A gentle guide to mathematical modeling in biology, WS 2009/2010

Lecture with Exercises (Vorlesung mit Übung): (3 Credit Points)

Title: A gentle guide to mathematical modeling in biology

Instructor: Dr. Martin Hutzenthaler

Time: Block 3 of the winter semester 2009/10 from 30.11. till 22.12.
Lecture: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday from 9.15 to 11
Exercise: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday from 17:00 to 18:00.

Contents: At the end of the course, students are going to be familiar with the mathematical modeling of basic problems from biology. (Examples: Tree-branch model (exponential growth), mouse-cat population (predator-prey), flu dynamics, HIV-model of Phillips (1996), logistic growth model, Lotka-Volterra model of competition, epidemiological models of disease spread). In addition, students will learn how to 'read' at least simple models of research papers. Using life cycle diagrams and flow diagrams, students shall translate simple biological problems into mathematical equations. We will begin with discrete time problems which lead to recursive equations. Later we consider continuous time problems which translate into differential equations. In the last part we proceed to elementary questions from theoretical population genetics which result in random dynamics. In exercise classes, students are going to practice turning toy problems into mathematical equations.

daytimeroom
Tuesday 9-11 D 00.013
Tuesday 17-18 G 00.001
Wednesday 9-11 D 00.013
Wednesday 17-18 D 00.013
Thursday 9-11 B 01.015
Thursday 17-18 D 00.013
Friday 9-11 B 01.015
Friday 17-18 D 00.013

Requirements: None.

Language: German or English (depending on preference)

Questions: Please send any questions to hutzenthaler@biologie.uni-muenchen.de

A short email is welcome to estimate the number of attendees.


web page last updated: Martin Hutzenthaler, November 9, 2009