Modelling Of Plant Microtubules (26w5658)

The Banff International Research Station will host the "Modelling Of Plant Microtubules" workshop in Banff from May 17 to May 22, 2026.

Plant productivity and resilience to environmental stresses such as climate change depends on the mechanisms that define cellular morphogenesis. This is largely governed by the mechanical properties of the plant cell wall, which is in turn dependent on the spatial organization of dynamic cytoskeletal polymers known as microtubules. In contrast to animal cells, where microtubule organization is controlled by organizing centres, plant cell microtubule arrays are self organized. Understanding this self-organization remains an active area of research where mathematical approaches have proven to be indispensable. This is done by simulating interacting microtubules in shapes representing an individual cell. Starting with simple simulations, different researchers have implemented their own computational models to study various aspects involved in this process. Building on this, these models are now employing increasingly sophisticated ideas. This workshop aims to give researchers the opportunity to understand each others' models and to foster stronger collaborations.

The Banff International Research Station for Mathematical Innovation and Discovery (BIRS) is a collaborative Canada-US-Mexico venture that provides an environment for creative interaction as well as the exchange of ideas, knowledge, and methods within the Mathematical Sciences, with related disciplines and with industry. The research station is located at The Banff Centre in Alberta and is supported by Canada's Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and Alberta's Technology and Innovation.