Research centre to predict how cells become a person using maths

The University of Melbourne will host a new Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence, receiving $35 million over seven years for research to help to build mathematical models that can predict and show the biological processes of cells forming into humans.

The ARC Centre of Excellence for the Mathematical Analysis of Cellular Systems aims to deliver advanced mathematics to study biological processes through whole cell modelling, and will be established by Professor Michael Stumpf, ARC Laureate Fellow from the University’s School of BioSciences and School of Mathematics and Statistics.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for Australian mathematics and systems biology,” Professor Stumpf said.

“Mathematical Analysis of Cellular Systems will develop the mathematics that we need to understand the fundamentals of life. Our research will allow us to understand life’s complexity and learn how we can use biotechnology to solve humanity’s most pressing problems.”

University of Melbourne Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Jim McCluskey said: “Congratulations to Professor Michael Stumpf and his colleagues who are conducting research in areas considered by the Australian Government to be of national and international benefit. We thank the Australian Research Council and the Federal Government Minister for the important funding, support and investment in the nation’s future.”

“The establishment of this centre will deliver innovation on computational biology, with these models allowing us to understand the complexity of life at a cellular level,” Professor McCluskey said.

ARC Chief Executive Office Judi Zielke today announced eleven Centres of Excellence, under one of Australia’s most respected funding schemes, bringing together the nation’s best researchers to collaborate on world-leading research to impact Australian society by improving our way of life and addressing the major challenges of our time.

The use of advanced mathematics to study biological processes through whole cell modelling was recently explored in Pursuit by Professor Stumpf and colleagues.

Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for the Mathematical Analysis of Cellular Systems partners are: