Math 5120/6840
Mathematical Biology I
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Spring term, 2015

Send e-mail to : Professor J. Keener

Links:
Professor Keener's home page
Math Biology Program
Department of Mathematics
University of Utah



Course Announcement

Math 5120/6820 - Introduction to Mathematical Biology - II

Time: T,TH 12:25 - 1:45 pm

Place: JTB 120

Supplementary Texts:

L. Edelstein-Keshet, Mathematical Models in Biology. SIAM

Keener and Sneyd, Mathematical Physiology - I, Springer

J. D. Murray, Mathematical Biology

H. C. Berg, Random Walks in Biology

The Course. Math 5120/6840 is designed to introduce the mathematically apt to some of the basic models and methods of mathematical biology. To succeed in this class, you will need to have had previous exposure to linear algebra, ordinary differential equations and multivariable calculus. Exposure to partial differential equations is also helpful (Prerequisite for the course is Math 5110/6810.)

This is the second semester of a two semester course. The first semester covers models of population dynamics, reaction kinetics, diseases, and cells that can be written as ordinary differential questions, delay-differential equations, and discrete-time dynamical systems. The second semester emphasizes processes that take place in both space and time and require partial differential equations to describe them. Thus, the course is primarily about diffusion reaction processes and their many applications in biology.

The course will roughly follow chapters 9-11 of Edelstein-Keshet with supplemental material from several chapters of Keener-Sneyd. A detailed outline of the course is not available at this time.

Lecture Notes:

Here are some Matlab codes that will be used during the class.

Homework:

Homework assignments will be posted and updated regularly here, and will be due about 1 week after they are assigned. Homework will account for 75% of your grade. For homework, feel free to consult with other students, but only after you have thought hard about the problems yourself.

Homework 1: Problems due February 5, 2015

Homework 2: Problems due Feb. 26, 2015

Homework 3: Problems due May 24, 2015

Homework 4: Problems due April 14, 2015

Projects

The best way to learn mathematical biology is by doing it. This semester includes a significant focus on a project. By February 19 of the semester, each student should have handed in a one page description of their project idea, which will be presented briefly to the class on February 26. Each student will present a brief presentation summarizing their project in class during the last week of class, and a written version will due at the final. The project is worth 25% of your grade.

Exams:

There will be no exams.

Other Stuff:

Here are the slides to a lecture I gave at the AAAS Annual meeting in San Jose in February, on education in Quantitative Biology.