Targeting the dynamics of complex networks

We report on a generic procedure to steer (target) a network's dynamics towards a given, desired evolution. The problem is here tackled through a Master Stability Function approach, assessing the stability of the aimed dynamics, and through a selection of nodes to be targeted. We show that the degree of a node is a crucial element in this selection process, and that the targeting mechanism is most effective in heterogeneous scale-free architectures. This makes the proposed approach applicable to the large majority of natural and man-made networked systems.