The Oxford Handbook of Membrane Computing

Part of the broader research field of natural computing, Membrane Computing is an area within computing science that aims to abstract computing ideas and models from the structure and functioning of living cells, as well as from the way the cells are organized in tissues or higher order structures. It studies models of computation (known as P systems) inspired by the biochemistry of cells, in particular by the role of membranes in the compartmentalization of living cells into "protected reactors". This handbook provides both a comprehensive survey of available knowledge and established research topics, and a guide to recent developments in the field, covering the subject from theory to applications. The handbook is suitable both for introducing novices to this area of research, and as a main source of reference for active researchers. It sets out the necessary biological and formal background, with the introductory chapter serving as a gentle introduction to and overview of membrane computing. Individual chapters, written by leading researchers in membrane computing, present the state of the art of all main research trends and include extensive bibliographies.

1 - An introduction to and an overview of membrane computing
2 - Cell biology for membrane computing
3 - Computability elements for membrane computing
4 - Catalytic P systems
5 - Communication P systems
6 - P automata
7 - P systems with string objects
8 - Splicing P systems
9 - Tissue and population P systems
10 - Conformon P systems
11 - Active membranes
12 - Complexity - Membrane division, membrane creation
13 - Spiking neural P systems
14 - P systems with objects on membranes
15 - Petri nets and membrane computing
16 - Semantics of P systems
17 - Software for P systems
18 - Probabilistic/stochastic models
19 - Fundamentals of metabolic P systems
20 - Metabolic P dynamics
21 - Membrane algorithms
22 - Membrane computing and computer science
23 - Other developments

All three editors are well-known in computer science both for their rich research activity and for their authored and edited books - dozens for each of them. Each of them is a member of the editorial board of over a dozen professional journals.