Photo of Ion I. Moraru, M.D., Ph.D.

Ion I. Moraru, M.D., Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Cell Biology
Center for Cell Analysis and Modeling
Academic Office Location:
Cell Biology
UConn Health
263 Farmington Avenue
Farmington, CT 06030-6406
Phone: 860-679-2908
Fax: 860-679-1039
Website(s):

Systems Biology Graduate Program

Education
DegreeInstitutionMajor
M.D.Bucharest Institute for Medicine & PharmacyMedicine
Ph.D.Carol Davila University of MedicineCell Biology

Post-Graduate Training
TrainingInstitutionSpecialty
ResidencyFundeni HospitalSurgery
FellowshipNIHJohn E. Fogarty Research Fellowship
PostdoctoralUniversity of Connecticut Health CenterCell Biology

Awards
Name of Award/HonorAwarding Organization
Young Investigator Award, Scientific Conference on the Molecular Biology of the Normal, Hypertrophied, and Failing HeartAHA
Mariana Constantinescu Memorial Award for Medical ExcellenceDavila University
Senate Award, National Conference on Student Medical Research Davila University
National Scholarship of Romania, 1985-88 Romania
First Prize, International Mathematical Competition Germany
Bronze Medal, International Mathematical Olympiad USA
Name & DescriptionCategoryRoleTypeScopeStart YearEnd Year
Center for Cell Analysis and ModelingOtherDeputy DirectorUConn HealthUniversity2022
International Conference in Systems BiologyWorkshop/ConferenceCo-ChairExternalInternational20222023
MD/PhD Steering CommitteeEducation CommitteeMemberUConn HealthLocal2016
Health Center Research Advisory CommitteeAdvisory CommitteeMemberUConn HealthUniversity2015
High Performance Computing FacilityOtherDirectorUConn HealthUniversity2015

Biology: My general research interests center on understanding signal transduction mechanisms, in particular related to calcium and phosphoinositides. Examples are quantitative experimental and modeling studies of signaling networks in neuronal cells, such as the nonlinear response and spatial modulation of calcium signaling, and the regulation of IP3 receptor activity.


Computer Science: My general interest is focused on the design and development of computational cell biology software tools geared towards the biologist, non-mathematical expert, user. I have been involved since 1998 in theVirtual Cell project, and I am currently responsible for the design and development of the biological user interface and data export and analysis tools. Another recent project, in collaboration with Bill Mohler, is automated and/or interactive processing and VR visualization of 4D fluorescence microscopy data (gene expression during C. elegans embryonic development).


I oversee our Computational Facility, which provides High Performance Computing support to the National Center for Cell Analysis and Modeling, the Technology Center for Polarity in Networks and Pathways, the CCAM Microscopy Facility, and other research projects of individual CCAM faculty members.

Accepting Lab Rotation Students: Summer 2022, Fall 2022, and Spring 2023

Journal Articles

Book Chapters

  • The Virtual Cell Project.
    Loew LM, Schaff JC, Slepchenko BM, Moraru II Systems Biomedicine 2009 Jan;

Conference Papers

Erratums

Letters

  • Another barrier to reproducibility
    MW Maciejewski, AD Schuyler, MR Gryk, II Moraru, PR Romero, EL Ulrich, HR Eghbalnia, M Livny, F Delaglio and JC Hoch Science 2017 Jan;354(6317):1240-1241

Reviews

Softwares

  • Virtual Cell version 7.5
    2023 Feb;
  • Virtual Cell version 7.2
    2019 Dec;
  • Biosimulations Suite, multiple published versions
Title or AbstractTypeSponsor/EventDate/YearLocation
BioSimulations: integrated models, model languages, model repositories, simulation experiments, simulation tools and data visualizationTalk2022Berlin, Germany
Modeling and Simulation from Quantitative Imaging to Systems BiologyTalkSystems Imaging: Applications in Immunology and Cancer2012Albuquerque, NM
Stochastic and Deterministic Spatial Modeling using VCellTalk12th International Conference for Systems Biology2011Heidelberg, Germany
Spatial Modeling of Signaling NetworksTalkExperimental Biology 2010 Conference2010Anaheim, CA
VCell - A Platform for Quantitative ModelingTalkNeuron Simulator Meeting2010Tucson, AZ
Advanced Modeling and Simulation using VCell and SyBiLTalk11th International Conference on Systems Biology2010Edinburgh, UK
Modeling without Borders: Building Models and Annotations using Web ResourcesTalkTCNP All Hands Meeting2010Bethesda, MD
Computational Biology: Virtual CellTalkSC10 International Conference for High Performance Computing2010New Orleans, LA
Systems Biology Pathway Exchange - Bridging pathway Data and Quantitative ModelsPoster54th Annual Meeting of the Biophysical Society2010San Francisco, CA
Merged Biochemical and Electrophysiological Modeling in Complex Neuronal MorphologiesPoster11th International Conference on Systems Biology2010Edinburgh, UK
Advanced Modeling, Simulation, and Data Analysis using Virtual Cell and Virtual MicroscopyTalk10th International Conference for Systems Biology2009Stanford, CA
The VCell Database: Sharing, Publishing, Reusing ModelsTalkCellML, SBGN, SBO, BioPAX, and MIASE Super Workshop2009Auckland, New Zealand