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Banff International Research Station for Mathematical Innovation and Discovery (BIRS)

The vaccine development pipeline is a time, cost and labour-intensive process. Mathematical and computational methods can alleviate challenges related to this intensive process as well as providing further insights into the efficacy and safety of vaccines. These methods are key components of model-informed vaccine development (MIVD) and quantitative systems pharmacology/toxicology (QSP/T). MIVD and QSP/T can be used in tandem to better understand the biological processes and outcomes from vaccination administration, spurring future research. This workshop will strengthen and contribute to the ongoing development of this interdisciplinary community of biologists, mathematicians and vaccinologists.

Applied Mathematics (in general),    Pharmacology and Drug Development

Banff International Research Station for Mathematical Innovation and Discovery (BIRS)

According to recently published research study in Canada Medical Association Journal, in 2024, the number of new cancer cases and deaths from cancer were expected to reach 247 100 and 88 100, respectively. A key driver of cancer formation, development and its metastasis are single cancer cells. Understanding the biochemical processes that drive their force generation and polarisation and their mechanical properties might aid our understanding of how single cancer cells evolve over time and how they aid the formation of primary and secondary tumours. Cell migration is essential for many biological processes; e.g. immune response, embryogenesis, and cancer metastasis. The aim of this 5-day workshop is to bring applied mathematicians, cellular, molecular and developmental biologists, biophysicists, biostatisticians, biomechanical engineers and biotechnologists to deliberate on a roadmap towards developing 2- and 3-D mechanobiochemical models (MBMs) for single and collective cell migration through non-isotropic environments. The ultimate goal is to develop biophysically- and mathematically-engineered artificial cells that can be easily interrogated and perturbed for medical, biomedical, cancer and drug-delivery research at low cost, while reducing the use of animals in experiments.

Applied Mathematics (in general),    Systems Biology and Computational Biology

Banff International Research Station for Mathematical Innovation and Discovery (BIRS)

Plant productivity and resilience to environmental stresses such as climate change depends on the mechanisms that define cellular morphogenesis. This is largely governed by the mechanical properties of the plant cell wall, which is in turn dependent on the spatial organization of dynamic cytoskeletal polymers known as microtubules. In contrast to animal cells, where microtubule organization is controlled by organizing centres, plant cell microtubule arrays are self organized. Understanding this self-organization remains an active area of research where mathematical approaches have proven to be indispensable. This is done by simulating interacting microtubules in shapes representing an individual cell. Starting with simple simulations, different researchers have implemented their own computational models to study various aspects involved in this process. Building on this, these models are now employing increasingly sophisticated ideas. This workshop aims to give researchers the opportunity to understand each others' models and to foster stronger collaborations.

Applied Mathematics (in general),    Botany

Banff International Research Station for Mathematical Innovation and Discovery (BIRS)

This workshop aims to bring together researchers from diverse fields of applied mathematics to explore the critical role of variational methods in both physical sciences and data sciences. Variational problems are fundamental in modeling natural phenomena and optimizing complex systems. This interdisciplinary workshop will focus on the latest advances in the analysis of physical problems, mathematical aspects of data science, optimization techniques, and computational mathematics, and at the same time celebrate the important contributions of Rustum Choksi at the occasion of his 60th birthday. By bringing together a diverse group of scholars, the workshop will also create a venue for new research directions, innovative solutions, and enhanced computational methods.

Computational Physics and Numerical Simulation,    Scientific Computing and Data Science

Banff International Research Station for Mathematical Innovation and Discovery (BIRS)

The mathematical modeling of biological systems with partial differential equations has a long and successful history. Many results on species invasion or extinction, pattern formation and species interactions have been derived and used to better understand the biology around us. Applications cover a vast scale of sizes, from protein movement in the cell nucleus, to cell movement to tissue structure, organ structure, up to species interactions on the population level. Recently, a new model class arose that include finite distance interactions into the partial differential equation (PDE) framework. Non-local interactions relate to different sensing mechanisms, starting with sensing through sight and smell, to sensing through touch, cell-cell contact and cell protrusions to more abstract concepts such as learning and memory. In this workshop we aim to bring together established and young researchers to push the frontiers of research into non-local partial differential equations and their applications to biological problems.

Calculus, Differential Equations and Integration,    Systems Biology and Computational Biology

Banff International Research Station for Mathematical Innovation and Discovery (BIRS)

Most volcanic hazards --- from lava and pyroclastic flows to ash and gas clouds --- are fundamentally multiphase fluid flows. Predicting these fluid flows is of considerable importance in order to inform quantitative hazard assessment, including, for example, potential evacuation and exclusion zones during eruptions. Although recent advances in remote sensing offer some remarkable new insights into the dynamics, these hazardous fluid flows can be difficult to measure directly. Predictive mathematical models therefore play a vital role in allowing forecasters make robust operational decisions. This is the theme of our proposed workshop: the fluid mechanics of volcanic hazards.

Applied Mathematics (in general),    Geophysics and Geology