Mostly Biomathematics Lunchtime Seminar

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Multiple time scales and hidden phenotypic states in type 2 diabetes

Speaker: Ilya Nemenman, Emory University (currently at Flatiron Institute at Simons Foundation)

Location: Warren Weaver Hall 1314

Date: Tuesday, October 13, 2026, 12:45 p.m.

Synopsis:

I will present a model of type 2 diabetes that incorporates previously unrecognized putative phenotypic states of pancreatic beta cells, with transitions between these states occurring on time scales of days. These dynamics reveal a rich multi-timescale structure in disease progression and remission. I will discuss how the model helps explain the clinical trajectories of specific subtypes, including ketosis-prone and gestational diabetes, and how it drives a clinical trial that may inform efforts to refine clinical care for these conditions. If time permits, I will pivot to a model that may help answer a more theoretical question: why should the body have hormones at all?