Join the Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University (SLCU) at this year's Festival of Plants on Saturday 10 June 10:00 - 17:00.
The Cambridge University Botanic Garden's annual Festival of Plants is a day for exploring the wonderful world of plants
Come and test how well you can select cells that are going to successfully divide to grow your cell colony in a cool new cell evolution game called Bugtiply in the Plant Science Tent.
Bugtiply was developed using the computer simulation platform Cytosim, which simulates a cell's cytoskeleton. The cytoskeleton is a network of intracellular protein fibres that provides structural support and is essential for cell division and transport within a cell.
The evolution game Bugtiply will be featured at the Festival of Plants
François Nedelec's group is researching the role of the cytoskeleton in cell and developmental biology using synthetic and systems biology approaches, and computer modelling. While the team's research focuses on the organisation of living cells with an emphasis on the cytoskeleton, they are also interested in the organisation of multiple cells in small ensembles of cells.
They are an interdisciplinary group using theoretical physics and mathematical modelling to decipher basic principles of living cells.
Talking Plants
Three SLCU scientists will give short talks during the day, sharing insights into their research.
13:00 On Symmetries of Exceptional Beauty in Plants:
How plant scientists work to explain the origin of these symmetries (Professor Henrik Jönsson, SLCU Director)
14:40 Mathematical Plants:
Using maths to understand the complex shapes in plants (Dr Tamsin Spelman, SLCU Research Associate)
15:40 The Tree and Me – what have trees ever done for us?
How the contribution of trees is incorporated into climate prediction models (Dr Eva Hellmann, SLCU Resesarch Associate)
