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.
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.