Any good model should not be an end in itself, but should be motivated by real questions and solve real problems. In our project, the questions we addressed were directly derived from our Human Practices work and our models helped to direct the experimental work in several important ways. The questions brought to us guided by the construction of the model and the analysis of the results. The major areas of intergration between modelling and the rest of the project were:
Modelling Contribution | Question rasied | Type |
---|---|---|
Cost Analysis, examining predicted costs for a range of different system designs with variations in the amount of enzymes based on experimental data | "What would be the best ratio of enzymes to obtain a robust response for the lowest possible cost?" (Rasied in discussion with the police and at the Microbiology Society Conference | Human Practices and Experimental |
Parameter Relationship Analysis | ...... | Experimental |
Network Mechanism Analysis, comparing model predictions and experimental data for different potential circuit topologies | "Is the system we have assembled really functioning in the way we think it does?" (asked by the experimentalists | Experimental |
... | ... | ... |