December 05, 2008 – December 07, 2008

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Location

Rice University, Houston, Texas

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Organizers

Michael W. Deem

Oleg Igoshin

Ariel Fernandez

Jianpeng Ma

Ricardo Azevedo

Monte Pettit

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Overview

Biological functions are based on networks of biochemical reactions coupled through regulatory interactions to produce desired functionality. These networks have been shaped by billions of years of evolution. Therefore, naturally occurring networks should follow design principles relating network architecture with its physiological function and evolutionary processes. Discovering these evolutionary design principles is a major challenge of modern biology. The proposed workshop will bring together researchers that study design principles using approaches adapted from engineering, evolutionary biology, statistical mechanics and nonlinear dynamics.