Name: Nikolaos Sahinidis
University: Carnegie Mellon University Dept. of Chemical Engineering
Date: Friday, April 18, 2008
Time: 3:30 to 5:00 pm
Location: Room 388 Posner Hall
Title: Optimization in the New Biology
Abstract:
A variety of modern bioinformatics and systems biology problems can be approached systematically from an optimization point of view. This talk will focus on protein side-chain prediction, protein structural alignment, structure determination from X-ray diffraction measurements, and metabolic systems analysis and design. To solve these problems, we have employed machinery from linear algebra, dynamic programming, combinatorial optimization, and mixed-integer nonlinear programming. Many of the underlying biological problems are purely continuous in nature but have, to this date, been approached mostly via combinatorial optimization algorithms that are applied to discrete approximations. Other problems naturally present a strong and difficult combinatorial component.
