The study of biological networks has primarily focused on the interactions between agents, whether molecules or organisms. Examples include social networks, sexual contact networks, and gene regulatory networks. There are, however, a large classes of important physical networks that play vital roles in biological systems, including vascular networks in plants and animals.
We are presently studying the physical structure of plant vascular networks from leaves to shoots to roots - using the tools of scaling theory, image analysis and large-scale data mining.
The study of leaf networks is led by Dr. Chuck Price. Our work on roots is led by Yuriy Mileyko and Olga Symonova in coordination with the Benfey laboratory as part of a NSF grant on the genome-wide analysis of root traits..
Central areas of study include:
- Structure of leaf vascular networks
- Analysis of root system architecture
- Evaluating scaling theories, including network theories, of plant form and function.
We are also interested in network structure and function more generally, particularly as it relates to gene regulation (networks of genes) and interactions among organisms (such as syntrophic networks and food webs).
