Randy Heiland
@rheiland.bsky.social
Research Associate, MathCancer Lab, Intelligent Systems Engineering Dept, Luddy School, Indiana University. Scientific computing/simulation, agent-based modeling, dynamical systems. https://rheiland.github.io/
Pinned
Randy Heiland
@rheiland.bsky.social
· Oct 24
PhysiCell Studio continues to evolve, along with PhysiCell. Try it out if you're interested in developing an agent based model. Free, open source, and a welcoming community. gigabytejournal.com/articles/128
Reposted by Randy Heiland
With nearly 10 million neurons & 26 billion synapses, a supercomputer-powered virtual brain model, developed by our scientists and collaborators, could allow risky or impossible experiments to be run safely in software.
@reuters.com reports:
www.reuters.com/video/watch/...
@reuters.com reports:
www.reuters.com/video/watch/...
November 25, 2025 at 10:53 PM
With nearly 10 million neurons & 26 billion synapses, a supercomputer-powered virtual brain model, developed by our scientists and collaborators, could allow risky or impossible experiments to be run safely in software.
@reuters.com reports:
www.reuters.com/video/watch/...
@reuters.com reports:
www.reuters.com/video/watch/...
Reposted by Randy Heiland
Emergence and Self-organisation across biological scales! I hope you are ready for next year conference! It will be an incredible event April 20-22 2026. The first of many #LakeConference organised by
@ehannezo.bsky.social @alleninstitute.org and James Sharpe @embl.org
@ehannezo.bsky.social @alleninstitute.org and James Sharpe @embl.org
#CellBio community, this one is for you! Applications are open for the #LakeConference on Modeling Life from Cells to Tissues – co-hosted with Circuit Neuroscience Basel!
📆 April 20-22, 2026
📍 Seattle, USA
🔬 All career stages welcomed.
Apply to attend by 12/12: alleninstitute.org/events/aics-...
📆 April 20-22, 2026
📍 Seattle, USA
🔬 All career stages welcomed.
Apply to attend by 12/12: alleninstitute.org/events/aics-...
2026 Lake Conference
Join the Allen Institute for Cell Science and Circuit Neuroscience Basel in Seattle, Washington, April 20–22, 2026, for a 3 day conference, Modeling...
alleninstitute.org
November 26, 2025 at 10:58 AM
Emergence and Self-organisation across biological scales! I hope you are ready for next year conference! It will be an incredible event April 20-22 2026. The first of many #LakeConference organised by
@ehannezo.bsky.social @alleninstitute.org and James Sharpe @embl.org
@ehannezo.bsky.social @alleninstitute.org and James Sharpe @embl.org
Reposted by Randy Heiland
Another thing that is making this an "interesting" time to be the head of Integrity in Publishing at a scientific publisher 🥲
We really need major oversight at institutions, before things are sent for publication. Data provenance is key.
We really need major oversight at institutions, before things are sent for publication. Data provenance is key.
I tried an even harder example on Gemini Pro image generation and this is quite scary/amazing. I asked for a microscopy image of around 20 HeLa cells, GFP tagged 20% nuclear, 10% membrane, +1 nuclear staining, + overlap. Image below and prompt in the following post.
November 22, 2025 at 7:52 PM
Another thing that is making this an "interesting" time to be the head of Integrity in Publishing at a scientific publisher 🥲
We really need major oversight at institutions, before things are sent for publication. Data provenance is key.
We really need major oversight at institutions, before things are sent for publication. Data provenance is key.
Reposted by Randy Heiland
Competitor enters a major AI competition (RNA folding)
GPU poor so can't train an AI
Builds a "classic" eng pipeline instead. (90s tech)
Wins and beat everyone using DL 💀
Their winning "hybrid" model had an AI in it. Their original one did not and had a higher score
So they won despite the AI 😂
GPU poor so can't train an AI
Builds a "classic" eng pipeline instead. (90s tech)
Wins and beat everyone using DL 💀
Their winning "hybrid" model had an AI in it. Their original one did not and had a higher score
So they won despite the AI 😂
While many teams relied on deep learning, the winning team (jaejohn) surprised everyone with a highly optimized pipeline that revived classic template-based modeling. 👇
www.kaggle.com/competitions...
www.kaggle.com/competitions...
1st Place Solution | Kaggle
Hybrid TBM + DRfold2 Approach
www.kaggle.com
October 17, 2025 at 11:19 PM
Competitor enters a major AI competition (RNA folding)
GPU poor so can't train an AI
Builds a "classic" eng pipeline instead. (90s tech)
Wins and beat everyone using DL 💀
Their winning "hybrid" model had an AI in it. Their original one did not and had a higher score
So they won despite the AI 😂
GPU poor so can't train an AI
Builds a "classic" eng pipeline instead. (90s tech)
Wins and beat everyone using DL 💀
Their winning "hybrid" model had an AI in it. Their original one did not and had a higher score
So they won despite the AI 😂
Reposted by Randy Heiland
What are your favourite biographies of mathematicians? 🧪 📚💙
October 12, 2025 at 5:30 AM
What are your favourite biographies of mathematicians? 🧪 📚💙
Reposted by Randy Heiland
Two leading voices in medicine – Lee Hood and Eric Topol – will explore what it means to live longer and healthier in a free virtual conversation hosted by @isbscience.org.
🗓️ November 4, 10-11 a.m. PT
💻 Register here – isbscience.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
#Longevity #DigitalHealth #SuperAgers
🗓️ November 4, 10-11 a.m. PT
💻 Register here – isbscience.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
#Longevity #DigitalHealth #SuperAgers
October 10, 2025 at 11:06 PM
Two leading voices in medicine – Lee Hood and Eric Topol – will explore what it means to live longer and healthier in a free virtual conversation hosted by @isbscience.org.
🗓️ November 4, 10-11 a.m. PT
💻 Register here – isbscience.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
#Longevity #DigitalHealth #SuperAgers
🗓️ November 4, 10-11 a.m. PT
💻 Register here – isbscience.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
#Longevity #DigitalHealth #SuperAgers
Reposted by Randy Heiland
bioRxiv partners with Dryad to enable easier, better linking to curated datasets connect.biorxiv.org/news/2025/09...
Dryad partnership brings easier data sharing to bioRxiv
bioRxiv - the preprint server for biology, operated by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, a research and educational institution
connect.biorxiv.org
September 18, 2025 at 7:43 PM
bioRxiv partners with Dryad to enable easier, better linking to curated datasets connect.biorxiv.org/news/2025/09...
Reposted by Randy Heiland
Manu Prakash practices “recreational biology,” a scientific approach that explores life in the same playful way that puzzles probe math. “Basic science is not at the service of something, but the groundwork that is our entire society’s foundation.”
www.quantamagazine.org/how-paradoxi...
www.quantamagazine.org/how-paradoxi...
June 1, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Manu Prakash practices “recreational biology,” a scientific approach that explores life in the same playful way that puzzles probe math. “Basic science is not at the service of something, but the groundwork that is our entire society’s foundation.”
www.quantamagazine.org/how-paradoxi...
www.quantamagazine.org/how-paradoxi...
Opinion: Susan Stamberg, trailblazer and NPR Founding Mother, retires - NPR
September 6, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Opinion: Susan Stamberg, trailblazer and NPR Founding Mother, retires - NPR
Reposted by Randy Heiland
Our new collection offers cell biologists practical, expert-driven guidance and best practices in the design, execution, and analysis of experiments, and the subsequent communication of their results to their peers. 👉 rupress.org/jcb/collecti...
#Reproducibility
#Reproducibility
September 3, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Our new collection offers cell biologists practical, expert-driven guidance and best practices in the design, execution, and analysis of experiments, and the subsequent communication of their results to their peers. 👉 rupress.org/jcb/collecti...
#Reproducibility
#Reproducibility
Reposted by Randy Heiland
Are different cell types like oil and water? Over a century ago, researchers found that dissociated sponges and embryonic tissues can self-assemble into functional structures. Join me, @benswedlund.bsky.social to explore the differential adhesion hypothesis & its applications in tissue engineering!
August 31, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Are different cell types like oil and water? Over a century ago, researchers found that dissociated sponges and embryonic tissues can self-assemble into functional structures. Join me, @benswedlund.bsky.social to explore the differential adhesion hypothesis & its applications in tissue engineering!
Reposted by Randy Heiland
My recent postdoctoral work is out today in @nature.com! We found that physical confinement makes melanoma cells more invasive and drug tolerant. Thanks to all who made this work possible @whitefishlab.bsky.social @mskcancercenter.bsky.social #NIH #NCI www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Mechanical confinement governs phenotypic plasticity in melanoma - Nature
Mechanical confinement of cancer cells at the tumour–microenvironment interface induces phenotype switching through chromatin remodelling by HMGB2, leading to a more invasive and drug-resistant state ...
www.nature.com
August 27, 2025 at 5:18 PM
My recent postdoctoral work is out today in @nature.com! We found that physical confinement makes melanoma cells more invasive and drug tolerant. Thanks to all who made this work possible @whitefishlab.bsky.social @mskcancercenter.bsky.social #NIH #NCI www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Randy Heiland
For some three billion years, unicellular organisms ruled Earth. Then, around one billion years ago, a new chapter of life began
go.nature.com/3JyRV4S
go.nature.com/3JyRV4S
How did life get multicellular? Five simple organisms could have the answer
Single-celled species that often stick together in colonies have researchers rethinking the origin of animals.
go.nature.com
August 27, 2025 at 10:19 AM
For some three billion years, unicellular organisms ruled Earth. Then, around one billion years ago, a new chapter of life began
go.nature.com/3JyRV4S
go.nature.com/3JyRV4S
Reposted by Randy Heiland
We need (good) science journalism now more than ever. And you'll find me and other journalists saying just that in this smart piece.
Why newsrooms must rethink science journalism before the next crisis
Despite climate extremes, pandemics and a global AI revolution, science reporting remains underfunded and undervalued.
www.nature.com
August 16, 2025 at 3:06 PM
We need (good) science journalism now more than ever. And you'll find me and other journalists saying just that in this smart piece.
Reposted by Randy Heiland
I love the theme of the 2026 International Day of Mathematics: “Mathematics and Hope” 👉🏼 www.idm314.org #mathsky
International Day of Mathematics
A worldwide celebration of Mathematics on March 14 of every year.
www.idm314.org
August 14, 2025 at 12:47 AM
I love the theme of the 2026 International Day of Mathematics: “Mathematics and Hope” 👉🏼 www.idm314.org #mathsky
Reposted by Randy Heiland
Really excited to share our new @cellpress.bsky.social Cell paper with @fertiglab.bsky.social and colleagues. 1/n
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
@jktgfoundation.bsky.social @itcrtraining.bsky.social @smbmathbiology.bsky.social #mathbio #mathonco @mathonco.bsky.social @deniswirtz.bsky.social
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
@jktgfoundation.bsky.social @itcrtraining.bsky.social @smbmathbiology.bsky.social #mathbio #mathonco @mathonco.bsky.social @deniswirtz.bsky.social
Human interpretable grammar encodes multicellular systems biology models to democratize virtual cell laboratories
We developed a plain text modeling language—a cell behavior hypothesis grammar—to
easily build virtual cell models and connect them to data, helping scientists to unlock
the hidden dynamics of tissues...
www.cell.com
July 28, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Really excited to share our new @cellpress.bsky.social Cell paper with @fertiglab.bsky.social and colleagues. 1/n
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
@jktgfoundation.bsky.social @itcrtraining.bsky.social @smbmathbiology.bsky.social #mathbio #mathonco @mathonco.bsky.social @deniswirtz.bsky.social
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
@jktgfoundation.bsky.social @itcrtraining.bsky.social @smbmathbiology.bsky.social #mathbio #mathonco @mathonco.bsky.social @deniswirtz.bsky.social
Reposted by Randy Heiland
Ok, reinforcement learning fans: RL is great, but what do we do when there's no obvious reward from the environment? What about perfecting a golf swing or a foxtrot or a musical performance? We may have an answer. A tale of 🐦 🎶 + 🧠. 🧵1/ #bioacoustics #prattle 💬 #neuroai #compneuro
I am happy to share our new preprint! In this work, we proposed a theory about how zebra finches bootstrap their error signals for self-guided RL via predictive coding 👇 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Correctness is its own reward: bootstrapping error signals in self-guided reinforcement learning
Reinforcement learning (RL) offers a compelling account of how agents learn complex behaviors by trial and error, yet RL is predicated on the existence of a reward function provided by the agent's env...
www.biorxiv.org
July 24, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Ok, reinforcement learning fans: RL is great, but what do we do when there's no obvious reward from the environment? What about perfecting a golf swing or a foxtrot or a musical performance? We may have an answer. A tale of 🐦 🎶 + 🧠. 🧵1/ #bioacoustics #prattle 💬 #neuroai #compneuro
Reposted by Randy Heiland
Fantastic work, @mathcancer.bsky.social ! phys.org/news/2025-07...
New software simulates cancer cell behavior using genomics and computational models
In the same vein as weather forecast models that predict developing storms, researchers have now developed a method to predict the cell activity in tissues over time. The new software combines genomic...
phys.org
July 25, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Fantastic work, @mathcancer.bsky.social ! phys.org/news/2025-07...
Reposted by Randy Heiland
Wow! For the first time ever, the James Webb Space Telescope has revealed an exoplanet by directly imaging it. The newfound world has a mass similar to Saturn and orbits inside the debris disk surrounding a very young star just 111 light years away. via @nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Evidence for a sub-Jovian planet in the young TWA 7 disk - Nature
Using the James Webb Space Telescope's Mid-Infrared Instrument, a study reports evidence for a direct detection of a cold, sub-Jupiter-mass planet in the disk of the star TWA 7.
www.nature.com
June 28, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Wow! For the first time ever, the James Webb Space Telescope has revealed an exoplanet by directly imaging it. The newfound world has a mass similar to Saturn and orbits inside the debris disk surrounding a very young star just 111 light years away. via @nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Randy Heiland
Key Innovation: Getting beyond descriptive trajectories. DLA generates a geometric dynamical model—a Waddington landscape—that provides mechanistic insights without needing every molecular detail
It bridges microscopic gene expression to macroscopic cell behaviour
It bridges microscopic gene expression to macroscopic cell behaviour
May 29, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Key Innovation: Getting beyond descriptive trajectories. DLA generates a geometric dynamical model—a Waddington landscape—that provides mechanistic insights without needing every molecular detail
It bridges microscopic gene expression to macroscopic cell behaviour
It bridges microscopic gene expression to macroscopic cell behaviour
Reposted by Randy Heiland
Scientists love to use the expression "emergent behaviour" when they talk about complex systems (as I do)
But what it means is not clear
As a way to start a conversation, here is a definition:
a behaviour is emergent if it cannot be easily guessed through naive reasoning.
What is your definition?
But what it means is not clear
As a way to start a conversation, here is a definition:
a behaviour is emergent if it cannot be easily guessed through naive reasoning.
What is your definition?
June 16, 2025 at 9:41 AM
Scientists love to use the expression "emergent behaviour" when they talk about complex systems (as I do)
But what it means is not clear
As a way to start a conversation, here is a definition:
a behaviour is emergent if it cannot be easily guessed through naive reasoning.
What is your definition?
But what it means is not clear
As a way to start a conversation, here is a definition:
a behaviour is emergent if it cannot be easily guessed through naive reasoning.
What is your definition?
Reposted by Randy Heiland
Sharing the most significant work from my group, led by the @evolvingstem.bsky.social team.
Come for the discoveries of how Pseudomonas adapts in biofilms, stay for the story of how they were discovered by thousands of young scientists in grades 9-12. 🧪🧫🧬🧵
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Come for the discoveries of how Pseudomonas adapts in biofilms, stay for the story of how they were discovered by thousands of young scientists in grades 9-12. 🧪🧫🧬🧵
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Student-led experimental evolution reveals novel biofilm regulatory networks underlying adaptations to multiple niches
We established a research-education partnership known as EvolvingSTEM that provides secondary school students the opportunity to conduct authentic research experiments centered on microbial evolution....
www.biorxiv.org
June 8, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Sharing the most significant work from my group, led by the @evolvingstem.bsky.social team.
Come for the discoveries of how Pseudomonas adapts in biofilms, stay for the story of how they were discovered by thousands of young scientists in grades 9-12. 🧪🧫🧬🧵
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Come for the discoveries of how Pseudomonas adapts in biofilms, stay for the story of how they were discovered by thousands of young scientists in grades 9-12. 🧪🧫🧬🧵
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Randy Heiland
Shaping epithelial tissues by stem cell mechanics in development and cancer
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Shaping epithelial tissues by stem cell mechanics in development and cancer - Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology
Adult stem cells self-renew and differentiate to build, maintain and repair tissues. This Review discusses recent insights into the contribution of mechanical forces produced by epithelial stem cell a...
www.nature.com
May 28, 2025 at 7:05 AM
Shaping epithelial tissues by stem cell mechanics in development and cancer
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...