST-SPEN-axis can induce distinct gene expression outputs on the X-chromosome and transiently regulate autosomal genes in humans.
URL:https://qcb.ucla.edu/event/qcbio-research-seminar-iris-dror-plath/
LOCATION:ZOOM\, CA\, United States
CATEGORIES:Research Seminars
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://wp-misc.lifesci.ucla.edu/qcb/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2021/01/Iris-Dror.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20210129T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20210129T113000
DTSTAMP:20260518T095543
CREATED:20210106T171106Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210121T021246Z
UID:15669-1611918000-1611919800@qcb.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:QCBio Research Seminar: Ariel Wu (Sankararaman)
DESCRIPTION:TITLE: “Fast estimation of genetic correlation for Biobank-scale data” \nABSTRACT: Genetic correlation is an important parameter in understanding the shared genetic basis across pairs of complex traits with applications ranging across disease subtyping\, genetic prediction\, and causal inference. The availability of genome-wide genetic data has led to a number of methods that aim to estimate genetic correlation. Methods that analyze individual genotype data (typically using a bi-variate linear mixed model) are computationally expensive to be applied to large-scale datasets such as the UK Biobank. In contrast\, methods that use GWAS summary statistics\, such as LD-score regression (LDSC) and high-definition likelihood (HDL)\, are computationally efficient but tend to have large standard errors. Thus\, it is critical to develop methods that can accurately estimate genetic correlation from large individual-level datasets. \nIn this talk\, I will present on SCORE (SCalable genetic CORrelation Estimator)\, a randomized algorithm to estimate the genetic correlation of traits using individual-level genotypes that can scale to UK Biobank-size datasets.
URL:https://qcb.ucla.edu/event/qcbio-research-seminar-ariel-wu-sankararaman/
LOCATION:ZOOM\, CA\, United States
CATEGORIES:Research Seminars
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://wp-misc.lifesci.ucla.edu/qcb/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2021/01/Ariel-Wu.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20210129T113000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20210129T120000
DTSTAMP:20260518T095543
CREATED:20210106T170706Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210130T013942Z
UID:15666-1611919800-1611921600@qcb.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:QCBio Research Seminar: Diane Lefaudeux (Hoffmann)
DESCRIPTION:TITLE: “Determining mRNA nuclear export kinetics reveals a wide range of values associated with innate immune response genes” \nABSTRACT: The abundance and stimulus-responsiveness of mature mRNA is known to be determined by nuclear synthesis and cytoplasmic decay. However\, nuclear processing and export events and may also contribute.  Here\, we investigated the role nuclear export rates in innate immune gene expression. We generated high spatio-temporal resolution RNA-seq data from endotoxin-stimulated macrophages and developed a mathematical modeling workflow to infer kinetic parameters with associated confidence intervals. We found that the effective chromatin-to-cytoplasm transport rate is gene-specific\, varying 100-fold; that means that for many genes\, less than 10% of synthesized transcripts make it to the cytoplasm as mature mRNAs.  Surprisingly\, effective export rates do not control temporal responsiveness directly\, but instead appear to have coevolved with mRNA decay rates; that ensures similar abundances of short- and long-lived mRNAs\, which form successive waves of innate immune response gene expression programs. \nhttps://qcb.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2021/01/Diane-Lefaudeux-edited.mp4
URL:https://qcb.ucla.edu/event/qcbio-research-seminar-diane-lefaudeux-hoffmann/
LOCATION:ZOOM\, CA\, United States
CATEGORIES:Research Seminars
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://wp-misc.lifesci.ucla.edu/qcb/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2021/01/DL_pic2.jpg
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR