Lab News

Constraint-based modelling is a popular methodology used in systems biology whose stock in trade is the genome-scale model. However an ongoing problem in this field is that no formal standard exists for encoding such models. Brett Olivier together with Frank Bergmann have led the development of an extension to the Systems Biology Markup Language (SBML),

As part of the BioSB Research School, which brings together bioinformaticians and systems biologists, we organised an introductory systems-biology course. In this course, we focussed on the basics of mathematical modelling of molecular circuits and the emergent properties of those circuits, such as their (in)stability, robustness and (in)sensitivity properties. We will organise a similar course next

Dr. Sam Seaver is bioinformatician at Argonne National Laboratory known from e.g. modelSEED and works on (automation of) metabolic reconstructions. He discussed with lab members and presented a seminar. Sam was on a tour through Europe  and we were privileged enough to be on his tour list!

Rick who started his PhD 1st of November got his diploma yesterday “with distinction“. Well done Rick!

With shock and disbelieve we learned that our colleague, collaborator and supervisor dr Wilfred Roling, associated professor from our department, died on Friday the 25th of September, at the age of 48 years. Wilfred was passionate about science, our expert in microbial ecology, and a quiet rock in the often dynamic organisation of the department.

Iraes wrote a very concise and clear review on Metabolism at Evolutionary Optimal States Abstract Metabolism is generally required for cellular maintenance and for the generation of offspring under conditions that support growth. The rates, yields (efficiencies), adaptation time and robustness of metabolism are therefore key determinants of cellular fitness. For biotechnological applications and our

Biogenesis, maintenance and dynamics of glycosomes in trypanosomatid parasites Highlights • Glycosomes are specialized peroxisomes in protists of the taxon Kinetoplastea • Glycosomes compartmentalize enzymes of glycolysis and some other metabolic processes • Compartmentation compensates for a lack of feedback regulation of glycolytic enzymes • Glycosome turnover and dynamics play important roles in remodelling of

Our lab has been rather successful lately with grants. Frank obtained a new EraSysApp grant for yeast systems biology (PD for 2 years), Bas got a STW proposal funded (1 PhD still open) for developing methods to select for product yield using our water-in-oil emulsion system (see Bachmann PNAS 2013). Bas is still looking for a