Multivariable Control From the Perspective of Biology

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Evolution has solved many of the problems faced by control engineers, though the solutions in natural systems are most often quite different than those seen in engineered systems. Specifically, natural control systems often employ interlocking positive and negative feedback loops with no clear decoupling between them. In this talk, I will survey some of the strategies that cells use for multivariable control. I will conclude by identifying some common properties of these systems and discuss their differences to engineered controlled systems.