Cell.

My research explores the cellular principles underlying organ development, focusing on the dynamic behavior of rice roots. By integrating 4D cellular growth tracking with cell-based computational modeling, I aim to uncover how interactions between cellular processes and environmental cues drive organ growth.

I currently focus on circumnutation, the helical movement of root tips. Using live imaging of rice roots expressing the pHK1::HK1-YFP transgene, I observed that epidermal cells in the elongation zone display varying growth rates, influencing root elongation and circumnutation.

In collaboration with Dr. Daniel Goldman and Aradhya Rajanala (GA Tech), we develop a computational model with LAMMPS, a molecular dynamic modeling tool. In our model, interactions between cells are implemented through bonds with time-dependent equilibrium lengths to enable cell elongation. We implement circumnutation via differential cell elongation and define the axis of circumnutation as a vector pointing from the fastest to the slowest growing cells.

Computational modeling allows us to explore growth dynamics under conditions that are difficult to replicate experimentally. Moving forward, I will use these models to predict how roots navigate heterogeneous soils and validate if the principles observed in gel-based imaging hold true in diverse environments.

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