My research interests are strongly focused on cell signaling underlying cell regulation. My efforts go towards understanding G protein mediated signaling pathways in mammalian cells. My approach is to design an experimental program based on quantitative systemic modeling and simulation. I focus on the signaling pathway mediated by Gq, regulated by the m1 receptor and the GTPase accelerating protein (GAP) phospholipase-C-β-1. I also focus on signaling pathway interations to explain the synergistic production of the second messenger cyclic AMP (cAMP) via the interaction of Gs and G13 mediated pathways. This problem serves as a prototype for devising a general approach to understand pathway interactions (cross-talk) in signaling networks. Concurrent to the above, I also focus my attention on the role of stochastic fluctuations (biochemical noise) may have as an evolutionary handle. I use modeling and simulation to understand the competence phenotype in the Bacillus subtilis bacterium. Accross all my interests, my approach leverages applied mathematics, Monte Carlo simulations, analytic and computational methods and generally relies on data from enzymatic assays and from optical fluorescence measurements using, for example, BRET and FRET biosensors.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Cell Signaling, Cell Regulation e.g. G Protein Mediated Pathways in Mammalian Cells
Systems Biology Modeling and Simulation
Natural and Synthetic Gene Regulatory Systems, e.g. Competence in Bacillus subtilis and Circadian Oscillations in Neurospora crassa
Nonlinear Dynamical Systems (Complex Systems)
Graph, Network and Control Theory, Applied Mathematics
RECENT PUBLICATIONS
Marc Turcotte, Wei Tang, Elliott M. Ross, "Coordinate Regulation of G Protein Signaling via Dynamic Interactions of Receptor and GAP." PLoS Computational Biology, 4(8):e1000148, 2008
Marc Turcotte, Jordi Garcia-Ojalvo and Gurol M. Suel, "A genetic timer through noise-induced stabilization of an unstable state." P.N.A.S., 105 (41):15732-15737, 2008
Tolga Cagatay, Marc Turcotte, Michael B. Elowitz, Jordi Garcia-Ojalvo and Gurol Suel, "Architecture-Dependent Noise Discriminates Functionally Analogous Differentiation Circuits" Cell, 139 (3):512-522, October 2009
SIGNIFICANT PUBLICATIONS
B. Aubert et al., "Observation of CP violation in the B0 meson system." Phys. Rev. Lett., 87:091801, 2001
F. Abe, et al., "Evidence for top quark production in Anti-p p collisions at sqrt(s) = 1.8 TeV." Phys. Rev. Lett., 73:225-231, 1994
F. Abe, et al., "Evidence for top quark production in Anti-p p collisions at sqrt(s) = 1.8 TeV." Phys. Rev. D, 50:2966-3026, 1994
N. Ushida, et al., "Lifetime of D0 charmed meson produced in neutrino interactions." Phys. Rev. Lett., 56:1771-1774, 1986
N. Ushida, et al., "Lifetimes of the charmed particles D+-, F+-, and Lambda(c)+ produced by neutrinos." Phys. Rev. Lett., 56:1767-1770, 1986
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