Systems biomedicine
The goal of our group is to acquire a functional understanding of signalling networks and their deregulation in disease and to apply this knowledge to novel therapeutics. Our research is hypothesis-driven and tailored towards producing mathematical models that integrate diverse data sources. Because of this, we collaborate closely with experimental groups.
Our models integrate diverse types of data (from genomic to biochemical) with various sources of prior knowledge, with an emphasis on providing both predictive power of new experiments and insight on the functioning of the signalling network. We combine statistical methods with models describing the mechanisms of signal transduction either as logical or physico-chemical systems. Towards this end, we develop tools and integrate them with existing resources. We then use these models to better understand how signalling is altered in human disease and predict effective therapeutic targets.
Productive integration of data and computation requires an effective workflow that pulls together all the steps that link experiments to mathematical models and analysis. We therefore strive to develop tools that facilitate this process and incorporate public standards. We are also involved in a community effort to advance the inference of mathematical models of cellular networks: DREAM (Dialogue for Reverse Engineering Assessments and Methods).
With these methods we hope to address questions such as:
- What are the origins of the profound differences in signal transduction between healthy and diseased cells and in particular, in the context of cancer, between normal and transformed cells?
- What are the differences in signal transduction among cancer types, and from patient to patient? Can we use these differences to predict disease progression?
- Do these differences reveal valuable targets for drug development? Can we study the side effects of drugs using these models?
Job Opportunities
- Postdoctoral positions: we currently have an opening for an EIPOD postdoctoral position with J. Overington and A. C. Gavin to dissect signaling at a binding-site level; deadline 12 Sept.
Also, contact us if you would like to apply for a fellowship with our group as your host.
- PhD studentships: Please check the list of projects to see whether there is a position in our group in the current round of recruitment, and the guidelines for application for deadlines and requirements.
- Internships: We host interns for projects of at least 4 months. Contact us at internships-sbm@ebi.ac.uk, explaining on which project you are interested and why. Non-specific applications without this expression of interest will not be considered.