Workshop on Discrete and Topological Models in Molecular Biology

“分子生物学中的离散和拓扑模型”研讨会将于2012年3月12-14日在南佛罗里达大学举行。近年来，来自代数、群论、组合学和拓扑学的数学工具在分子水平上理解重要的生物过程中扮演着重要的角色，这一点已经变得很清楚。这些应用包括：(A)有限域上的多项式在系统生物学中的应用；(B)组合学和图论在二级和三元RNA结构、mRNA以及蛋白质折叠和蛋白质-蛋白质相互作用中的应用；(C)组合学、代数和平铺理论在病毒衣壳组装建模中的应用；以及(D)DNA-DNA以及DNA-RNA相互作用和剪接中的空间图形和拓扑。这些技术之间有许多有趣的联系，它们都是更好地了解分子生物学，特别是核酸和蛋白质的结构和过程的基本工具。这次会议将聚集具有互补专业知识的研究人员，他们对非常相似的生物过程和分子相互作用感兴趣。新的合作将通过交流思想和开发新的模型和数学技术而展开。这次工作坊将汇集广泛的演讲者，从领先的理论数学家到积极与实验者合作的数学家，再到实验工作依赖于理论观察的分子生物学家和生物化学家。研讨会的一大部分将通过教程、海报会议、小组讨论和软件演示面向初级研究人员和研究生。

"Discrete and Topological Models in Molecular Biology" is a workshop to be held at the University of South Florida on March 12-14, 2012. In recent years it has become clear that mathematical tools from algebra, group theory, combinatorics, and topology play essential roles in understanding vital biological processes at the molecular scale. These include applications of (a) polynomials over finite fields in systems biology; (b) combinatorics and graph theory in secondary and ternary RNA structures, mRNA, as well as in protein folding and protein-protein interactions; (c) combinatorics, algebra and tiling theory in the modeling of viral capsid assembly; and (d) spatial graphs and topology in DNA-DNA, and DNA-RNA interactions and splicings. There are a number of intriguing connections between these techniques, and they are all essential tools in developing a better understanding of structures and processes in molecular biology, especially nucleic acids and proteins. This meeting will bring together researchers with complementary expertise, who are interested in very similar biological processes and molecular interactions. New collaborations will be initiated through the exchange of ideas and development of new models and mathematical techniques.This workshop will bring together a wide range of speakers; from leading theoretical mathematicians through mathematicians who actively collaborate with experimentalists to molecular biologists and biochemists whose experimental work depends on theoretical observations. A large component of the workshop will be aimed toward junior-level researchers and graduate students through tutorials, poster sessions, panel discussions and software demonstrations.