Workshop: Biology, Information, Communication and Coding Theory [BITCC]

University Of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore MD

Investigators

Abstract

Nontechnical Description The goal of the proposed workshop is to provide an opportunity for an interdisciplinary and diverse ensemble of experts from disparate areas of biology, physics, computer science, math, telecommunications, and philosophy to discuss advances and next steps in understanding life and its fundamental processes through the Information, Communication, and Coding Theory (ICCT) framework. Approaching the study of living systems from a fundamental ICCT perspective provides a unifying reference for comparatively exploring biological phenomena across multiple scales, and provides a basis for design and engineering synthetic biological systems. In addition to soliciting participation from a diverse group of women and underrepresented investigators in the biological and mathematical sciences, part of the broader impact of this timely workshop includes the public dissemination of workshop outcomes through a participant drafted publication. Technical Description Organized by investigators established in the field of biological information and communication theory, the workshop will explore ICCT paradigms within and across traditional scales of the biological sciences. A diverse group of U.S. scientist, with representative participation from the international community, will assemble to address progress, challenges, and opportunities at the intersection of biology and ICCT. The workshop will consist of multiple sessions with driver key note seminars showcasing cutting-edge research and highlighting advances in the use of the ICCT framework in biology and engineering, and breakout sessions and panel discussions to identify challenges in the field. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.