CAREER: Molecular and mesoscopic Modeling of Somatic Mutations and the Progression of B-cell Malignancies

Cornell University, Ithaca NY

Investigators

Abstract

Objectives: The PI's research objectives are: to develop a multiscale modeling approach to help elucidate: (i) the way in which amino acid sequence and binding affinity of antibodies are correlated and evolve during the humoral immune response to specific antigens, and (ii) to explore the role of somatic mutation and antigen pressure on the evolution of specific B-cell cancers, in particular, of follicular lymphomas. His educational objectives include: (1) undergraduate students are exposed to and trained in molecular modeling techniques, (2) graduate students are trained in multidisciplinary approaches to interdisciplinary problems, (3) the use of disparate length-scale modeling approaches is emphasized, and (4) the educational objectives are well integrated with the research activities.