Theoretical Biology Workshop to be held September 28-29, 2006 in Arlington, Virginia

生物学的研究正在经历一个重大的转变，从一个由现有数据限制的定性努力，到一个由基本的基本原则支配的数据丰富的定量学科。理论或概念框架的进步在这一转变中起着关键作用。在整个生物学学科中，越来越需要描述，理解和预测比过去研究的更复杂的系统的动力学。这些系统由大量的参与者组成，其中许多参与者以非线性或非加性和分布式方式相互作用。为了增加这种复杂性，生物系统不断变化，作为短期行为修改和长期进化变化的结果。本次研讨会将确定理论生物学当前和未来的重要发展方向，促进生物学理论的发展，研讨会的成果将对生物学学科的改革和生物学教育产生重要影响。生物学理论的进步将提供一个定量和预测性的学科，对社会有重大影响。讲习班本身将汇集代表广泛的分学科、年龄、性别和种族背景的理论家。

The study of biology is experiencing a major transition from a qualitative effort limited by available data to a data-rich, quantitative discipline that is governed by fundamental underlying principles. The advancement of theory, or conceptual frameworks, plays a critical role in this transition. Across the discipline of biology, there is an increasing need to describe, understand and predict the dynamics of systems that are more complex than those studied in the past. These systems are comprised of a very large number of players, many of which interact in non-linear or non-additive and distributed ways. To add to this complexity biological systems change continually as a result of short-term behavioral modifications and longer-term evolutionary changes. The workshop proposed will identify important current and future directions in theoretical biology and promote activities to catalyze the advancement of biological theory.Results from this workshop will have important implications for transforming the discipline of biology and for biological education. Advancement of biological theory will provide for a quantitative and predictive discipline with significant implications for society. The workshop itself will bring together theoreticians representing a broad spectrum of sub-disciplines, age, gender and ethnic background.