Events
News
25th Annual Comp Cell Bio workshop
VCell, COPASI and SpringSalad were taught and used for projects at the 25th Annual Computational Cell Biology (CCB) workshop that took place online February 26-28th. The invited talks were given by Yulia Timofeeva (University of Warwick), James P Sluka (Indiana University) and Kevin Janes (University of Virginia). Sixteen participants were selected to work with VCell and COPASI instructors on their projects, and eight gave presentations on their projects at the Modeling Symposium.
A model of K+ and pH homeostasis in plant cells.
2024-02-12. Ingo Dreyer (U Talca, Chile) and Kai Konrad (U Wuerzburg, Germany) used VCell to design and simulate a model explaining the properties of transporter networks and the coupling of transport across the PM and VM. They demonstrated fundamental principles of coupled ion transport at membrane sandwiches to control H+ /K+ homeostasis and points to transceptor-like Ca2+ /H+ -based ion signaling in plant cells.
Kunkun Li, Christina Grauschopf, Rainer Hedrich, Ingo Dreyer, Kai R Konrad (2024). K+ and pH homeostasis in plant cells is controlled by a synchronized K+ /H+ antiport at the plasma and vacuolar membrane. New Phytol. 241(4):1525-1542.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38017688/
VCell biomodels is available at https://vcell.org/biomodel-270051643
Special Interest Group on Biophysical Modeling of the Cell
Michael Blinov and Margaret Johnson from John Hopkins University were hosting the Special Interest Subgroup session on Biophysical Modeling of the Cell at Cell Bio 2023 – an ASCB/EMBO (https://www.ascb.org/cellbio2023/) meeting in Boston, MA, December 2-6. The speakers include Elizabeth Read (UCI), Margaret Johnson (JHU), Jason Haugh (NCSU), Graham Johnson (Allen Institute), and Ben O’Shaughnessy (Columbia U).
VCell at ICSB 2023
VCell was highlighted at the 22nd International Conference on Systems Biology (ICSB) that took place in Hartford October 8-12, 2023. The meeting was organized by CCAM faculty and co-chaired by Pedro Mendes and Ion Moraru. VCell team presented two tutorials (basic modeling by Ann Cowan and advanced features by Michael Blinov) and a poster.
A model of the cadherin-11 and PDGFR pathways crosstalk
2023-09-22. VCell collaborator Aurélie Carlier from Maastricht University published a manuscript where a computational model in VCell was used to represent the experimentally proven interactions between cadherin-11 and the two PDGFRs. The authors demonstrated the existence of a crosstalk between β-catenin (downstream to cadherin-11) and an ERK inhibitor protein (e.g. DUSP1).
Karagöz, Z., Passanha, F. R., Robeerst, L., van Griensven, M., LaPointe, V. L., & Carlier, A. (2023). Computational evidence for multi-layer crosstalk between the cadherin-11 and PDGFR pathways. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 15804. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37737289/
VCell biomodels is available at https://vcell.org/karagoz-2023
19 new VCell models on G-actin diffusion are published by Haugh group
2023-08-28. VCell collaborator Jason Haugh from North Carolina State University published a manuscript where experiments and VCell modeling demonstrated that G-actin diffusion is insufficient to achieve F-actin assembly in fast-treadmilling protrusions.
Appalabhotla, R., Butler, M.T., Bear, J.E. and Haugh, J.M. G-actin diffusion is insufficient to achieve F-actin assembly in fast-treadmilling protrusions. Biophys J. 2023 Aug 28;S0006-3495(23)00553-2. doi: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.08.022. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37644720/
See 5 biomodels and 14 mathmodels at https://vcell.org/appalabhotla-2023
Biophysical Modeling of the Cell special interests group at ASCB
Prof Margaret Johnson from John Hopkins University and Michael Blinov are hosting the Special Interest Subgroup session on Biophysical Modeling of the Cell at Cell Bio 2023 – an ASCB/EMBO (https://www.ascb.org/cellbio2023/) meeting in Boston, MA, December 2-6. The session will take place on Wednesday, December 6, 8:30 AM – 11:00 AM (https://www.ascb.org/cellbio2023/program/subgroups/).
24th Annual Computational Cell Biology (CCB) workshop
2023-06-28. The 24th Annual Computational Cell Biology (CCB) workshop took place at the Center for Cell Analysis and Modeling (CCAM) on June 26-28th. 11 participants from all over the US (from Maryland to Illinois) came to Farmington to work on developing their modeling projects using VCell and COPASI software tools, designed and maintained at CCAM. The students were helped by a CCAM team consisting of Michael Blinov, Ann Cowan, Leslie Loew, Pedro Mendes, Ion Moraru, Kelvin Peterson, Jim Schaff, Nathan Schaumburger, and Boris Slepchenko.
VCell is used in a research on aging
2023-05-04. The interdisciplinary team consisting of CCAM modelers Drs. Blinov and Moraru and researchers from the Center on Aging Drs. Kuchel and Kositsawat, together with former undergrad students Schaumburger and Pally published a manuscript theoretically explaining the bistability of clinical outcomes: the likelihood of an individual remaining mobile over time either increases to almost 100% or decreases to almost zero. The VCell software was extensively used for parameter scans and fitting.
Schaumburger, N., Pally, J., Moraru, I. I., Kositsawat, J., Kuchel, G. A., & Blinov, M. L. (2023). Dynamic model assuming mutually inhibitory biomarkers of frailty suggests bistability with contrasting mobility phenotypes. Frontiers in Network Physiology, 3, 1079070.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnetp.2023.1079070/full
VCell 7.5 Release
2023-05-01. VCell 7.5 has been released. It features parameter estimation from the latest version of COPASI; model exchange via multiple standards, including, SBML, SEDML and OMEX; parameter scans in local client simulations; and hardening of unit handling including automatic unit transformations. Full specs available https://vcell.org/run-vcell-software.
VCell model of wild-type Bacillus subtilis spores
2023-03-01.VCell was used to demonstrate that expression of the 2Duf protein in wild-type Bacillus subtilis spores stabilizes inner membrane proteins and increases spore resistance to wet heat and hydrogen peroxide. Find links to the paper on our published models page.
VCell poster at BPS 2023 in San Diego
2023-02-20. The VCell team presented a poster at the Biophysical Society Annual Meeting in San Diego (https://www.biophysics.org/2023meeting#/).
A model of relationships between Ca2+ and YAP/TAZ signalling
2023-02-16. VCell collaborator Padmini Rangamani from University of California San Diego published a manuscript where a computational model of a mechanisms underlying divergent relationships between Ca2+ and YAP/TAZ signallingin was designed in VCell. The created system of ODEs was exported into MatLab for further simulations and processing.The model predicts context-dependent Ca2+ transient, CaMKII bistable response and frequency-dependent activation of LATS1/2 upstream regulators as mechanisms governing the Ca2+ -YAP/TAZ relationship.
Khalilimeybodi, A., Fraley, S. I., & Rangamani, P. (2023).
Mechanisms underlying divergent relationships between Ca2+ and YAP/TAZ signalling.
J Physiol. 601(3):483-515.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36463416/
One can check and download the VCell BioModel.
2023 Computational Cell Biology workshop
2023-02-13. The 24th Annual Computational Cell Biology workshop was sponsored by Cell Analysis and Modeling Center at the UConn Health on February 13-15th. It was an intense online event designed to enable cell biologists and biphysicists to develop mathematical models of their experimental systems.Keynote speakers included Jason Haugh, Pablo Iglesias and Ursula Kummer.
SpringSaLaD used for Coarse-Grained Molecular Modeling
SpringSaLaD software was used to model contractility kits, complexes in the cytoplasm of Dictyostelium cells consisting of myosin II and cortexillin I in the publication, Particle-based model of mechanosensory contractility kit assembly.
VCell and COPASI are used to study antibiotic biosynthesis
2022-09-28.VCell and COPASI were used together to study the kinetic behavior of antibiotic biosynthesis. The paper describes the same model designed in both COPASI (for parameter estimations) and VCell (for simulation reaction curves). Find links to the paper on our published models page.
VCell tutorial at ICSB 2022 in Berlin
2022-09-12. The VCell team will give a tutorial at the 21st International Conference on Systems Biology – the premier meeting on systems studies in biology, human evolution disease and planetary health. The meeting will take place in Berlin, Germany on October 8th-12th. The tutorial will be on October 9th at 12:30pm local time (https://www.icsb2022.berlin/satellite-events).
VCell is used for computational investigation of the dynamic control of cAMP signaling by PDE4 isoform types
2022-06-18. VCell collaborator Aurélie Carlier from Maastricht University published a manuscript on computational investigation of the dynamic control of cAMP signaling by PDE4 isoform types. The authors demonstrated that cAMP signaling is distinctly regulated by different PDE4 isoform types andthat this isoform-specificity should be considered in both computational and experimental follow-up studies to better define PDE4 enzymes as therapeutic targets in diseases in which cAMP signaling is aberrant.
Paes, D., Hermans, S., van den Hove, D., Vanmierlo, T., Prickaerts, J., Carlier, A. (2022). Biophys J., 121(14):2693-2711. doi: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.06.019. Epub 2022 Jun 18.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35717559/
VCell biomodels are available at https://vcell.org/paes-2022
The 23rd Annual Workshop on Computational Cell Biology
2022-05-25. The 23rd Computational Cell Biology workshop took place at R. D. Berlin Center for Cell Analysis and Modeling (CCAM) on May 23-25th. For 3 days more than 40 online participants learnt how to use VCell, COPASI and SpringSalad software tools for modeling of cell biology systems. 16 participants participated in the “project track”, working individually with CCAM staff on developing their modeling projects.
New VCell Model of nutrients transporter network in plants
2022-04-14. A new compartmental VCell Model was used to explore nutrients transporter network in plants. Find links to the paper and BioModel on our published models page.