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OpenWorm aims to build comprehensive computational model of the Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), a microscopic roundworm. With less than a thousand cells, it solves basic problems such as feeding, mate-finding and predator avoidance. Despite being extremely well studied in biology, this organism still eludes a deep, principled understanding of its biology.
They received data and help from C. elegans biologists including Dr. Sreekanth Chalasani at the Salk Institute, Dr. Michael Francis at UMass Medical School, Dr. William Schafer at University of Cambridge and Dr. Andrew Leifer at Princeton University. Also they received help on worm simulations from the lab of Dr. Netta Cohen at Leeds University and her students. The original source for many of the 3D images of the worm's body is the Virtual Worm project at WormBase, specifically Dr. Christian Grove at CalTech.
All the code, data and models produced as part of the OpenWorm project are open-source under the MIT licence.