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Alan Garfinkel

@agarfinkel.bsky.social

Modeling and Dynamics of Biological Systems https://modelinginbiology.github.io https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Garfinkel https://profiles.ucla.edu/alan.garfinkel

516 Followers  |  238 Following  |  17 Posts  |  Joined: 12.11.2024
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Posts by Alan Garfinkel (@agarfinkel.bsky.social)

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#DynamicsClub in January: ๐— ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐˜‚๐—ฒ๐—น ๐—™. ๐— ๐˜‚๐—ปฬƒ๐—ผ๐˜‡ ๐—–๐—ฎ๐—บ๐˜‚๐˜€ will share his work with Fernando Santana on calcium and metabolic dynamics in myocytes of sinoatrial node (PMID: 40894732) pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40894732/

Jan 20 (Tuesday) at 11am PT / 2pm ET
Join us on Zoom: lingyunxiong.github.io/DynamicsClub/

02.01.2026 18:40 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
<p>COMAP Special Session: Build Your Own Modeling First Calculus Class</p> Faculty across the country are working to align introductory calculus classes with students' interests. This session highlights success stories shifting introductory calculus to a modeling-first appro...

If youโ€™re going to the JMM in DC in Jan, check out the COMAP session on 1/5 for math teachers wanting to develop or strengthen a โ€œmodeling firstโ€ approach to calculus, one that has been shown to increase student interest and performance. Speakers are outstanding!!

meetings.ams.org/math/jmm2026...

14.12.2025 20:19 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 4    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

The bias is really baked in here

30.11.2025 15:55 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 6    ๐Ÿ” 2    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

O...M...G, SciRep please tell us this is a joke. But it isn't, is it? You are really claiming that 'runctitional features' and 'factor fexcectorn' play a role in ASD diagnosis? Thanks, Stephen, for calling this out, and yes, this is truly embarrassing for them.

28.11.2025 00:22 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 3    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

The leading authority on nonlinear and oscillatory chemical reactions has got to be Irv Epstein at Brandeis, whom I'm sure you must know. some of his models might be relevant

17.09.2025 19:25 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Mike, are you familiar with the Eigen-Schuster Hypercycle models of what they call 'pre-biotic evolution'?

03.09.2025 18:27 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
An image of the brain generated by ChatGPT which has mislabeled almost every brain structure and even invented new ones,

An image of the brain generated by ChatGPT which has mislabeled almost every brain structure and even invented new ones,

Screenshot of LLM offering to generate the image "Would you like a visual diagram of how the cerebellum interfaces with cortical prediction pathways in this framework?"

Screenshot of LLM offering to generate the image "Would you like a visual diagram of how the cerebellum interfaces with cortical prediction pathways in this framework?"

ChatGPT offered to make an image for me of how the cerebellum interacts with other brain predictive processing pathways and this amazingly confused diagram was the result--mislabeling almost every brain structure & even inventing new ones. ๐Ÿ˜ฑ Let's hope our future doctors aren't using LLMs to study!

21.06.2025 11:17 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 110    ๐Ÿ” 27    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 21    ๐Ÿ“Œ 11
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#DynamicsClub in June: ๐—–๐—ฎ๐˜€๐—ฒ๐˜† ๐—”๐—ฑ๐—ฎ๐—บ from Purdue University will share her work on dynamic neuromodulation. www.nature.com/articles/s42...

June 12 (Thur) at 11am PT / 2pm ET
Join in person at UCLA or on Zoom: lingyunxiong.github.io/DynamicsClub/

02.06.2025 22:13 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Bifurcation theory in physiology | Shu Chien - Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering

Delighted to share that I will give a department seminar at UCSD ๐‘บ๐’‰๐’– ๐‘ช๐’‰๐’Š๐’†๐’ - ๐‘ฎ๐’†๐’๐’† ๐‘ณ๐’‚๐’š ๐‘ซ๐’†๐’‘๐’‚๐’“๐’•๐’Ž๐’†๐’๐’• ๐’๐’‡ ๐‘ฉ๐’Š๐’๐’†๐’๐’ˆ๐’Š๐’๐’†๐’†๐’“๐’Š๐’๐’ˆ on Friday, June 6th. be.ucsd.edu/seminar/2025...

Join us in La Jolla at 2pm in The FUNG Auditorium.

02.06.2025 22:48 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 2
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I have been selected by the UCLA Molecular Biology Institute for the 2025 Boyer/Parvin Posteoctoral Award. ๐Ÿฅณ๐Ÿฅณ๐Ÿฅณ

Initiated by Paul Boyer since his Nobel Prize in 1997, this honor is now supported by the Parvin foundation to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Boyer, beyond ATP synthase and the sodium pump.

01.06.2025 15:01 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 6    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Best non-technical book on pattern formation is The Self-made Tapestry by @philipcball.bsky.social

23.05.2025 14:22 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 3    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

that's not a bad video at all. Yes, pattern formation in PDEs is an incredibly beautiful and scientifically important phenomenon, and we've published a bunch of papers using it to mechanistically explain patterns in physiological systems

22.05.2025 23:00 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 4    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 2    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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#DynamicsClub in May: ๐—ก๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฎ๐—น๐—ถ๐—ฒ ๐—›๐—ฎ๐˜‚๐—ด๐—น๐˜‚๐—ป๐—ฑ @ox.ac.uk will share her recent work on the glymphatic system during sleep. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39788123/

May 7 (Wed) at 9am PT / 5pm BST
Join us on Zoom: lingyunxiong.github.io/DynamicsClub/

01.05.2025 15:43 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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After the Genetic Paradigm: Why We Need a New Biology PHILIP BALL | One sign of this shift is that biology is becoming more ready to accept and to speak of concepts long considered taboo...

I'm aiming to get some thoughtful biologists together (there's no lack of them!) to discuss what kind of narratives might best reflect the nature of their field in the 21st century. Here's a preview of the goals; I'm excited and optimistic about it.
www.marginaliareviewofbooks.com/post/after-t...

18.04.2025 11:25 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 60    ๐Ÿ” 19    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 6    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1

Hi Bryan- yes, definitely applications to depressive disorders. search "depression" in Ivy's paper. you will find a discussion of a very interesting new theory of depression, way beyond the now-discredited "serotonin hypothesis". Also Google "depression rhythm" for things like circadian influences

16.04.2025 21:43 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 3    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Are physiological oscillations physiological? Abstract figure legend Mechanisms and functions of physiological oscillations.

My article with @agarfinkel.bsky.social titled "๐—”๐—ฟ๐—ฒ ๐—ฝ๐—ต๐˜†๐˜€๐—ถ๐—ผ๐—น๐—ผ๐—ด๐—ถ๐—ฐ๐—ฎ๐—น ๐—ผ๐˜€๐—ฐ๐—ถ๐—น๐—น๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ผ๐—ป๐˜€ ๐™ฅ๐™๐™ฎ๐™จ๐™ž๐™ค๐™ก๐™ค๐™œ๐™ž๐™˜๐™–๐™ก?" has ranked as a Top Viewed Article by Wiley. Check it out if you haven't done so: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.... #TopViewedArticle

16.04.2025 13:46 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 7    ๐Ÿ” 2    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Pleased to host ๐——๐—ฟ. ๐—”๐—น๐—ถ๐—ฐ๐—ถ๐—ฎ ๐— ๐—ฐ๐——๐—ผ๐—ป๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ด๐—ต for the first IBP Departmental Seminar on Thursday, April 3rd. Join us in person at UCLA to find out the ๐˜ฑ๐˜ฉ๐˜บ๐˜ด๐˜ช๐˜ฐ๐˜ญ๐˜ฐ๐˜จ๐˜ช๐˜ค๐˜ข๐˜ญ ๐˜ฃ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ๐˜ง๐˜ช๐˜ต๐˜ด ๐˜ฐ๐˜ง ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ง๐˜ฆ๐˜ฎ๐˜ข๐˜ญ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฌ๐˜ช๐˜ฅ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ๐˜บ and meet members of the Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology!

28.03.2025 18:58 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Jeff Saucerman, PhD, uses computational and experimental methods to find new drugs for heart disease
YouTube video by UVA - School of Medicine Jeff Saucerman, PhD, uses computational and experimental methods to find new drugs for heart disease

Quick video summary of my research: We develop computational and experimental methods to discover drugs for heart disease ๐Ÿงช
youtu.be/nmpFDiE4GSg

20.02.2025 13:36 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 15    ๐Ÿ” 3    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1
Continuation methods as a tool for parameter inference in electrophysiology modeling Parameterizing mathematical models of biological systems often requires fitting to stable periodic data. In cardiac electrophysiology this typically requires converging to a stable action potential th...

๐ŸšจOur latest preprint: "Continuation methods as a tool for parameter inference in electrophysiology modeling" by @MattJOwen_
and me: doi.org/10.48550/arX...

You fitting models to data related to limit cycles?

Tweetorial follows... ๐Ÿงต 1/9

17.01.2025 11:48 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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How Life Really Works Just as I uncovered a new way to understand life, I got news about my own.

Eight years ago, I worked on mathematical modeling of gene regulation. Always, thought why the relevant literature and lessons from this field are not present in popular science. Well, now here it is. A moving piece by @philipcball.bsky.social
#biology #gene #emergence
nautil.us/how-life-rea...

23.12.2024 13:07 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 36    ๐Ÿ” 10    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 4    ๐Ÿ“Œ 3
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What unique insights can modeling approaches capture about the immune system? The immune system, optimized by evolution to maintain health and prevent disease, is remarkably good at what it does. It detects pathogens and monitors physiological stresses with a sensitivity and selectivity that far surpasses that of man-made biosensors. It then mounts potent yet precise responses, enabling the body to maintain homeostasis amid varying internal milieu and external threats.

Thoughts from leaders of systems #immunology how mechanistic models can leverage omics/ML for deeper understanding of how our immune system works #sysbio @cp-cellsystems.bsky.social
www.cell.com/cell-systems...

23.12.2024 18:33 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 13    ๐Ÿ” 2    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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His Dynamics: the Geometry of Behavior (with Chris Shaw) told the story of nonlinear dynamics in a picture-centric comic-book style. We and many others are currently drawing heavily on these ideas to teach dynamics to undergraduates, in our case to UCLA Life Science freshmen.

26.11.2024 21:46 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 4    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Ralph himself also had a major revelation: these high-level geometric and topological concepts of vector field, trajectory, etc. were also the perfect pedagogical tool to introduce students to the dynamics that are inherent in non-linear diff eqs.

26.11.2024 21:46 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

The book replaces the vague and outdated concept of a differential equation by the rigorous notion of a vector field, a cross-section of the tangent bundle of a differentiable manifold. The fundamental concepts go back to Poincareโ€™s work on the equations of the 3-Body Problem.

26.11.2024 21:45 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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The math world lost a giant in September, with the death of Ralph Abraham. Ralphโ€™s paradigm-changing Foundations of Mechanics (with Jerry Marsden) laid out the differential geometric and topological foundations of global analysis. (1/n)

26.11.2024 21:44 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 4    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Something that's been bugging me for a while in bioinformatics data analysis is this overreliance on packages, workflows and what's been called "cargo cult science".

Can we have more conceptual thinking, more theory?
Asking for what we really want to achieve and what we need to do gets us there.

19.11.2024 10:58 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 223    ๐Ÿ” 34    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 33    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1

This is priceless! tylervigen.com has long been a wonderful source for spurious correlations, but now it has added these totally bs "explanations" generated by AI!

25.11.2024 01:41 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 4    ๐Ÿ” 2    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Wild!

21.11.2024 18:54 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 2    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

thanks for doing this, Jeff. please add me!

21.11.2024 23:56 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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A common pathway to cancer: Oncogenic mutations abolish p53 oscillations The tumor suppressor p53 oscillates in response to DNA double-strand breaks, a behavior that has been suggested to be essential to its anti-cancer funโ€ฆ


thrilled that Ivy Xiongโ€™s poster was chosen to represent basic science at UCLA Dept of Medicineโ€™s annual Research Day: intravital imaging (thanks, Natalie Porat-Shliom!) and mathematical modeling to identify key sex differences in kidney function.
connect.uclahealth.org/dom/2024/10/...

20.11.2024 21:49 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0