Opportunities and Challenges in Building a Spatiotemporal Multi-scale Model of the Human Pancreatic β Cell

Jitin Singla; Kyle M McClary; Kate L White; Frank Alber; Andrej Sali; Raymond C Stevens

doi:10.1016/j.cell.2018.03.014

Opportunities and Challenges in Building a Spatiotemporal Multi-scale Model of the Human Pancreatic β Cell

Cell. 2018 Mar 22;173(1):11-19. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2018.03.014.

Authors

Jitin Singla¹, Kyle M McClary², Kate L White³, Frank Alber⁴, Andrej Sali⁵, Raymond C Stevens⁶

Affiliations

¹ Molecular and Computational Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Bridge Institute, Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA.
² Department of Chemistry, Bridge Institute, Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA.
³ Department of Biological Sciences, Bridge Institute, Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; Department of Chemistry, Bridge Institute, Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA.
⁴ Molecular and Computational Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Bridge Institute, Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA. Electronic address: alber@usc.edu.
⁵ California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA. Electronic address: sali@salilab.org.
⁶ Department of Biological Sciences, Bridge Institute, Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; Department of Chemistry, Bridge Institute, Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA. Electronic address: stevens@usc.edu.

Abstract

The construction of a predictive model of an entire eukaryotic cell that describes its dynamic structure from atomic to cellular scales is a grand challenge at the intersection of biology, chemistry, physics, and computer science. Having such a model will open new dimensions in biological research and accelerate healthcare advancements. Developing the necessary experimental and modeling methods presents abundant opportunities for a community effort to realize this goal. Here, we present a vision for creation of a spatiotemporal multi-scale model of the pancreatic β-cell, a relevant target for understanding and modulating the pathogenesis of diabetes.

Keywords: Whole-cell modeling; convergent bioscience; data-driven modeling; diabetes; integrative modeling; modeling of dynamics; multi-scale modeling; pancreatic β–cells; structure modeling.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Computational Biology
Drug Discovery
Humans
Insulin-Secreting Cells / cytology
Insulin-Secreting Cells / metabolism*
Models, Biological*
Proteins / chemistry
Proteins / metabolism

Substances

Proteins

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

Grants and funding