Department of Computer Science, University of Central Florida
Stochastic methods such as simulated annealing and genetic algorithms are useful methods for solving combinatorially complex problems such as DNA sequence assembly. This talk will explain our work with these two approaches to the sequence assembly problem. The focus of the talk will be on issues of representation, fitness function and the definition of legal "moves" that together define the landscape of the solution space. The impact of such factors as experimental errors and repeat sequences on the desirability and utility of different choices of solution space will be addressed.