Doing science with models and data: how cellular powerhouses evolve and adapt
Keynote lecture by Iain Johnston, University of Bergen
Tuesday November 3rd at 09.10-10.10. Link provided to participants.
Abstract
For centuries, the scientific method — testing hypotheses with experiment — has driven progress in natural philosophy and medicine. Lots of the research we do in modern times is performed, and published, without hypotheses or (traditional) experiments. So, are we doing science? And, either way, can we make useful, deep, and interesting contributions?
This isn’t a philosophy talk! But I will discuss some tangible ways in which these questions can matter in interdisciplinary research. I’ll also tell you about some approaches with which our group attempts to make scientific and medical progress using models and data. One of our foci is mitochondria — cellular compartments responsible for respiration. Originally independent organisms, these organelles were captured and enslaved billions of years ago by our ancestor, and have been co-evolving with us in a dynamic game ever since. I’ll discuss our attempts to unpick the mechanisms behind how mitochondrial genomes have evolved — and how they are maintained in modern-day cells.