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The Next Revolution in Biology after Genomics can be Delivered if only Biology is Integrated with Physical, Engineering and Computational Sciences

by Dr. Sukhendu Dev (University of Barcelona)

Friday, November 12, 2010 from to (Asia/Kolkata)
at Colaba Campus ( A-304 )
Description
In this broad overview I discuss the influence of physical, engineering and computational sciences in biology. I argue that, to achieve breakthroughs in modern biology and medicine, it will be essential for biology to be integrated. I trace the history of such developments and go beyond what the historians of science have so far dealt with, namely scientists such as Crick, Wilkins, Perutz, Delbruck etc. The conventional arguments have hinged around which organization saw the need to bring physical sciences to solve molecular biology problems. I discuss how Schrodinger's book, ``What is life?'' influenced physicists to move to  iology. I will discuss my interviews with leading scientists such as Walter Gilbert (QFT),  who got the Nobel Prize for developing a technique to sequence DNA; Howard Berg (Ph.D. in Maser Physics) who studies bacterial chemotaxis; Benzer (p-njunction) who is considered a world authority on {\em Drosophila} genetics and many others, scientists that have not been interviewed before, who gave reasons for their switch to biology. Among them were the influence Delbruck exerted by his courses at the CSHL, Schrodinger's book, war and a host of other reasons. I discuss some examples how genomics has created a true revolution from medicine to evolution and helped closing the gap in understanding Darwin's  volution, especially in the light of a new branch in biology, Evo-Devo. I also draw attention to the current effort by some biologists to ``overcome'' the central dogma of molecular biology and discuss whether systems biology is reductionist or holistic.
Organised by Dr. Vikram Tripathi