OpenWorm ProjectsΒΆ

The project is currently laid out into six major areas shown below:

  • Neuromechanical modeling with Sibernetic
  • Geppetto Simulation Engine
  • Movement validation
  • Optimization engine
  • Data collection and representation
  • Community outreach

Project overview

NeuroMechanical Modeling - Sibernetic

While our ultimate goal is to simulate every cell in the c. Elegans, we are starting out by building a model of its body, its nervous system, and its environment. Sibernetic is the home of the C++ code base that implements the core of the model. We have implemented an algorithm called Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) to simulate the body of the worm and its environment using GPUs. This algorithm has been initially worked out in C++ (with OpenGL visualization).

To get a quick idea of what this looks like, check out the latest movie. In this movie you can see a simulated 3D c. elegans being activated in an environment. Its muscles are located around the outside of its body, and as they turn red, they are exerting forces on the body that cause the bending to happen. In turn, the activity of the muscles are being driven by the activity of neurons within the body.

More detailed information is available on the Sibernetic project page.

Geppetto Simulation Engine

In order to allow the world to play with the model easily, we are engineering Geppetto, an open-source modular platform to enable multi-scale and multi-algorithm interactive simulation of biological systems. Geppetto features a built-in WebGL visualizer that offers out-of-the-box visualization of simulated models right in the browser. You can read about architectural concepts and learn more about the different plug-in bundles we are working on.

More detailed information is available on the Geppetto project page.

Movement validation

In order to know that we are making meaningful scientific progress, we need to validate the model using information from real worms. The movement validation project is working with an existing database of worm movement to make the critical comparisons.

The main goal of the Movement Validation team is to finish a test pipeline so the OpenWorm project can run a behavioural phenotyping of its virtual worm, using the same statistical tests the Schafer lab used on their real worm data.

More detailed information is available on the Movement validation project page.

Optimization engine

The Optimization engine uses optimization techniques like genetic algorithms to help fill gaps in our knowledge of the electrophysiology of C. elegans muscle cells and neurons.

More detailed information is available on the Optimization project page.

Data Collection and Representation

A lot of data about c. elegans is integrated into the model. In this project, we work on what forms we should put these data in to best leverage them for building the model.

More detailed information is available on the Data representation project page.

Community Outreach

The effort to build the OpenWorm open science community is always ongoing.

More detailed information is available on the Community project page.