Richard K Lubin Professor of Bioengineering
Professor of Genetics
University of Pennsylvania
Title: Cellular Agents
Abstract: Ever since the genetic code was deciphered, we have increasingly come to view cellular control through the lens of genetic determinism. In this paradigm, cells are typically regarded as automatons that blindly execute the instructions written into their DNA. We explore an alternative paradigm, one in which cells exhibit signs of agency. These include the ability of cells to learn new behaviors adaptively by encoding memories of their experiences. We also show that processes such as development, which is typically viewed as a highly orchestrated symphony of events, exhibit hallmarks of cooperative behavior between quasi-independent agents. This view of cellular agency allows us to apply some elementary concepts from economics, such as division of labor and comparative advantage, to developmental biology.
Host: Jellert Gaublomme
