NIMBioS News
 Bi-Monthly News from the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis
November/December  2010 - Vol 2, Issue 6
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New Postdoctoral Fellowship Application Deadline
NIMBioSNIMBioS recently added a new deadline of Dec. 17, 2010, for postdoctoral fellowship applications. Successful applications propose a research project addressing an interesting and important biological question and include sections on background, objectives, methods and expected results. More tips for successful applications can be found here. We are particularly interested in requests to support research that integrates diverse fields, requires synthesis at multiple scales, and/or makes use of or requires development of new mathematical/computational approaches. Projects should not require the collection of additional empirical data, but may involve many aspects (collating, formulating data bases, developing models) of synthesizing existing data. The next deadline for applications is Dec. 17, 2010, for activities beginning June 1, 2011. For more information about NIMBioS postdoctoral fellowships and how to apply, click here.  
Featured Science: From Swords to Plowshares
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When two individuals face off in conflict, the classic problem in evolutionary biology known as the prisoner's dilemma says that the individuals are not likely to cooperate even if it is in their best interests to do so. But a new study suggests that with incentives to cooperate, natural selection can minimize conflict, changing the game from one of pure conflict to one of partial cooperation. The findings, published online in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, suggest that the prisoner's dilemma game, which has reigned as the dominant theoretical paradigm used to explain the costs and benefits of the evolution of cooperation, is not as evolutionarily stable a strategy as once assumed. Erol Ak�ay, a postdoctoral fellow at NIMBioS, and Joan Roughgarden, a professor of biology at Stanford University, are co-authors of the paper. Citation: Akcay E, Roughgarden J. 2010. The evolution of payoff matrices: providing incentives to cooperate. Proceedings of the Royal Society B. Published online 8 December 2010.
Video Feature: Interview with Juliet Pulliam
pulliam In an interview at the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis, Juliet Pulliam, a fellow with the Research and Policy for Infectious Disease Dynamics (RAPIDD) program at the U.S. National Institutes of Health Fogerty International Center, explains how mathematics is used to understand the transmission dynamics of zoonotic viruses, such as the monkeypox virus or Nipah virus. Pulliam attended the NIMBioS Investigative Workshop on Mathematical Modeling of Wildlife and Virus Zoonoses. Video interviews with other visiting scientists to NIMBioS are available here.
Education Spotlight: Research Experience for Undergraduates and Veterinary Students
REU February 18, 2011, is the deadline to apply for NIMBioS' Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program and Research Experience for Veterinary Students (REV) program held May 31 - July 22 on the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, campus. Participants live on campus and work in teams with UTK faculty to conduct research. Disease modeling, population dynamics, behavioral ecology and intracellular transport processes are among this year's research topics. Stipend and housing are provided, along with some funding for travel. Click here to read about last year's participants.
Upcoming Research and Education Opportunities at NIMBioS
researchREQUESTS FOR SUPPORT
March 1 is the deadline for submitting proposals for new scientific and educational activities at NIMBioS. Potential organizers of activities in areas of molecular biology, cell biology, network biology, immunology and systems biology are particularly encouraged to submit requests for support of Working Groups or Investigative Workshops. Application information is also available on our website for Postdoctoral Fellows, Sabbaticals and Short-term Visitors for activities beginning summer/fall 2011.
hpcTUTORIAL: STOCHASTIC MODELING IN BIOLOGY
NIMBioS is now accepting applications for the NIMBioS Tutorial: Stochastic Modeling in Biology to be held March 16-18, 2011, at NIMBioS. This tutorial is designed to introduce selected topics in stochastic models with an emphasis on biological applications. Basic theory of Markov chains and stochastic differential equations will be introduced. The tutorial will consist of a series of lectures and lab sessions. Application deadline: December 16, 2010. For more information about the tutorial and how to apply, click here.
fireflyINVESTIGATIVE WORKSHOP: SYNCHRONY IN BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS
Synchronous oscillatory activity is a universal phenomenon that occurs in biological systems ranging from the level of intracellular dynamics to population dynamics across thousands of kilometers. NIMBioS is now accepting applications for the NIMBioS Investigative Workshop: Synchronous Activity in Biological Systems to be held April 11-13, 2011, at NIMBioS. Application deadline: January 15, 2011. For more information about the workshop and how to apply, click here.
weightMETABOLISM AND BODY WEIGHT INVESTIGATIVE WORKSHOP
With more than two-thirds of adults considered overweight and more than one-third categorized as obese, understanding the mechanisms behind weight gain, loss and maintenance is a major national goal. NIMBioS is now accepting applications for the NIMBioS Investigative Workshop: Mathematical Models of Metabolism and Body Weight Regulation to be held July 12-15, 2011, at NIMBioS. Application deadline: March 14, 2011. For more information about the workshop and how to apply, click here.
kidneyMODELING RENAL HEMODYNAMICS
Failure of the kidneys in individuals with hypertension, diabetes, and reduced nephron number begins with deregulation of the renal microvasculature. NIMBioS is now accepting applications for the NIMBioS Investigative Workshop: Mathematical Modeling and Experimental Investigatives in Renal Hemodynamics, to be held August 1-3, 2011, at NIMBioS. Application deadline: May 2, 2011. For more information about the workshop and how to apply, click here.
Upcoming Deadlines
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The National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS) brings together researchers from around the world to collaborate across disciplinary boundaries to investigate solutions to basic and applied problems in the life sciences. NIMBioS is funded by the National Science Foundation in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, with additional support from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
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NIMBioS is located on the Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, campus
1534 White Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37996-1527
Phone: (865) 974-9334         Fax: (865) 974-9461          Website: www.nimbios.org
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