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SUMMARY:Connecting Biology to Mathematics by way of Symbolic Computing - P
 rofessor Eric Mjolsness\, Leverhulme visiting Professor
DTSTART:20150617T150000Z
DTEND:20150617T160000Z
UID:TALK59530@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:21905
DESCRIPTION:We are fortunate to witness and participate in the moment when
  biological science is becoming mathematical and computable\, as the physi
 cal sciences already are. New challenges being met along the way include t
 he intrinsic complexity and multiscale nature\, as well as the stochastici
 ty\, of most biological systems and questions. Symbolic computing has a sa
 lutary role to play in addressing these challenges. Symbolic computing aug
 ments numerical computing with algebra\, calculus\, symbolic logic\, proba
 bilistic models\, and meta-programming\, among other benefits of formalize
 d abstraction. I will illustrate symbolic modeling languages with plant sc
 ience examples from the “Computable Plant” collaboration\, and also st
 ochastic dynamics in synapses. The work can be organized by mapping biolog
 ical hierarchies (eg. of scale) into mathematical hierarchies (of abstract
 ion). A key idea in doing so is to find computational methods for radical 
 model reduction\, in which the number of degrees of freedom can be substan
 tially reduced while preserving some aspects of dynamical behavior.\n\nJoi
 nt work with many\, including my hosts at the Sainsbury Laboratory Cambrid
 ge University (SLCU).
LOCATION:Auditorium of The Sainsbury Laboratory (Bateman Street)
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