Mathematics, Statistics, and Computation Inspired by the Fluctuation Test: In Celebration of the 80th Anniversary of the Luria-Delbrück Experiment

Dear Colleagues,

The fluctuation test, invented by Luria and Delbrück in February 1943, is widely regarded as one of the most important microbiological experiments of the 20th century. Even in the era of high throughput DNA sequencing, the fluctuation test remains the most widely used method for determining microbial mutation rates in the laboratory. For example, the fluctuation test has been an important tool in research on microbial drug resistance, an active research topic closely interwoven with everyday human life. The fluctuation test protocol has also found numerous uses in cancer research and evolutionary studies. All of these fruitful applications of the classic experimental protocol hinge on innovations in mathematical modelling, statistical inference, and computer simulation. Today, the body of literature concerning various mathematical, statistical, and computational aspects of the classic protocol is enormous, and new research continues to emerge at an impressive pace. This is an exciting time to seek methodological innovations to expand the scope of application of the fluctuation test. I cordially invite you to contribute new practical research results, thought-provoking reviews, or innovative applications of the fluctuation test to this Special Issue in celebration of the approaching 80th anniversary of the Luria–Delbrück experiment.

Prof. Dr. Qi Zheng
Guest Editor

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