Funded by NSF and ARO (MURI)
Advances in micro-electro-mechanical systems and nanotechnology have significantly enhanced our ability to measure and observe biological systems down to the cellular scale. Furthermore, synthetic biology and systems biology have enabled the design and control of biological systems.
In this topic area, we have designed and analyzed communication systems based on the transfer of molecules (molecular communication). We are interested in the fundamental limits of such communication systems as well as the design of optimized signaling and transceivers.
In collaboration with microbiologists, we have also begun analysis and modeling of microbial communities. Bacterial cables can be thought of multi-hopped communication systems and quorum sensing bacteria as individual agents in a networked decision system. Our goal is to adapt classical systems theories (communications, signal processing, control, information theory) to enable the design and better understanding of microbial networks.