Mathematical Concepts and Methods in Modern Biology

Chapter 5

Agent-Based Models and Optimal Control in Biology: A Discrete Approach

Reinhard Laubenbacher^*, Franziska Hinkelmann^† and Matt Oremland^*, ^*Virginia Bioinformatics Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA, ^†Mathematical Biosciences Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA, [e-mail]

5.1 Introduction

The need to control complex systems, both engineered and natural, pervades our lives. From the thermostat that controls the temperature in our homes to the software that controls flight characteristics of the space shuttle during landing, the vast majority of engineered systems have built-in control mechanisms. Being able to control certain biological systems is no less important. For instance, we control ecosystems ...