Simulating tissue dynamics with cellular Potts models

Just over 30 years ago, the cellular Potts model (CPM) was introduced to explain experimental observations of spontaneous cell sorting in embryonic tissue cultures. In the years since, the CPM evolved into a powerful model framework for simulating a wide range of physical and biological processes – from foam physics to tissue development, cancer growth, angiogenesis, plant development, evolution, immune responses, and cell migration. Having just celebrated the 30^th birthday of the CPM, now is a great time to look back on the progress made, (re-)evaluate the major hurdles in the field and lay out a roadmap for the next 30 years of CPM research.

This workshop will bring together a broad CPM community ranging from end-users (including computational and experimental biologists) to researchers tackling the fundamentals (mathematicians, computational physicists), as well developers of software tools. The workshop will also reunite the original developers of the CPM, who can provide a unique view on the history of this simple yet powerful modelling framework.                                                                                                                               

Sessions and discussions will focus on the following topics:

• History of the CPM: lessons learned from 30 years of CPM research
• Applications in the fields of cell migration, evolution, and development
• Mathematics and theory of CPMs
• Combining CPMs and machine learning
• Software and model sharing
• The future of CPMs

Both new and experienced users of the CPM are encouraged to apply. The workshop aims to establish connections between members of the CPM community to foster future collaborations.

Important (practical) notes:

• The workshop will be highly interactive with an emphasis on discussions, poster sessions, and short pitches. Please be aware that not everyone may be able to give a talk, as we will also use discussions and poster sessions to maximize interactions between participants.
• Due to the limited capacity of the venue, we may not be able to approve all registrations. Applications received by Friday 29 September will receive full consideration. Late applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• We are still in the process of acquiring additional funding, but some funds will likely be available to help cover travel and accommodation costs. If you need a contribution to your expenses, please contact the scientific organizers.

Registration for this workshop is closed.