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Virginia Tech

Computational Tools for Molecular Networks in Biological Systems

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

Theoretical molecular biologists try to understand the workings of cells through mathematics. Some theoreticians use systems of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) as the basis for mathematical modelling of molecular networks. This thesis develops algorithms for estimating molecular reaction rate constants within those mathematical models by fitting the models to experimental data. An additional step is taken to fit non-timecourse experimental data (e.g., transformations must be performed on the ODE solutions before the experimental and simulation data are similar, and therefore, comparable). VTDIRECT is used to perform (a deterministic direct search) global estimation and ODRPACK is used to perform (a trust region Levenberg-Marquardt based) local estimation of rate constants. One such transformation performed on the ODE solutions determines the value of the steady state of the ODE solutions. A new algorithm was developed that finds all steady state solutions of the ODE system given that the system has a special structure (e.g., the right hand sides of the ODEs are rational functions). Also, since the rate constants in the models cannot be negative and may have other restrictions on the values, ODRPACK was modified to address this problem of bound constraints. The new Fortran 95 version of ODRPACK is named ODRPACK95.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Ph. D.
Level thesis:degree_level
doctoral
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Computer Science
Department dc:contributor.department
Computer Science
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
2004

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Zwolak, Jason W.
Chairs dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Watson, Layne T.
  • Tyson, John J.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Sible, Jill C.
  • Heath, Lenwood S.
  • Shaffer, Clifford A.

Subjects

dc:subject × 4

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
etd-12282004-101753
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/30274

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Zwolak, Jason W.. Computational Tools for Molecular Networks in Biological Systems. doctoral thesis, Virginia Tech, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/30274