UCL 1st Workshop in Biological Computational Systems

The aim of this workshop is to bring together people and ideas that would not otherwise meet: leading scientists at the intersection of biology, chemistry, engineering and computer science; to discuss the potential of Biological Computational Systems.

Computation is an intrinsic attribute of biological systems: gathering and processing of information and respond to an external environment. Over the last century, several research fields have adopted the intuition and the analysis of living organisms as information processing systems.

The ability to read biological information at large-scale (i.e. DNA sequencing) and the “-omics” high-throughput revolution, have been key to the development of techniques to write and edit biological systems resulting on a plethora of approaches to study biological processes using genetically-modified organisms. These remarkable advances are leading to radical innovations in our ability to “program” such biological systems as exemplified in the fields of synthetic biology, programmable immunology, bio-membrane computing, bio-molecular computing, neural computing, stem cell reprogramming among many others.

This first workshop is aimed to introduce an overview of the research initiative with brief presentations (morning programme) showcasing relevant ongoing research followed by an afternoon of discussion by participants. It is also an starting point to submit specific projects that can be selected to current available funds at the postdoctoral level. Participants are welcome to submit a one page resume of projects to be considered for the funding.

Please submit one-page project resume to stephen.marchant@ucl.ac.uk

Relevant workshop themes are (but not exclusive to):

• Computational Processes in Living Systems
• Computing at the Molecular Level: Molecular and DNA Computation
• Synthetic Biology
• Programmable Immunology
• Learning in Biological and Artificial Systems