Grambling State University

Title: Modeling Membrane Dynamics In Excitable Tissue

Director: Brett Sims

Dates of Program: June 1 - July 10, 2009

Summary: This summer research program at Grambling State University (GSU) will give four undergraduate students the opportunity to study and perform interdisciplinary research in modeling practices for building deterministic models for membrane dynamics in excitable tissue (neural and heart tissue). Students will continue the 2008 research focus on developing a new model for ion flux. A global focus in the study of excitable tissue is action potential propagation. However, action potential propagation depends significantly on cell membrane dynamics. The four student research participants will work in teams of two: one focusing on wave propagation modeling and the other focusing on modeling membrane dynamics (ionic channel dynamics). Action potential models containing linear and nonlinear source terms will also be considered.

Student Researchers Supported by MAA: