National Resource for Cell Analysis and Modeling
From BTRR
Overview
The National Resource for Cell Analysis and Modeling (NRCAM) is developing methods for modeling cell physiologic processes in the context of the actual three-dimensional structure of individual cells. Approaches in computational cell biology are coupled with high-resolution light microscopy to facilitate the interplay between experimental manipulation and computational simulation of specific cellular processes.
Current Research
NRCAM is developing the Virtual Cell, a general computational framework for modeling cell biological processes. This new technology associates biochemical and electrophysiologic data describing individual reactions with experimental microscopic image data that describes their subcellular locations. Individual processes are integrated within a physical and computational infrastructure that will accommodate any molecular mechanism. Current development of the Virtual Cell is focused on expanding the generalized mathematical descriptions to include additional cell biological mechanisms, enhancing accessibility to biologists studying different biological processes, and integrating the interface with a database of images and reaction mechanisms. Current applications of the Virtual Cell include studies of calcium dynamics in neuroblastoma cells and Purkinje cells and studies of intracellular RNA trafficking in oligodendrocytes. Additional collaborative research projects include modeling diffusional processes in mitochondria, nuclear transport, and aspects of cell motility.
