ACCS Seminar Series

Date: 11am Thursday 7th April
Room: 78-420
Speaker: Janet Wiles

Title: Complex Systems from Genes to Behaviour: tools and techniques in
simulation modeling

Multiple levels of complexity link genotypes to phenotypes, from molecules
to minds. Networks are a generic way of studying complexity and provide a
basis for exploring the computational properties of biological systems,
abstracting away from the myriad details of real biology. The value of a
computational model depends on matching the level of abstraction to the
research aims of the project. This paper describes a network-based
approach to modelling mappings between three levels of biological
complexity:  nucleotide sequences, genetic regulatory networks and
ontogeny (development of an organism). Genetic regulatory networks are
used as controllers of behaviour and analysed in terms of their structure,
dynamics and function. The majority of research projects that map biology
onto computation use a range of tools and techniques, from widely
available libraries to specialised software for individual applications.
The paper will discuss the development of software for network research
and the tools and techniques that facilitate the investigation of multiple
levels of biological and other complex systems.