ICTP Mathematics Seminar (Alicia DICKENSTEIN) - Tuesday, 14 November, at 16:00

[ICTP Math Section]

M A T H E M A T I C S   S E M I N A R S  2017

Tuesday 14 November, at 16:00 hrs.


Alicia Dickenstein (University of Buenos Aires, Argentina)


Title:
Algebraic methods for the study of biochemical reaction networks


Abstract:
In recent years, techniques from computational and real algebraic 
geometry have been successfully used to address mathematical challenges 
in systems biology. (Bio)chemical reaction networks define systems of 
ordinary differential equations with (in general, unknown) parameters. 
Under mass-action kinetics, these equations depend polynomially on the 
concentrations of the chemical species. The algebraic theory of chemical 
reaction systems aims to understand their dynamic behavior by taking 
advantage of the inherent algebraic structure in the kinetic equations, 
and does not need a priori determination of the parameters, which can be 
theoretically or practically impossible.
I will first present a gentle introduction to the basic concepts. I will 
then describe general results based on the network structure.  In 
particular, I will explain a general framework for biological systems, 
called MESSI systems, that describe Modifications of type 
Enzyme-Substrate or Swap with Intermediates, and include many 
post-translational modification networks. I will also outline recent 
methods to detect the capacity for multistationarity and to describe 
parameters for which multistationarity occurs, allowing for multiple 
steady states with the same total amounts.



VENUE:  Stasi Seminar Room (ICTP Leonardo da Vinci Building, first floor)