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Rolf Ryham

2012-01-06
10:20:00 - 11:10:00

101 , Mathematics Research Center Building (ori. New Math. Bldg.)

The study of electrolytes and their applications to biology is related to the ability of a biological membrane to act as a barrier between ionic solutions. One way life controls ionic solution is through ion channels, the subject underlying the work of much of this workshop. A second more drastic way is by introducing a hole in the membrane itself. For example, in hemolysis, the osmotic swelling and rupture of a red-blood cell, a single hole forms in the membrane leading to the leak out of the contents of the cell. Similarly, in exocytosis a hole is formed by joining to membrane bilayers. These processes are mathematically challenging to study because they involve physical forces on multiple scales and predicting the time course is more consequential than the equilibrium end states. This talk will show how such complicated fluid mechanical problems yield to quantitative modeling and simulation.

For material related to this talk, click here.