Systems Biology Project

Title Analysis of biochemical networks using robust control theory

Principal Investigator Professor Declan Bates

Collaborators Professor Pat Heslop-Harrison (University of Leicester), Dr Jongrae Kim (University of Glasgow), Professor Ian Postlethwaite (University of Northumbria)

Summary In the recent literature, model robustness has been identified as a key indicator of validity for biochemical network models. In particular, it has been widely acknowledged that, since key dynamical properties of biological systems are often extremely robust (i.e., relatively unaffected by wide variations in environmental conditions) the mathematical models developed to represent them must reflect this reality and hence reproduce the required dynamics robustly. In the field of control engineering, several powerful techniques have been developed with which to analyse the robustness of complex nonlinear systems. Starting from these techniques, the proposed project will develop new robustness analysis techniques which are specifically tailored to the types of dynamical systems used to model biochemical networks.

Funding body BBSRC

Timescale 2006 to 2010