Please contact me by email if you would like to informally discuss any of these projects.
Projects with funding
Projects will be advertised here when available.
Unfunded projects
Applicants interested in these projects would need to already have a scholarship in place, or successfully apply for funding before they could commence their studies.
Supervisor:
D
Walker, Department of Computer Science
Dr Daniela Romano,Department of Computer Science
The oviduct, or fallopian tube,
connects the ovary to the womb (uterus) and is the
site of fertilisation in mammals, leading to growth of
an embryo. However, the oviduct is not a simple tube,
but has a complex 3D structure, with internal tissue
folding which changes along the length of the organ.
This tissue surface consists of a layer of cells which
vary considerably in terms of their surface
properties. The interaction of sperm and oocyte with
this complex structure is thought to be critical in
determining whether fertilisation takes place.
We have previously developed a three dimensional graphical representation of the complex oviduct structure, which has provided the virtual environment for simplistic agent-based simulations. The objective of this project would be to map dynamic genomic and proteomic datasets, obtained from real tissue samples, onto this virtual environment with the aim of representing the dynamic changes in the surface cells resulting from contact with individual sperm. Sub-models of the subcellular signalling processes will be developed and incorporated into our existing FLAME-GPU based framework in order to create a multiscale model of this system that will allow us to understand the role of sperm-oviduct interactions in influencing the fertilisation process.
The ideal candidate would have a background in Computer Science or a related subject with programming expertise. Experience in GPU programming would be an advantage.
We have previously developed a three dimensional graphical representation of the complex oviduct structure, which has provided the virtual environment for simplistic agent-based simulations. The objective of this project would be to map dynamic genomic and proteomic datasets, obtained from real tissue samples, onto this virtual environment with the aim of representing the dynamic changes in the surface cells resulting from contact with individual sperm. Sub-models of the subcellular signalling processes will be developed and incorporated into our existing FLAME-GPU based framework in order to create a multiscale model of this system that will allow us to understand the role of sperm-oviduct interactions in influencing the fertilisation process.
The ideal candidate would have a background in Computer Science or a related subject with programming expertise. Experience in GPU programming would be an advantage.