December 4-5, 2017
Edgar de Picciotto Family National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev Building
(Bldg. 41), BGU Marcus Family Campus
Monday, December 4th
9:15-9:45 a.m.
Registration and Refreshments
9:40-10:00 a.m.
Greetings and Opening Remarks
Prof. Michal Shapira, Dean, Faculty of the Natural Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Prof. Ohad Birk, Director, National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Prof. Ofer Ovadia, Chairman, Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Prof. Ute Deichmann, Director, Jacques Loeb Centre for the History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
10:00-11:20 a.m.
I. Computation and experimentation in the history of biology and current research on the development of the central nervous system
Michel Morange, Ecole Normale Supérieure, France
A time to model and a time to experiment
James Briscoe, Francis Crick Institute, U.K.
The gene regulatory logic of spinal cord development
11:20-11:40 a.m.
Coffee Break
11:40 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
II. Experiments and modeling genomic regulation in mammalian postnatal systems
Ellen Rothenberg, California Institute of Technology, U.S.A.
Genomic regulation of commitment in developing lymphocytes
Roger Patient, University of Oxford, U.K.
Gene regulatory networks governing the generation and regeneration of blood and the cardiovascular system
1:00-2:00 p.m.
Lunch Break
2:00-3:00 p.m.
III. Douglas Erwin, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, U.S.A.
Macroevolutionary dynamics: Development, ecology, environment
3:00-3:30 p.m.
Coffee Break
3:30-5:30 p.m.
IV. Biological models and big data technology
Ute Deichmann, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel
Mendel, Michaelis, and Davidson. Mathematical models in biology and their challenge in 'empiricist' big data-driven science
Ellen Rothenberg, California Institute of Technology, U.S.A.
Modeling developmental discontinuities: the challenge of new transcriptional regulation insights
Michal Ziv-Ukelson, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel
Large scale data mining of microbial genomes
5:30-8:30 p.m.
Reception, Musical Interlude and Dinner
(for invited speakers and guests)
Tuesday, December 5th
9:15-10:35 a.m.
V. Eric Davidson, the regulatory genome, computer science and network architecture
Sorin Istrail, Brown University, U.S.A.
Eric Davidson's regulatory genome for computer scientists
Isabelle Peter, California Institute of Technology, U.S.A.
The architecture of genomic programs for development
10:35-11:05 a.m.
Coffee Break
11:05 a.m.-1:05 p.m.
VI. The control of early development, signals, and biochemistry
Benny Shilo, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel
Creating and buffering morphogen gradients: Combining computation and experimental approaches
Smadar Ben-Tabou de Leon, University of Haifa, Israel
Highly conserved developmental program for tube formation downstream of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) signaling
Stanislav Shvartsman, Princeton University, U.S.A.
Dynamic control of the synthesis of DNA precursors (dNTP) in early embryos
1:05-2:05 p.m.
Lunch Break
2:05-3:25 p.m.
VII. Models of biochemical processes
Anthony S. Travis, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
Imaging the chemical way: From cell structure to beta blocker. A brief history
Miguel García-Sancho, University of Edinburgh, U.K.
Chemical experimentation and biological modelling: The emergence of DNA sequencing and the configuration of the genome as an informational object
3:25-3:55 p.m.
Coffee Break
3:55-4:35 p.m.
VIII Models of evolutionary novelty
Douglas Erwin, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, U.S.A.
The changing nature of models of evolutionary novelty: Prospects for a general model
4:35-5:15 p.m.
IX. Round table discussion
7:00 p.m.
Dinner and Evening Lecture
(for invited speakers and guests)
Genomic regulation: Experiments, computational modeling and philosophy - PDF program
