Complex Adaptive Systems (2007)
(M.Sc. in Bioinformatics, University of Athens)


Objectives

  1. At a theoretical level, to present to the students a global view of the methods and techniques of the interdisciplinary field of complex adaptive systems, as applied to the dynamic modeling and the theoretical investigation of a wealth of biological problems at all levels of analysis. Moreover, to offer to the students a theoretical background that will allow the identification and discovery of new problems that lend themselves to this kind of modeling and study.

  2. At a practical level, to have the students experiment with some pre-existing systems and/or model some complex dynamical phenomena, so as to systematically investigate and evaluate alternative models and corresponding results as far as their validity is concerned as well as from a methodological point of view.

Instructor

	Elpida Tzafestas
	Senior Researcher
	Institute of Communication and Computer Systems
	National technical University of Athens
	Zographou Campus 15773
	Tel. 210-772 2489,
	     210-772 1527
	Fax. 210-772 2490

	 brensham@softlab.ece.ntua.gr
	 http://www.softlab.ece.ntua.gr/~brensham


Description

Introduction
  • Fundamental concepts, principles and definitions
  • Demos
  • Cellular automata
  • Fractals
History, roots, topics
  • Cybernetics
  • Artificial intelligence
  • Artificial life
  • Methodology
Behavior
  • Navigation, control and behavioral regulation
  • Motivational control
  • Learning (Spatial, associative etc.)
Populations
  • Behavioral ecologies
  • Social insects
  • Flocks and groups
  • Communication
Molecules
  • Artificial chemistries
  • Genetic regulation models, Boolean networks
  • Modeling of metabolic pathways
Development
  • Morphogenesis, production grammars and L-systems
  • Generalized developmental systems
  • Stabilization, equilibrium
  • Communication, dynamics and pathology
Evolution
  • Techniques : Genetic and evolutionary algorithms, Genetic programming
  • Evolutionary phenomena in populations, Symbiosis and symbiogenesis, Speciation
  • Evolution of game strategies, The cooperation problem, Evolutionary stable strategies
Dynamics
  • Fundamental concepts
  • Description of phenomena and systems as dynamical systems
  • Distributed dynamics, Emergence
  • Simulation and visualization


Course material (incomplete)


Page last updated 06 March 2008.
Send me mail (brensham@softlab.ece.ntua.gr)