The UCLA Biocybernetics Laboratory was founded
in 1966 by Prof. J. J. DiStefano, III. Research in the laboratory is interdisciplinary,
involving integration of theoretical biomodeling and biosystems approaches
with experimental laboratory techniques in physiology, pharmacology and related
biomedical fields. The pedagogy involves development and exploitation of the
synergistic and methodologic interface between modeling and laboratory experimentation,
with a focus on integrated approaches for solving complex biosystem problems
from sparse biodata. Current projects and areas of research guidance include:
- Receptor/cell signaling/trafficking mechanisms in health
and disease.
- Dynamic system modeling and simulation methods in cancer,
diabetes, hepatitis and HIV infection.
- Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of biomolecules
and therapeutic agents.
- Hierarchical neuroendocrine control of hormone metabolism
and action (at neural, organ-system & molecular levels).
- Nonlinear mechanistic models of possibly chaotic behavior
in neuroendocrine and cellular systems (e.g. is 'pulsatile' pituitary
secretion 'chaotic'?).
- Model-based experiment-design techniques for optimizing
experimental resources and strategies, and Monte Carlo and dynamic system
simulation testing of bioexperiment feasibility (e.g minimizing laboratory
animal use).
- Intelligent expert system software for biomodeling,
for biomodel discrimination, and for biodata processing (e.g. DIMSUM,
GENES, MAMCAT, MCSIM, & RIELISA expert systems).
The Biocybernetics lab also provides training
to undergraduates motivated toward biosystems modeling and experimental research,
via the UCLA Student Research Program (SRP), and the Interdepartmental Cybernetics
Major in the College of Letters and Science.
