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AWM URI Inaugural Event

Monday, February 3, 2025 2:00–3:00 PM
  • Location
    Lippitt Hall, 4th floor Auditorium
  • Description
    The University of Rhode Island Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM-URI) is hosting their inaugural event with guest speaker and URI alum Dr. Sarah Olson from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. She will be discussing her current research and the path that led her there in her talk entitled "Modeling the dynamics of centrosome movement". AWM officers will also be sharing their plans for the upcoming semester. Snacks/coffee provided prior to the event. All are welcome.Abstract: In this talk I will first given an overview of my mathematical journey and how I ended up focusing on computational biology research. I will then talk about a collaborative project related to cell division in cancer cells with extra centrosomes. During cell division, the spindle is composed of a network of dynamic microtubules and motor proteins that generate forces to form a bipolar spindle, with each pole organized around a single centrosome. Disruption in force generating activities through protein depletions or alterations to centrosome number, alter spindle structure and affect the fate of the cell. Centrosome amplification leads to multipolar spindle formation and multipolar division, which results in daughter cells with decreased viability. However, cancer cells actively cluster extra centrosomes to form a functional bipolar spindle. We highlight modeling and experimental efforts to understand the dominant forces that lead to the formation of either a multipolar or functional bipolar spindle in the case of extra centrosomes.
  • Website
    https://events.uri.edu/event/awm-uri-inaugural-event

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