Reaction-diffusion systems appear all across nature, and the mathematical models underpinning the phenomena can be applied across a range of topics, from understanding geological formation through to finding out why some animals display stripes or spots on their skin or hide. In biology, reaction-diffusion systems are put forward as one way that heterogenous chemical patterns can be formed from an initially homogenous mixture of compounds. From NEL's viewpoint, these systems represent an area ripe for investigation in the context of developing completely novel and ASSURED diagnostic and biosensor devices.
In this collaborative paper, we teamed up with Dr Chong Liu and Prof Manman Hu from The University of Hong Kong and Prof Klaus Regenauer-Lieb from Curtain University, to produce a mathematical model to describe "immunodiffusion" patterns formed by mixing biological samples with antibody-crosslinked hydrogels. Watch this space, and contact us if you are interested in working more on this as a PhD student!