Projects

Bistable switches are the key elements of the regulatory networks governing cell development, differentiation and life-strategy decisions. Transcriptional noise is a main determinant that causes switching between different states in bistable systems. By using the human pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae as a model bacterium, we will investigate how transcriptional fidelity and processivity influence (noisy) gene expression and participate in bistability. To study this question, we will use both ...

The SilicoTryp project aims at the creation of a “Silicon Trypanosome”, a comprehensive, experiment-based, multi-scale mathematical model of trypanosome physiology. Trypanosomes are blood-stream parasites transmitted by tsetse flies; they cause African sleeping sickness in humans and livestock. Currently available drugs have severe side effects, and the parasites are rapidly developing resistance. In this project, we collect a wide range of new experimental data on the parasite in its various ...

Ion and solute homeostasis in enteric bacteria: an integrated view generated from the interface of modelling and biological experimentation

Global metabolic switching in Streptomyces coelicolor

Antibiotics are made during the second phase of growth when there is a transition in metabolism from primary to secondary metabolism. Primary metabolism is growth related and involves all the normal cellular activities associated with cell growth and division. Whereas secondary metabolism is non-growth linked and is non-essential but many important activities occur during this phase which help the bacterium survive.

Silicon cell model for the central carbohydrate metabolism of the archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus under temperature variation

BaCell-SysMO 2 Modelling carbon core metabolism in Bacillus subtilis – Exploring the contribution of protein complexes in core carbon and nitrogen metabolism.

Bacillus subtilis is a prime model organism for systems biology approaches because it is one of the most advanced models for functional genomics. Furthermore, comprehensive information on cell and molecular biology, physiology and genetics is available and the European Bacillus community (BACELL) has a well-established reputation for applying ...