Computational Mathematics and Scientific Computing Seminar

---

Aggregation of Microglia in 2D with a Gradient Weighted Moving Finite Element Method

Speaker: Abigail Wacher, Durham University

Location: Warren Weaver Hall 1302

Date: April 1, 2011, 10 a.m.

Synopsis:

Pattern formation, such as in chemotactic cell (microglia) aggregation, is an important phenomenon within Biology and Chemistry. Moving finite element methods are designed for tracking moving shocks and complex structures with a fixed number of nodes, making these methods ideal for chemotaxis models where, for the appropriate parameters, cells aggregate into sharp peaks. In my talk I will discuss the general idea of the adaptive mesh technique called "String Gradient Weighted Moving Finite Elements" and I will present results to several systems of non-linear Partial Differential Equations. I will conclude the talk by discussing a 2D model for aggregation of microglia in two spatial dimensions solved numerically using the String Gradient Weighted Moving Finite Element method.