Ronald E. McNair Program


Courtney Williams
 Name: Courtney Williams
School: Rust College
Major: Chemistry
Mentor: Dr. Michael Mossing
Expected Graduation Date: April 2008 
Organizations & Honors: 
  • Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
  • Alpha Kappa Mu National Honors Society 
  • Miss Rust College 2007-2008 
  • Rust College Theatre Guild 
  • Jr. Recruiter 
  • Freshman Orientation Leader 
  • Student Support Service Tutor 
  • Rust College’s 2008 Female Student of the Year 
  • President’s Scholar 
  • Ronald McNair Scholar 
E-MAIL: court_will04@yahoo.com 

ABSTRACT

Adjusting the Parameters and Refining the Mathematical Model to Fit the Observed Time Course of Gene Expression

The purpose of this study is to adjust the parameters preset in a MatLab2006 program and compares those parameters to actual data provided from other research experiments in an attempt to construct an accurate model of a genetic switch. This study consisted of adjusting the parameters and refining the mathematical model to fit the observed time course of gene expression. The significance of this study is to accurately construct a mathematical model of a genetic switch.  
 
In order to properly construct this model, one must understand systems. Many systems are underdetermined. When a system is underdetermined, this means that the number of adjustable parameters is more than the number of experimental data. By understanding that many systems are underdetermined, the question becomes, how this problem can be solved.