View the seminar recording here (Imperial College members only) or contact k.hobson@imperial.ac.uk to request access.
Centre for Neurotechnology seminar from Alain Goriely
Professor of Mathematical Modelling, University of Oxford
Mathematical models of neurodegenerative diseases
Abstract: Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s are devastating conditions with poorly understood mechanisms and no cure. Yet, a striking feature of these conditions is the characteristic pattern of invasion throughout the brain, leading to well-codified disease stages associated with various cognitive deficits and pathologies. How can we use mathematical modelling to gain insight into this process and, doing so, gain understanding about how the brain works? In this talk, I will show that by linking new mathematical theories to recent progress in imaging, we can unravel some of the universal features associated with dementia and, more generally, brain functions.
Bio: Shortly after receiving his Ph.D in mathematical physics from the University of Brussels in 1994, Alain Goriely joined the Department of Mathematics at the University of Arizona where he established a research group within the renowned Program of Applied Mathematics. He joined the University of Oxford as the Chair of Mathematical Modelling in 2010. Currently, he is the director of the Oxford Centre for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, and of the International Brain Mechanics and Trauma Lab. At the scientific level, he is an applied mathematician with broad interests in mathematics, science, and engineering. His research in mathematical methods, nonlinear dynamics, and theoretical mechanics has led him to collaborate closely with scientists from many other disciplines such as engineering, biology, medical sciences, chemistry, and physics. His current research includes the mechanics of biological growth and its applications to plants and physiology; the multiscale modelling of the brain, the design of photovoltaic devices, the mathematical foundations of elasticity; the dynamics of curves, knots, and rods; the design of proteins; the modelling of cancer; and the development of mathematical methods for applied sciences. He is the author of Integrability and Nonintegrability (2011), The mathematics and mechanics of biological Growth (2017), and of Applied Mathematics: A Very Short Introduction (2018).
The seminar will take place via Microsoft Teams. Advance registration is required. A link and instructions on how to access the event are provided in your registration confirmation email and a reminder will be sent before the event.
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