Oscillation in Physiology: the How and the Why
Please note change of series location to Sherrington Library
The concept of equilibrium is powerful and long dominant in the sciences; in physiology, the equilibrium paradigm is embodied in the principle of homeostasis, an equilibrium state that is enforced by negative feedback loops. But physiological quantities are, in fact, not in static equilibrium. Oscillation is another critical form of behavior, seen in both normal physiology and in pathophysiology.

We will review examples of oscillation in normal physiology: gene expression, embryology, hormone regulation, neuronal bursting. We will focus on how mathematical modeling can isolate and identify the mechanisms responsible for the oscillatory behavior.

We will also discuss the why of oscillation: what is the functional role, if any, of these oscillatory processes?

There are also a number of examples of pathological oscillation in physiology and medicine, ranging from muscle tremors to cardiac early-afterdepolarizations to ventricular fibrillation to punctate patterning in arterial calcification. In these cases, mathematical modeling shows us how to design therapeutic interventions and develop new categories of pharmacology.
Date: 7 February 2020, 13:00 (Friday, 3rd week, Hilary 2020)
Venue: Sherrington Library, off Parks Road OX1 3PT
Speaker: Professor Alan Garfinkel (Newton-Abraham Visiting Professor, Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford, 2019-2020, Professor of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles)
Organising department: Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics (DPAG)
Organisers: Associate Professor Duncan Sparrow (DPAG, University of Oxford), Professor Maike Glitsch (DPAG, University of Oxford)
Organiser contact email address: hod-pa@dpag.ox.ac.uk
Host: Professor David Paterson (DPAG, University of Oxford)
Part of: DPAG Head of Department Seminar Series
Booking required?: Not required
Audience: Members of the University only
Editor: Talitha Smith