Linus Schumacher

Stochastic processes and inverse problems in stem cell and tissue dynamics

Abstract: The dynamics of a biological tissue arises from the behaviour of its constituent cells and their interactions. Phenomena such as regeneration, over-proliferation, patterning, inflammation, and scarring are defined at the level of cell populations, not individual cells. I study tissues as complex biological systems using theoretical and computational methods applied in experimental collaborations. In this talk I will present a selection of research projects from my group: First, I will show how minimal birth-death process models can be used to study the dynamics of mutations in stem cells. This has enabled the efficient and rigorous analysis of rare experimental data monitoring disrupted blood production in ageing humans. Next, I will describe how we are extending such well-established minimal birth-death process models to include feedback and multistate dynamics, to infer which regulatory mechanisms act in the maintenance and regeneration of adult tissues.