title: Question 8: bridging the gap between in silico and in vitro approaches to minimal cells.
abstract: In this short paper we argue for the relevance and value of theoretical models in the field of origins of life, but also claim that both theoreticians and experimentalists should make an effort to come together and interact more closely to obtain more fruitful and significant results. As an example, we present our own modeling approach to protocell dynamics, including some simulation results, to show that it is possible to develop computational tools that start bridging that traditional gap between theory and experiments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Bari, Via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy. mavelli@chimica.uniba.it
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mavelli
authors.forename: Kepa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Mirazo
mesh_terms: D002021:Buffers; D002468:Cell Physiological Phenomena; D019418:Evolution, Chemical; D008055:Lipids / Q000737:chemistry; D008954:Models, Biological
chemical_list: D002021:Buffers; D008055:Lipids