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r
e s e a r c h.. f o c u s :
Self-organization
in biological systems
Researchers
throughout the
basic sciences are interested in the self-organization of complex
systems, the so-called study of complexity. In biology, the emergence
of organized biological entities may lie at the heart of fundamental
processes such as development, gene expression, and homeostatic
regulation of large, complex organisms. Many biological systems
"self-organize" into fractal-like branching networks of
cells or individuals, suggesting that relatively few simple rules
of biochemical signaling, behavior, or other interaction with the
environment may underlie many common biological structures, such
as cells, organs, organisms, or grouping behavior of individuals.
This new field is in its infancy, but its potential for informing
the development of biotechnology, nanotechnology, etc. is strong
and there is tremendous excitement about any advances. I am currently
searching for amenable experimental systems and analytical mathematical
approaches to tackle some of the key questions in this field.
Selected
Related Publications:
Haskell,
J.H., M.E. Ritchie, and H.Olff. 2002. Fractal geometry predicts
varying body size scaling relationships for mammal and bird home
ranges. Nature 418: 527-530. [PDF]
Olff,
H. and M.E. Ritchie. 2002. Fragmented nature: consequences
for biodiversity. Landscape and Urban Planning 58: 83-92.
Ritchie,
M.E. and H. Olff. 1999. Spatial scaling laws yield a synthetic
theory of biodiversity. Nature 400: 557-560. [PDF]
Ritchie,
M.E. 1998. Scale-dependent foraging and patch choice in fractal
environments. Evolutionary Ecology 12: 309-330.
For
more details about my other research and related publications, please
select from the following:
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