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The ISBGroup Blog

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Here you can read about everything that's happening in the ISB Group.

Sign up: Workshop on Modelling in Biology and Medicine (MBM 2023)

Uncategorised Posted by ISB GroupPosted on Tue, March 07, 2023 13:39:24

Welcome to MBM 2023!  

We are pleased to invite you to our fourth Workshop on Modelling in Biology and Medicine (MBM 2023) on the 15-17th of May.  We aim to gather all young researchers in Sweden working on modelling of biological systems. Our ambition is to give all participating PhD students and Postdocs the opportunity to present their work through an oral presentation or a poster. Further, we wish to provide an insight into how modelling in biology and medicine is practiced in academia and industry.  

The workshop will be held in both plenary presentation sessions for larger talks as well as in smaller sessions for e.g. poster presentations. You can participate at MBM 2023 by  

  • giving a plenary talk,  
  • presenting a poster   
  • or simply as an observer  

The workshop will be in-person at Linköping University, Campus US. 

When: 15-17th of May 2023  
Where: Linköping 

Why: Bringing together young researchers in Sweden working on the border of mathematics, biology, and medicine  

How: Oral presentation, poster, or as an observer  
Abstract submission: https://forms.gle/jHNrg1QM6bGQhmx9A, deadline 14th of April 
Register: Registration will open soon 

More information: https://mbm.systemsbiology.se/   



The paper titled “A multi-scale in silico mouse model for diet-induced insulin resistance” has been published in the Biochemical Engineering Journal

Uncategorised Posted by ISB GroupPosted on Fri, March 03, 2023 14:40:25

We recently published a paper detailing mechanisms of insulin signaling and type 2 diabetes at multiple levels in rat adipocytes. In this paper, we present a model that can simulate weight changes on a wholebody level, and propagate the effect of weight related insulin resistance down to the cellular and tissue level. 

You find the link to the full paper HERE



2023 continue to be great – a second publication in PLOS Computational Biology

Uncategorised Posted by ISB GroupPosted on Tue, January 10, 2023 08:30:00

Our work “A quantitative model for human neurovascular coupling with translated mechanisms from animals”, previously available at bioRxiv, has now been published in PLOS Computational Biology. In this manuscript we explore if qualitative behaviors of the Neurovascular coupling (NVC), found in different species and data sets, can be applied to the model simulations of other data. Below follows a slightly more detailed summary of the manuscript.

The neurovascular coupling (NVC) is the basis for functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), since the NVC connects neural activity with the observed hemodynamic changes. This connection is highly complex, which warrants a model-based analysis. However, even though NVC-data from several species and many relevant variables are available, a mathematical model for all these data is still missing. Herein, we combine experimental data from mice, monkeys, and humans, to develop a comprehensive model for NVC. Importantly, our new approach to modelling propagates the qualitative insights from each species to the subsequent analysis of data from other species. In mice, we unravel the role of different neuronal sub-populations when producing a biphasic response to prolonged sensory stimulations. The qualitative role of these sub-populations is preserved when analysing primate data. These primate data add knowledge on the interplay between local field potential (LFP) and vascular changes. Similarly, these pre-clinical qualitative insights are propagated to analysis of human data, which contain additional insights regarding blood flow and volume in arterioles and venules, during both positive and negative responses. This work illustrates how data with complementary information from different species can be combined, so that qualitative insights from animals are preserved in the quantitative analysis of human data.

You can read the full article HERE



Celebrating 2023 with new a publication in PLOS Computational Biology

Uncategorised Posted by ISB GroupPosted on Tue, January 03, 2023 11:32:57

We are pleased to announce that our manuscript entitled “Mechanistic model for human brain metabolism and its connection to the neurovascular coupling” have recently been accepted for publication in PLoS Computational Biology. In this manuscript we present a mechanistic model for the human cerebral metabolism based on magnetic resonance spectroscopy data. We have also connected this model to our previously published model for the neurovascular coupling. Below follows a slightly more detailed summary of the manuscript. 

The neurovascular and neurometabolic couplings are highly central for several clinical imaging techniques since these frequently use blood oxygenation (the BOLD signal) as a proxy for neuronal activity. This relationship is described by the highly complex neurovascular and neurometabolic couplings, which describe the balancing between increased metabolic demand and blood flow, and which involve several cell types and regulatory systems, which all change dynamically over time. While there are previous works that describe the neurovascular coupling in detail, neither we nor others have developed connections to corresponding mechanistic models for the third aspect, the metabolic aspect. Furthermore, magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) data for such modelling readily is available. In this paper we present a minimal mechanistic model that can describe the metabolic response to visual stimuli. The model is trained to describe experimental data for the relative change in metabolic concentrations of several metabolites in the visual cortex during stimulation. The model is also validated against independent validation data, that was not used for model training. Finally, we also connect this metabolic model to a detailed mechanistic model of the neurovascular coupling. Showing that the model can describe both the metabolic response and a neurovascular response simultaneously. 

You can find the article HERE!

Overview of the modelling work presented A. A table summary of different models and what aspects of the neurovascular coupling they cover. B. A schematic overview of how this work connects pre-existing models for the neurovascular coupling with a description for the cerebral metabolism and how this new interconnected model can be used for informative simulations. C: A detailed illustration of the metabolism model precented in this work. Neuronal activity triggers increased consumption of glucose, which triggers downstream signaling cascades of different metabolites, which can be captured using Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS). D. A schematic illustration of the modelling cycle used to develop a minimal model.


Today: Medical Digital Twins in Sweden

Uncategorised Posted by ISB GroupPosted on Tue, December 06, 2022 12:41:07

When: 6th of December

Where: Granitsalen, north entrence, campus US, Linköping university

Or join on zoom: https://liu-se.zoom.us/j/63058145097



December 12: Data Driven Precision Medicine and Diagnostics Research Area Symposium

Uncategorised Posted by ISB GroupPosted on Mon, December 05, 2022 08:34:23

DDLS is one of Sweden’s biggest iniatives towards personalized medicine, funded by Knut and Alice Wallenberg’s foundation. We are represented in the expert committee, which oversees the creation of new calls and strategies. Via this committee, we are also arranging a symposium, on December 12, in Stockholm. There are already 150+ participants that have signed up, so don’t miss this opportunity to see the latest updates on one of the newest and most exciting research programs. There will be a session on digital twins, featuring among others Gunnar Cedersund as well as Lies Geris, from the VPH institute.

Read more about the symposium and the agenda HERE



ELLIIT tech talks – Digital twins (Swedish)

Uncategorised Posted by ISB GroupPosted on Fri, November 25, 2022 09:00:00

What exactly are digital twins, and how can we use them in the healthcare of the future? Gunnar Cedersund explains how it works. How can we make a digital model of ourselves and test different forms of treatment on our personal artificial twin before the treatment is actually performed.

Watch online (Swedish)



Brain modelling in New York

Uncategorised Posted by ISB GroupPosted on Mon, November 21, 2022 09:00:00

Earlier this autumn Gunnar, Malin, and Henrik traveled to New York to meet several collaborators at SUNY Downstate Health Science University, including Henriks co-supervisor, Salvador Dura-Bernal, and the group of Willam Lytton. We discussed modelling, neuronal networks, synaptic plasticity, future brain modelling projects, and explored their work-environment. This was very interesting for Henrik since he will spend one year in New York during his PhD. In the end of the visit Gunnar also gave a lecture presenting our research at Linköping University. Malin and Gunnar also visited other collaborators in New York, and Malin helped out during a clinical trial.

It was an educational trip and great stay! We would like to thank the Dura-Bernal lab, Neurosim lab, and many other for their great hospitality and nice discussions.



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