Walid Djema, "Modeling and optimal control of microbial bioprocesses: a collection of biotech applications"

par Walid Djema (GreenOwl, Centre Inria d'Université Côte d'Azur, UniCA. Nice, France)

vendredi 21 nov. 2025, 11:00 → 12:00 Europe/Paris

Fizeau 5ème Réunion (Valrose)

Through a collection of representative case studies, I will present a series of optimal control problems (OCPs) formulated on models of microbial bioprocesses, involving yeast, bacteria, algal–bacterial consortia, or competing microalgae, ranging from optogenetic regulation to the management of internal or shared resources. Each case is grounded in a concrete biotech application such as the production of high-value molecules, pollutant degradation, or the optimized biosynthesis of biofuel.
These situations reveal diverse solution structures, including bang-bang controls, singular arcs, periodic strategies, overyielding phenomena, or turnpike features. The investigation of these OCPs combines qualitative analysis of nonlinear dynamics, geometric control insights (notably via Pontryagin’s Principle), and numerical direct optimization, together enabling a deeper characterization of the optimal solutions.
The aim of the talk is to navigate through a set of situations where mathematical modeling and optimal control can structure our understanding of these complex living systems, and can lead to control strategies that resonate directly with experimental biology.