14:00
In this talk I will discuss recent developments in information theoretical approaches to fundamental
molecular processes that affect the cellular decision making processes. One of the challenges of applying
concepts from information theory to biological systems is that information is considered independently from
meaning. This means that a noisy signal carries quantifiably more information than a unperturbed signal.
This has, however, led us to consider and develop new approaches that allow us to quantify the level of noise
contributed by any molecular reactions in a reaction network. Surprisingly this analysis reveals an important and hitherto
often overlooked role of degradation reactions on the noisiness of biological systems. Following on from this I will outline
how such ideas can be used in order to understand some aspects of cell-fate decision making, which I will discuss with
reference to the haematopoietic system in health and disease.