Zurich-Basel Plant Science Center
Frontiers in Plant Sciences: Tutorial on Plant Modelling
Lecturer: Dr. Barbier de Reuille, Pierre
Location: tba
Dates: March 10 and 11, 2016
Credit Points: 1 ECTS
Course Objectives
This course aims to provide the basis for understanding computer modelling applied to plant
sciences. Students will get a feel for what it takes to create a computational model, learn to be
critical about modelling issues and be better placed to decide which modelling techniques to
apply to their own needs.
Course Program
We will start by discussing the nature of modelling and in particular computational
modelling and talk about the main modelling formalisms currently used in Plant Sciences,
discussing their pros and cons. We will then study a set of specific problems using the VVe
modelling platform:
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How to model genetic networks on a single cell or a tissue.
How to model a growing cellular tissue, in a descriptive or mechanistic manner.
How to account for growth in modelling genetic networks.
How to include experimental data in your model. In particular, how to extract the
geometry of cellular tissues and use them as templates for your model.
This 2 days course mixes presentations, discussions and hands-on approaches. In particular,
you will see what it takes to create a model, from the idea to the final implementation.
Prior Knowledge: No previous experience with programming languages is required.
Number of Participants: 8
Individual Performance and Assessment:
 Active participation is expected
 Participants will be given practical tasks: their performance will be assessed by their
degree of commitment, ability to apply the theoretical concepts to the task in question
and creativity.