Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Once the problem space has been defined, the next phase in the modeling and simulation process is
conceptual modeling, which involves mapping the systems objects, relationships, processes, and
behaviors to some sort of organized structure. For example, in predicting protein structure from
sequence data, the conceptual modeling might entail using ab initio methods—that is, working from
first principles, such as bond lengths and angles—to construct the protein's secondary and tertiary
structures.
Activities at this phase of the process also include documenting assumptions about the system so
that the appropriate simulation methods can be selected. For example, if ab initio methods are going
