Activities of the research group
The activity of the "research group on modelling, simulation and verification of biological systems" started in 2004, with the aim of developing formal notations and analysis techniques for biochemical systems. The class of notations we developed includes term rewriting systems, process calculi and automata-based formalisms. As analysis techniques we studied and applied stochastic simulation, model checking and abstract interpretation.
Subsequently, we considered other classes of biological systems and phenomena, such as cellular pathways (in the context of systems biology), cancer development, and also systems of interest for population biology, ecology and evolution.
Moreover, we conducted research on bio-inspired models of computation (in particular Membrane Systems and Reaction Systems). In particular, we worked on compositional semantics and formal analysis techniques for such bio-inspired models, and on variants of membrane systems for the modelling of populations and ecosystems.
In parallel, we defined static analyses able to predict all possible evolutions of biological systems modelled in biologically inspired calculi. Such analyses address relevant properties such as temporal and causal properties and probabilistic termination in stochastic calculi.
People
Presently, the research group includes the following members:
- Roberto Barbuti (full professor)
- Francesca Levi (associate professor)
- Paolo Milazzo (associate professor)
- Roberta Gori (assistant professor)
- Pasquale Bove (PostDoc)
- Giovanna Broccia (PhD student)
- Lucia Nasti (PhD student)