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Spring 2007
Environmental MathematicsDr. Ben Fusaro Hosting Dept: Mathematics and Computer Science & Biology
Abstract: It is quite natural to use differential equations to model systems that deal with storage, flows, and their interactions but it is not necessary. A five-stage modeling process will be introduced that starts with a qualitative analysis, moves to a simple energy diagram, a flow equation, a computation, and then a standard graph. Liberal arts majors can model scenarios that confuse many engineering majors (who charge in with d.e.'s at the ready). This visual approach makes autocatalytic systems transparent, introduces the environmentally-crucial concept of embodied energy, and leads to a money-time-energy equivalence. |
Thursday, January 25, 2007 4pm |
Mathematical Biology ModelingDr. Jemal Mohammed-Awel Hosting Dept: Mathematics and Computer Science
Abstract: Mathematical biology is an exiting and fast growing field. Most of the current topics of mathematical biology consist of the formulation and analysis of various mathematical models, usually in the form of difference equations or differential equations. To demonstrate the application of mathematics in biological sciences I will present simple deterministic and stochastic population growth models, population dynamics, and infectious disease modeling. And finally I will give a brief description of my research interest and my current research work. |
Thursday, February 1, 2007 4pm |
Stem Cell ResearchDr. Stephen Stice Hosting Dept: Biology
Abstract: The American Heart Institute estimates that 128 million Americans could be helped today with advances in stem cell therapies. In the US 1.5 million people suffer from Parkinson’s disease and there is no long-term treatment for this disease. Embryonic stem cell based therapies hold great promise for curing and can be used to discover new drugs for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, spinal cord injury, ALS, SMA and other devastating diseases. However there are two significant and fundamental roadblocks that must be overcome before safe and effective treatments are developed. First, human embryonic stem cells undergo spontaneous differentiation, even when cultured on fibroblast feeder layers. Therefore, producing large quantities of homogenous stem cells is technically difficult if not impossible today. It is essential to obtain scaled up homogenous populations of stem cells because it’s likely that tens of millions of starting stem cells are needed to isolate a subpopulation of specialized cells for transplants. Isolating stem cell populations less susceptible to undesirable differentiation cues (non neuronal) can lead to stable stem cell populations and prevention of spontaneous differentiation. Our goal has been to develop methods of culturing a stable cell line that can be directed homogenously down neural pathways rather than randomly differentiating down lineages that happen to include neural cells. To this end, in 2006 we published the first paper on the extend culture of neural stem cells and the production differentiated neurons from these cells. Thus we have developed the first renewable stem cell population that can be used in developing neural drug discover and toxicity assays. We are actively collaborating with several groups to provide these cells to the research community so that they can be used to develop treatments and possibly cures for many neurological diseases. |
Thursday, February 8, 2007 4pm |
TBADr. Eric StabbDept of Microbiology, UGA Hosting Dept: Biology |
Thursday, February 15, 2007 4pm |
Heating the Solar Corona: A Hot Topic in Plasma Astrophysics
Dr. Christopher Watts Hosting Dept: Physics, Astronomy, Geosciences
Abstract: The surface or photosphere of the sun is a blackbody with a temperature of about 5800° C, and the basic mechanism that heats the sun, nuclear fusion, is well understood. However, there is a disconcerting paradox: The temperature of the solar atmosphere or corona starts to rise away from the surface to about 1,000,000° C. It’s like walking away from a fire … and you suddenly feel hotter. The energy that heats the corona is almost certainly stored in the magnetic field of the sun. There are two main competing models for how this energy is released: 1) Magnetic waves and 2) Tearing and reconnection of the magnetic field. Both models are probably valid in different regimes. In this talk, I will present an overview of the coronal heating paradox and the two heating models. Then I’ll talk about current research by plasma physicists, using both remote observations and laboratory simulations, focused on substantiating these models. Sponsored by the Division of Plasma Physics of the American Physical Society under a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy |
Thursday, February 22, 2007 4pm |
TBATBA Hosting Dept: |
Thursday, March 1, 2007 4pm |
TBADr. Patricia H. Kelley Hosting Dept: Physics, Astronomy, Geosciences |
Thursday, March 8, 2007 4pm |
Spring Break WeekTBA Hosting Dept: |
Thursday, March 15, 2007 4pm |
Analysis of polyadenylation in RNase E-mediated mRNA decay in E. coliNikkii Dubose Hosting Dept: Biology |
Thursday, March 22, 2007 4pm |
TBADr. Anna Karls Hosting Dept: Biology |
Thursday, March 29, 2007 4pm |
TBADr. Peggy L. Moch Hosting Dept: Mathematics and Computer Science Department |
Thursday, April 5, 2007 4pm |
TBADr. David Malcolm Hosting Dept: Psychology |
Thursday, April 12, 2007 4pm |
TBAJohn Costello Hosting Dept: Physics, Astronomy, Geosciences |
Thursday, April 19, 2007 4pm |
TBATBA Hosting Dept: |
Thursday, April 26, 2007 4pm |
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