Paheli DC Lab

We are an interdisciplinary research group in the Mathematics Department at Trinity Washington University. We use mathematical and computational tools and theoretical biophysics principles to study neuron morphology, behavioral disorders and pathology, and mathematics pedagogy at the college level.

Research

We focus on mathematical modeling of the relationship between structure and function in neuronal and glial cells, specifically focusing on the underlying functional differences behind morphological distinctions observed in control groups and animal models of anxiety and other behavioral disorders. We also study mathematical pedagogy at the college level, aiming to reform educational practices to incorporate mindful use of emerging technological tools in the classroom and develop research-based pedagogical strategies to increase inclusivity in mathematics.

Fall 2025 Final Projects

Earth.com Citation

Wikipedia Citation

Latest Publications

How axon and dendrite branching are guided by time, energy, and spatial constraints

We built a general mathematical model that describes the relationship between neuron structure and function, formulating a cost function involving biophysical functional principles such as conduction time, energy consumption, and material constraints and optimizing that function to predict parameters related to branching patterns. We validated our theoretical predictions using morphological data from species ranging in size from insects and rodents to elephants and whales. We also observed how conduction time delay scales across species of different body sizes. Our results are published in Scientific Reports.