Nonequilibrium thermodynamics of chemical reaction networks

I will first briefly review the fundamentals of thermodynamics of open chemical reaction networks (CRNs). I will then present a circuit theory of CRNs which, like electrical circuit theory, can be used to descibe complex CRNs in terms of modules charaterized by the chemical analogues of a current-voltage charateristics and of Kirchhoff current and voltage laws. Energy transduction in central metaboIism will be discussed as an application. Finally, I will discuss recent progress on the energetic cost of chemical growth in CRNs.