{"681531":{"#nid":"681531","#data":{"type":"event","title":"PhD Proposal by Luis Felipe Cede\u00f1o P\u00e9rez","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EQuantitative Biosciences Thesis Proposal\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003ELuis Felipe Cede\u00f1o P\u00e9rez\u003Cbr\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003Cbr\u003EAdvisor: Dr. William C Ratcliff (School of Biological Sciences)\u003Cbr\u003EOpen to the Community\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ECellular Mechanisms Driving the Evolution and Stabilization of Multicellularity\u003Cbr\u003EApril 15th, 2025 at 10 AM EDT\u003Cbr\u003ERoom: S107 Howey Physics\u003Cbr\u003EZoom link: https:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/91231002116?pwd=YySvm2Df1hxPsuUaJEnFTzP8DNLyM3.1\u003Cbr\u003EZoom meeting ID: 912 3100 2116\u003Cbr\u003EPasscode: 312409\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ECommittee Members:\u003Cbr\u003EDr G Ozan Bozdag (School of Biological Sciences)\u003Cbr\u003EDr Peter J Yunker (School of Physics)\u003Cbr\u003EDr Sam Brown (School of Biological Sciences)\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EAbstract:\u003Cbr\u003EThe evolution of multicellularity represents one of life\u0027s major evolutionary transitions, transforming solitary cells into complex, integrated organisms. Despite its importance in shaping life on Earth, studying multicellularity presents unique challenges - the transitional forms connecting unicellular ancestors to modern multicellular organisms disappeared millions of years ago, leaving us with limited fossil evidence of how this process unfolded at the cellular level.\u003Cbr\u003EMy research leverages the Multicellularity Long-Term Evolution Experiment (MuLTEE), which uses snowflake yeast to study multicellular evolution in real-time. Through directed evolution, we\u0027ve created a system where simple clusters of cells evolve into macroscopic multicellular structures with novel properties. This experimental approach provides unprecedented insights into how multicellular adaptations emerge and stabilize, allowing us to witness unseen evolutionary processes in the laboratory.\u003Cbr\u003EIn my thesis, I address three fundamental aspects of the origins of complex multicellularity. First, I investigate how changes in basic cellular properties, like cell division timing, manifest as adaptive multicellular traits. Second, I examine how unicellular fitness changes as complex multicellularity evolves, potentially leading to entrenchment in the multicellular state. Third, I explore the mechanistic basis of this entrenchment, particularly the trade-off between cellular elongation and time spent in mitosis. By studying these questions using an experimentally tractable model system, my work aims to illuminate the cellular foundations of one of life\u0027s most transformative evolutionary transitions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECellular Mechanisms Driving the Evolution and Stabilization of Multicellularity\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Cellular Mechanisms Driving the Evolution and Stabilization of Multicellularity"}],"uid":"27707","created_gmt":"2025-04-02 18:41:08","changed_gmt":"2025-04-02 18:41:39","author":"Tatianna Richardson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-04-15T10:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2025-04-15T12:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-04-15T12:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-04-15 14:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-04-15 16:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-04-15 16:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"S107 Howey Physics","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"221981","name":"Graduate Studies"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"102851","name":"Phd proposal"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1788","name":"Other\/Miscellaneous"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78771","name":"Public"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}