Left to Right: M.Samsonova, A.Spirov, J. Reinitz.

Dr. Reinitz performs both theoretical and experimental studies on mechanisms of segmentation genes expression during early Drosophila embryogenesis. Theses studies are aimed on a better understanding of the process by which maternal gene product gradients ultimately give rise to the segmental pattern by means of regulatory cascade of transcription factors encoded by zygotic segmentation genes.

The qualitative characteristics of segmentation genes expression patterns obtained by means of confocal microscopy are used as a state variables in the dynamic model for genes expression pattern formation. To fit the model to observed levels of segmentation genes products the parameters are adjusted by least-squares optimization. his optimization is carried out by the method of simmulated annealing.

The validity and utility of the model has been demonstrated by its successful application to several important problems of embryo development.

The visit was aimed on discussion of plans of joint work between Dr. Reinitz's group and Bioinformation Systems Lab.