Projects per year
Personal profile
Research interests
Cell migration
I work in collaboration with experimentalists in Edinburgh on a gene called Kit! Mutations in Kit can cause slower migration of melanocyte neural crest cells leading to non-pigmented areas of skin. I work on linking two different modelling paradigms (discrete stochastic and deterministic continuum) for cell migration and exploiting their complementary advantages when modelling a biological system.
Spatial hybrid simulation methods for reaction-diffusion systems
Reaction-diffusion models have been employed to describe many emergent phenomena in biological systems. The modelling technique for reaction-diffusion systems that has predominated due to its analytical tractability and ease of simulation has been the use of partial differential equations (PDEs). However individual-based models have become a popular way to investigate the effects of noise in such systems.
In a wide variety of biological situations, computationally-intensive, high-resolution models are relevant only in particular regions of the spatial domain. In other regions, coarser representations may suffice to capture the important dynamics. Such conditions necessitate the development of hybrid models in which some areas of the domain are modelled using a coarse-grained representation and others using a more fine-grained representation. A significant part of the work of my group focussed on developing and testing such methods.
Stochastic simulation methodologies
With a variety of collaborators and PhD students I work on the development of efficient stochastic simulation algorithms. In part I work on developing general methodologies for stochastic simulation (Multi-level for continuous time Markov processes, recycling random numbers in the SSA, avoiding negative populations in tau-leaping). I also work on the development of simulation algorithms specifically designed to speed up the simulation of spatially extended systems (hybrid methods, non-local jumping, adaptive mesh refinement for position-jump processes).
Collective motion
I model the collective migration of locust (and other animal) swarms using self-propelled particle models and more basic stochastic interaction models. In collaboration with scientists in Slovakia I have also started modelling decision making in ants.
The evolution of pleiotropy and redundancy
I model the potential for the evolution of pleiotropy and redundancy as a mechanism by which cheating is regulated in bacterial communities. We use experimental data to inform our stochastic evolution models.
Sleeping sickness
In collaboration with experimentalists from Nottingham and Oxford I work on modelling the methods by which the causative parasites in the disease sleeping sickness are able to effectively evade the immune system.
Nematode dynamics
I model the interaction dynamics between migrating nematode worms and more sedentary bacteria which act as food for the worms. We use cellular automaton/PDE hybrid models informed by experimental data.
Egg patterning
In collaboration with experimental biologists in Harvard and Yale I contrive computer models which are able to investigate the possible mechanisms by which egg patterns form.
Cell Tracking
Willing to supervise doctoral students
I can ofer a wide variety of projects across the range of stochastic modelling in biology. Please contact me for further details or to discuss a tailored project proposal.
Teaching interests
I have been lecturing at Bath since 2014.
By undertaking the Bath course at the University of Bath I have become a Fellow of the Higher Education academy.
I have also become interested in various aspects of Mathematical pedagogy. You can hear my speak about some of the methods and teaching philosophies I employ here.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Education/Academic qualification
Doctor of Philosophy, Comparing stochastic discrete and deterministic continuum models of cell migration, University of Oxford
Award Date: 1 Jan 2011
Master of Arts, Mathematics, University of Oxford
Award Date: 1 Jan 2007
Master of Science, Mathematical modelling and Scientific Computing, University of Oxford
Award Date: 1 Jan 2007
Bachelor of Arts, Mathematics, University of Oxford
Award Date: 1 Jan 2006
External positions
Member, European Society for Mathematical and Theoretical Biology
Member, London Mathematical Society
Member, Society for Mathematical Biology
Keywords
- Cell migration
- Mathematical Modelling
- Mathematical Biology
- Collective behaviour
- Stochastic simulation
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Projects
- 2 Finished
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Devloping Efficient Methodologies for Modelling Stochastic Dynamical Systems in Biology
27/03/17 → 27/06/17
Project: UK charity
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Mathematical Modelling of Neural Crest Cell Migration in Early Embryos
8/02/16 → 12/02/16
Project: UK charity
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Stochastic drift in discrete waves of nonlocally interacting particles
Sontag, A., Rogers, T. & Yates, C. A., 18 Jan 2023, In: Physical Review E. 107, 1, 014128.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile13 Downloads (Pure) -
Swapping in lattice-based cell migration models
Raja Noureen, S., Owen, J. P., Mort, R. L. & Yates, C. A., 30 Apr 2023, In: Physical Review E. 107, 044402.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile4 Downloads (Pure) -
Closing our eyes to covid won't make it go away
Yates, K., 21 Mar 2022, In: BMJ (Clinical research ed.). 376, o743.Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial › peer-review
Open AccessFile2 Citations (SciVal)18 Downloads (Pure) -
Covid-19: An urgent call for global ‘vaccines-plus’ action
Greenhalgh, T., Griffin, S., Gurdasani, D., Hamdy, A., Katzourakis, A., McKee, M., Michie, S., Pagel, C., Roberts, A. & Yates, K., 3 Jan 2022, In: British Medical Journal. 376, 376.Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate
Open Access15 Citations (SciVal) -
Covid-19 in the UK: policy on children and schools
Gurdasani, D., Pagel, C., McKee, M., Michie, S., Greenhalgh, T., Yates, K., Scally, G. & Ziauddeen, H., 31 Aug 2022, In: British Medical Journal. 378, e071234.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile4 Citations (SciVal)11 Downloads (Pure)