We propose a 4?year Interdisciplinary Biology Initiative (IBI) at the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics (KITP) that will consist of a serie of extended programs ranging thematically from Systems Biology, Bioinformatics and Genomics, to Neuroscience and Biophysics. We propose to hold 2 programs per year, each ranging from 4 to 12 weeks in duration. The long term goal of this initiative is to foster interactions of physicl scientists and engineers with life scientists, and to establish an interdisciplinary community focused on the development of new quantitative approaches to the study of important biological and biomedical problems. With its established role in the physics community, KITP is well positioned to recruit more physicists into interdisciplinary research. IBI is designed to Function as a user facility for the Interdisciplinary community with the programs Proposed and organized by extramural teams Of coordinators. The first three planned programs are: Deconstructing Sense of Smell, Evolutionary Biology of the Cell and Quantitative Immunology. Subsequent Programs are to be selected by the KITP Scientific Advisory Board in consultation with the external IBI Scientific Advisory Board. Selection Will be based on four criteria: 1) relevance of the subject to life science; 2) potential impact of quantitative methods: 3)plans to assemble a diverse group of participants; 4) impact on education and training. The programs will be organized with the emphasis on germination of interdisciplinary collaborations and will include an extensive tutorial component to provide physical and mathematical scientists with the necessary Biology background and to Familiarize life--?scientists with new Quantitative approaches. Programs will achieve a balanced mixture of life--?scientists with physical scientists and engineers and will involve scientists of all levels of seniority as well as a number of advanced graduate students. Programs Will also directly engage modeling and experimental efforts by teaming up with the Summer Courses run by the independently funded Santa Barbara Advanced School of Quantitative Biology. All Programs are made publicly available via KITP website. In addition, we propose to sponsor educational outreach activities, including Public Lectures and a workshop for high school science teachers.
Exchange of knowledge and Tools between Life And Physical Sciences is central to the development of Quantitative Biology, which channels technological progress in data acquisition into novel approaches to medicine. Proposed activities aim to bridge the gaps between scientific communities, foster collaboration and help to train the interdisciplinary scientific workforce of the future.
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