Dynamics and Structure of Bacterial Populations under Antibiotic Stress

Abstract

The development of resistance to treatment among infectious diseases is well known as a classical Darwinian phenomena. However, a mechanistic understanding of how resistance is conferred and what the implied dynamical phenomena are is a much more recent topic of investigation. A further issue posed by studying these dynamical phenomena is how to effectively compare a model with actual data, given that the dynamics are highly nonlinear, limiting the utility of traditional methods of measurement. The problem can be resolved with the study of the topology of the spatial organization of bacterial populations. By analyzing the persistent homology of data, results from models can be effectively compared to experimental data, and structures in populations can be topologically characterized.