Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771 

ENGINEERING COLLOQUIUM 

Monday, March 19, 2001 / 3:30 PM, Building 3 Auditorium 

Robert B. Silver

ABSTRACT -- Cell division is a fundamental process in biology.  Cells orchestrate their functions, in part, through discrete calcium signals.
     In this seminar, we will explore a new perspective and paradigm shift on the regulation of cell division and other essential cellular processes.  Our studies show that cells use a digital signaling mechanism that integrates several fundamental metabolic pathways within a parallelized network of enzymes in cells.  We will also discuss how single photon multispectral imaging of calcium signals and enzyme activity, quantitative analysis of cell signals, and modeling of biological systems have helped to provide important insights into cellular signaling and regulation.  Elements of that signaling and control system are common among animal, plant, and fungal cells.

SPEAKER -- Dr. Robert B. Silver is currently a Scientist in the Decision and Information Sciences Division at Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne (IL).  Dr. Silver is also an Investigator at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) in Woods Hole (MA), where he has conducted much of his research over the past two decades.  Since 1977, he has published over 60 peer-reviewed scientific papers and videotapes, given over 80 invited seminar and symposium presentations, holds two U.S. patents that stem from his research, and has several pending patents.  He has served on grant and program review panels for NSF, NIH, and NASA.  He has been a Trustee and Science Councilor of the MBL.  Dr. Silver currently chairs a Study Section on high performance computer-aided video microscopy and optics, while serving on a second Study Section for the National Institutes of Health.
     Dr. Silver received a B.S. in Biology with minors in Physical and Engineering Sciences at the Illinois Institute of Technology (Chicago, IL) in 1973.  The University of California, Berkeley, awarded him a Ph.D. in Zoology in 1977.  During his postdoctoral training at the Department of Biochemistry, University of California, Berkeley, Dr. Silver began the studies on cell division and cell decisions he continues through this time.  Dr. Silver has served on the faculty, and conducted his research at, the Chicago Medical School, University of Wisconsin (Madison), and Cornell University (Ithaca).  Dr. Silver is the founder of the Modeling of Biological Systems Course and the Microinjection Course taught annually at the MBL.