Richard D. Berlin
Center for Cell Analysis & Modeling

CCAM Faculty

Igor Novak

Assistant Professor of Cell Biology

Contact Information

Research Interests

My research is primarily focused on developing physical models and computational tools that help to understand various processes underlying cell migration. I also help to develop of the Vitual Cell as a broadbased, user friendly platform for simulating component processes that comprise cell migration. Currently, I am working on the problem of realistic description of macromolecular diffusion in cells. The recent findings of our research lay foundation for rigorous implementation of a computational tool for realistic modeling of spatiotemporal protein dynamics.

Selected Publications

Novak, I. L., Gao, F., Choi, Y.-S., Resasco, D., Schaff, J. C., Slepchenko B. M. Diffusion on a Curved Surface Coupled to diffusion in the Volume: Application to Cell Biology. J. Comput. Phys., v. 226, pp. 1271-1290, (2007).

Novak, I.L., Slepchenko, B.M., Mogilner, A. Quantitative analysis of G-actin transport in motile cells. Biophysical Journal, 95(4):1627-38 (2008).

Kraikivski, P., Slepchenko, B.M., Novak, I.L. Actin bundling: Initiation mechanisms and kinetics. Phys. Rev. Lett., 101, 128102, (2008).

Ditlev, J.A., Vacanti, N.M., Novak I.L., Loew, L.M. The sharp lamellipodial assembly- disassembly transition emerges from actin biochemistry. Biophysical Journal, 96(9): 3529-3542, (2009).

Novak, I.L., Kraikivski, P., Slepchenko, B.M. Diffusion in cytoplasm: Effects of excluded volume due to internal membranes and cytoskeletal structures. Biophysical Journal 97(3): 758-767, (2009).