Biology
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H I G H L I G H T
In an age when cross-
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mathematical models based on known interactions in the
disciplinary collaboration
immune system and genetic sequences. “We hope to build
has become a buzzterm,
detailed evolutionary models of this rapidly change set of
especially in academia,
viruses,” Adler reports.
Fred Adler puts his math-
ematical models where his mouth is. Multi-disciplinary work—in which academic silos are
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Fred Adler The Science of Biological Data
He and his team are now looking at cancer in humans.
There are, of course, hypotheses of how cancer takes over cells in the body and grows. But too many of these hypotheses are based on assumptions that cells behave as they do
breached in the search for truth—is the hallmark of what Adler,
with complete information and clever plans for the future
who has a joint appointment in mathematics and biology, does.
instead of the confusing world of a real tissue.
His is the kind of work that will be supported by the new
“However useful some of these [current] models are,”
science building recently announced by the College of
says Adler, “they are not based on a realistic assumption.”
Science, dedicated to applied and multi-disciplinary work,
In fact, a prime contribution of the mathematical modeler
and where most STEM students at the U will eventually
is “to make sense of things from the perspective of what
nine or ten big mathematical models running all the time
find themselves for a time.
you’re modeling.” What access to information does the cell
you have a [more robust] hypothesis,” he says.
or organism have, is a central, guiding question.
and his team have applied their data-driven tool kit to every-
“whether it’s through language or, in my case, mathemat-
thing from viruses to animal behavior, and from biodiversity
cally “unpacked” is through game theory but expanded
ics.” The strength of the latter is that when mathematical
to infectious diseases. Who else can claim a lab’s subject
over time and space and placed in a context of incomplete
modeling is added to the classical biologist’s models, it is
models as varied as aphid-tending ants, hantavirus, and the
information between constituent parts.
“perfectly explicit about its assumptions. When you do the
Southern Right Whale off the coast of Argentina?
math right (and we always do), the logic leading from as-
of models later aggregated like political polls or weather
sumptions to conclusions is airtight ‘true.’”
basic questions about how biology works. To bring together
models to predict the future, may be the answer. “We usu-
several threads of research, the lab began a study of rhino-
ally don’t get a simple smoking gun,” says Adler referring to
can’t be controverted. “If conclusions in biological research
viruses, the most common cause of the common cold, and
complicated questions in biology, whether developmental,
are wrong, it’s the assumptions that are wrong,” and the
how they routinely and rapidly change. The study uses
behavioral-ecological, immuno- or micro-biological. “With
researcher can then pivot on those assumptions.
As Director of the Center for Quantitative Biology, Adler
The Adler group’s approach to research is driven by
Part of how cancer behaviors may be better scientifi-
Mathematical models, or more accurately, an ensemble
“All thinking is done using modeling,” Adler reminds us,
This is important because a mathematical argument
