On Growth, Form and Computers

Sanjeev Kumar, Peter J. Bentley0124287654, 9780124287655, 9780080497587

Conceived for both computer scientists and biologists alike, this collection of 22 essays highlights the important new role that computers play in developmental biology research. Essays show how through computer modeling, researchers gain further insight into developmental processes. Featured essays also cover their use in designing computer algorithms to tackle computer science problems in areas like neural network design, robot control, evolvable hardware, and more. Peter Bentley, noted for his prolific research on evolutionary computation, and Sanjeev Kumar head up a respected team to guide readers through these very complex and fascinating disciplines. * Covers both developmental biology and computational development — the only book of its kind! * Provides introductory material and more detailed information on BOTH disciplines * Includes contribututions from Richard Dawkins, Lewis Wolpert, Ian Stewart, and many other experts

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Table of contents :
On Growth, Form and Computers……Page 1
Copyright……Page 2
Contents……Page 3
About the editors……Page 5
Foreword……Page 6
Contributors……Page 10
Preface……Page 15
Acknowledgements……Page 17
01. An introduction to computational development……Page 19
02. Relationships between development and evolution……Page 62
03. The principles of cell signalling……Page 79
04. From genotype to phenotype: looking into the black box……Page 97
05. Plasticity and reprogramming of differentiated cells in amphibian regeneration……Page 107
06. Qualitative modelling and simulation of developmental regulatory networks……Page 122
07. Models for pattern formation and the position-specific activation of genes……Page 148
08. Signalling in multicellular models of plant development……Page 177
09. Computing an organism: on the interface between informatic and dynamic processes……Page 183
10. Broken symmetries and biological patterns……Page 199
11. Using mechanics to map genotype to phenotype……Page 221
12. How synthetic biology provides insights into contact-mediated lateral inhibition and other mechanisms……Page 238
13. The evolution of evolvability……Page 254
14. Artificial genomes as models of gene regulation……Page 271
15. Evolving the program for a cell: from French flags to Boolean circuits……Page 293
16. Combining developmental processes and their physics in an artificial evolutionary system to evolve shapes……Page 317
17. Evolution of differentiated multi-threaded digital organisms……Page 334
18. Artificial life models of neural development……Page 351
19. Evolving computational neural systems using synthetic developmental mechanisms……Page 365
20. A developmental model for the evolution of complete autonomous agents……Page 389
21. Harnessing morphogenesis……Page 404
22. Evolvable hardware: pumping life into dead silicon……Page 417
Glossary……Page 436
Index……Page 443