Somatic Cell Genealogies and Differentiation
An individual consists of a large number of cells that has been created by a series of duplication that can be traced back to the zygote. The relationship of all cells in an individual can this be described by a traditional phylogeny. Since there are about 1014 cells in an adult human, even with much improved sequencing technologies, choosing a strategic smaller set will be important. Knowing the cell tree in conjunction with other data could be a major tool in understanding differentiation. It is clear that this domain of research will experience a major growth in coming years and engaging in both statistical modelling and empirical research in this field, will be of great value. In this project, we propose research involving both.
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