Kelleher/POWRE: The PI is interested in bringing a more quantitative analytical methodology to bear on the study of metabolic physiology and pathway engineering. In order to gain expertise in these methods, she proposes a sabbatical to study such quantitative techniques in the MIT laboratory of Prof. Gregory Stephanopoulos. POWRE provides the opportunity that would otherwise not be available because of her Research Professor status. The MIT collaboration will focus on three related areas. A nonlinear modeling method, Isotopomer Spectra Analysis, developed by the PI will be applied to mammalian cells. The Atom Mapping Technique developed by Prof. Stephanopoulos will be utilized to develop better tools for physiologists measuring total body gluconeogenesis. Finally, the concept of Network Rigidity also developed by Dr. Stephanopoulos will be applied for the first time to a hepatic cell model. It will be used to study a novel lipid synthesis pathway..
