On Growth, Form and Computers

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

An Introduction to Computational Development
Relationships Between Development and Evolution
The Principles of Cell Signalling
From Genotype to Phenotype
Plasticity & Reprogramming of Differentiated Cells in Amphibian Regeneration
Qualitative Modelling & Simulation of Developmental Regulatory Networks
Models for Pattern Formation & the Position-Specific Activation of Genes
Signalling in Multicellular Models of Plant Development
Computing An Organism
Broken Symmetries & Biological Patterns
Using Mechanics to Map Genotype to Phenotype
How Synthetic Biology Provides Insights into Contact-Mediated Lateral Inhibition & other Mechanisms
The Evolution of Evolvability
Artificial Genomes as Models of Gene Regulation
Evolving the Program for a Cell
Combining Developmental Processes & Their Physics in an Artificial Evolutionary System to Evolve Shapes
Evolution of Differentiated Multi-threaded Digital Organisms
Artificial Life Models of Neural Development Evolving Computational Neural Systems Using Synthetic Developmental Mechanisms
A Developmental Model for the Evolution of Complete Autonomous Agents
Harnessing Morphogenesis
Evolvable Hardware