Search results for "theoretical biology"
showing 6 items of 6 documents
Theoretical conditions for the coexistence of viral strains with differences in phenotypic traits : A bifurcation analysis
2019
We investigate the dynamics of a wild-type viral strain which generates mutant strains differing in phenotypic properties for infectivity, virulence and mutation rates. We study, by means of a mathematical model and bifurcation analysis, conditions under which the wild-type and mutant viruses, which compete for the same host cells, can coexist. The coexistence conditions are formulated in terms of the basic reproductive numbers of the strains, a maximum value of the mutation rate and the virulence of the pathogens. The analysis reveals that parameter space can be divided into five regions, each with distinct dynamics, that are organized around degenerate Bogdanov–Takens and zero-Hopf bifurc…
Concepts for a Theoretical Biology
2015
Waddington is the father of Theoretical Biology and many concepts that are now the common currency of Biology-based language were coined by him, such as channelling, robustness or epigenetics. Waddington believes it is essential to work on a theory of the phenotype. The deployment of genotype to give rise to phenotype brings into play many of the laws required to formulate a theory of life. In recent times, Waddington is the best example of an advocate of cell theory; however, he was not in favour of a gene-centred approach to the study of biological evolution.
Theoretical Biology and Evolutionary Theory
2015
During the nineteen-sixties and seventies, several biologists made decisive contributions to the development of evolutionary thought and theoretical biology, smoothly bridging the gap between science and humanities, and overcoming the classic antagonism Snow claimed to exist between the two worlds. Scientists like Jacob , Lorenz , Monod , Rensch , von Bertalanffy or Waddington , to whom I pay homage here, are a select group of scientists pertaining to the so-called third culture, who have staged a scientific assault on Natural Philosophy—the forerunners of subsequent science popularisers such as Dawkins , Gould , Penrose , Gell-Mann or Pinker . Finally I call for a more detailed study of th…
Towards a Theory of Life
2015
In this paper, I set out the contributions made by some European biologists, as well as other more heterodox ones, to the recent development of theoretical thinking in biology. Theoretical biology is a relatively new discipline when compared with theoretical physics, in part because the formal languages of logic and computing which it uses have only emerged recently. Finally, I suggest that in order to build a theory of life we need to combine a cell theory based on a proper description of the laws that map the genotype in the phenotype and vice versa with the laws of evolution. Only then will we be able to properly explain the transformation and complexity of living things.
General Systems Theory and Systems Biology
2015
We should not imagine that Systems Biology was born yesterday, indeed von Bertalanffy was a well-known supporter of the need to approach biological entities from the notion of a system. There is a tradition, dating back to early times, calling for the study of living things as a whole. Holism is no stranger to modern Systems Biology and, likewise, von Bertalanffy supported the quantitative study of the whole from the interaction of its parts.