Workshop on Membrane Computing 2008

一个细胞被膜划分成不同的隔间，这启发了G. paon定义了一类新的（分布式和并行的）计算模型，称为膜系统[1]。它们的层次结构、相互作用的局部性、内在的并行性以及膜分裂的能力（在较不基本的模型中），代表了膜系统的显著特征。膜系统（也称为P系统，其中P代表paon）的初步研究涉及理论计算机科学，特别是形式语言和计算复杂性理论。在后来的几年里，在膜系统社区中，使用这些设备作为建模平台，并通过从建模过程中收集的经验和挑战，为理论提供新的方向已经成为一种日益增长的趋势。尽管有很好的结果，膜系统社区在生物信息学和系统生物学等领域并不为人所知。基于已经获得的结果，并给予他们的生物学灵感，我们坚信膜系统在生物动力学建模方面非常有用，例如，发育生物学，植物生物学，癌症生物学，细菌趋化性等。膜系统是一个平台，使我们能够建模，预测和设计复杂的系统。他们全面的理论基础使我们能够通过仿真和理论分析来限定复杂性，制定控制策略并回答有关模型的问题。我们想组织一个研讨会，把生物信息学、系统生物学、膜系统社区聚集在一起，我们有机会这样做，因为弗里斯科博士被赋予了主持下一个（2008年）膜计算系列研讨会的任务。这样的会议将使生物信息学和系统生物学社区了解并欣赏膜系统作为建模平台，而膜系统社区将通过了解更多生物信息学和系统生物学中存在的挑战而受益，膜系统可以有效地应用于这些挑战。当然，对于那些对新平台感兴趣的英国学术界人士来说，这也是一个很好的机会，可以学习（或更多地学习）膜计算，并与该领域的专家见面。我们注意到，开发和研究适用于广泛复杂系统的基础理论、工具和技术是英国当前的相关需求。例如，最近EPSRC在《复杂性科学基础》（Fundamentals of complexity science）中征集提案，其重点就是这个g . Paun。用膜计算。计算机与系统科学，1(61):108—143,2000。

The subdivision of a cell into compartments delimited by membranes has been an inspiration to G. Paun for the definition of a new class of (distributed and parallel) models of computation called membrane systems [1].Their hierarchical structure, their locality of interactions, their inherent parallelism and also their capacity (in the less basic models) for membrane division, represent the distinguishing hallmarks of membrane systems.Initial investigations in membrane systems (also known as P systems where the P stands for Paun) were concerned with theoretical computer science, formal language and computational complexity theory in particular.In later years it has been a growing trend in the membrane systems community to use these devices as modelling platforms and to inform new directions for theory via experience and challenges gleaned from the modelled processes.Despite promising results, the membrane systems community is not well known in fields such as bioinformatics and systems biology.Based on results already obtained, and given their biological inspiration, we strongly believe that membrane systems could be extremely useful in the modelling of biological dynamics in, for example, developmental biology, plant biology, cancer biology, bacterial chemotaxis, and so on.Membrane systems are a platform that allows us to model, predict and design complex systems.Their comprehensive theoretical bases allow us to qualify complexity, develop control strategies and answer questions about models through simulations and theoretical analysis.We want to organise a workshop that brings the bioinformatics, systems biology, membrane systems communities together, and we have the opportunity to do this since Dr Frisco has been given the task of chairing the next (in 2008) of the series of Workshops on Membrane Computing .Such a meeting would allow the bioinformatics and systems biology communities to learn about and appreciate membrane systems as modeling platforms, while the membrane system community would benefit by learning more about the challenges present in bioinformatics and systems biology to which the membrane systems could be usefully applied.Of course, this would be also a good opportunity for those in UK academia interested in new platforms to model complex systems in general (not only related to biology) to learn (or learn more) about membrane computing and meet the experts in this field.We note that the development and study of fundamental theory, tools and techniques applicable across a wide rage of complex system is a present and relevant need in the UK. For example, the recent EPSRC call for proposals in Fundamentals of complexity science , had this as its focus.[1] G. Paun. Computing with membranes. Journal of Computer and System Sciences, 1(61):108--143, 2000.