Using Mathematics to Understand Biological Complexity

Using Mathematics to Understand Biological Complexity
Author: Rebecca Segal
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 221
Release: 2020-12-29
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 3030571297

This volume tackles a variety of biological and medical questions using mathematical models to understand complex system dynamics. Working in collaborative teams of six, each with a senior research mentor, researchers developed new mathematical models to address questions in a range of application areas. Topics include retinal degeneration, biopolymer dynamics, the topological structure of DNA, ensemble analysis, multidrug-resistant organisms, tumor growth modeling, and geospatial modeling of malaria. The work is the result of newly formed collaborative groups begun during the Collaborative Workshop for Women in Mathematical Biology hosted by the Institute of Pure and Applied Mathematics at UCLA in June 2019. Previous workshops in this series have occurred at IMA, NIMBioS, and MBI.

Mathematical Modeling of Complex Biological Systems

Mathematical Modeling of Complex Biological Systems
Author: Abdelghani Bellouquid
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 194
Release: 2006-08-17
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0817643958

This book describes the evolution of several socio-biological systems using mathematical kinetic theory. Specifically, it deals with modeling and simulations of biological systems whose dynamics follow the rules of mechanics as well as rules governed by their own ability to organize movement and biological functions. It proposes a new biological model focused on the analysis of competition between cells of an aggressive host and cells of a corresponding immune system. Proposed models are related to the generalized Boltzmann equation. The book may be used for advanced graduate courses and seminars in biological systems modeling.

Modeling Life

Modeling Life
Author: Alan Garfinkel
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 456
Release: 2017-09-06
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 3319597310

This book develops the mathematical tools essential for students in the life sciences to describe interacting systems and predict their behavior. From predator-prey populations in an ecosystem, to hormone regulation within the body, the natural world abounds in dynamical systems that affect us profoundly. Complex feedback relations and counter-intuitive responses are common in nature; this book develops the quantitative skills needed to explore these interactions. Differential equations are the natural mathematical tool for quantifying change, and are the driving force throughout this book. The use of Euler’s method makes nonlinear examples tractable and accessible to a broad spectrum of early-stage undergraduates, thus providing a practical alternative to the procedural approach of a traditional Calculus curriculum. Tools are developed within numerous, relevant examples, with an emphasis on the construction, evaluation, and interpretation of mathematical models throughout. Encountering these concepts in context, students learn not only quantitative techniques, but how to bridge between biological and mathematical ways of thinking. Examples range broadly, exploring the dynamics of neurons and the immune system, through to population dynamics and the Google PageRank algorithm. Each scenario relies only on an interest in the natural world; no biological expertise is assumed of student or instructor. Building on a single prerequisite of Precalculus, the book suits a two-quarter sequence for first or second year undergraduates, and meets the mathematical requirements of medical school entry. The later material provides opportunities for more advanced students in both mathematics and life sciences to revisit theoretical knowledge in a rich, real-world framework. In all cases, the focus is clear: how does the math help us understand the science?

Mathematical Modeling in Systems Biology

Mathematical Modeling in Systems Biology
Author: Brian P. Ingalls
Publisher: MIT Press
Total Pages: 423
Release: 2022-06-07
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0262545829

An introduction to the mathematical concepts and techniques needed for the construction and analysis of models in molecular systems biology. Systems techniques are integral to current research in molecular cell biology, and system-level investigations are often accompanied by mathematical models. These models serve as working hypotheses: they help us to understand and predict the behavior of complex systems. This book offers an introduction to mathematical concepts and techniques needed for the construction and interpretation of models in molecular systems biology. It is accessible to upper-level undergraduate or graduate students in life science or engineering who have some familiarity with calculus, and will be a useful reference for researchers at all levels. The first four chapters cover the basics of mathematical modeling in molecular systems biology. The last four chapters address specific biological domains, treating modeling of metabolic networks, of signal transduction pathways, of gene regulatory networks, and of electrophysiology and neuronal action potentials. Chapters 3–8 end with optional sections that address more specialized modeling topics. Exercises, solvable with pen-and-paper calculations, appear throughout the text to encourage interaction with the mathematical techniques. More involved end-of-chapter problem sets require computational software. Appendixes provide a review of basic concepts of molecular biology, additional mathematical background material, and tutorials for two computational software packages (XPPAUT and MATLAB) that can be used for model simulation and analysis.

A Biologist's Guide to Mathematical Modeling in Ecology and Evolution

A Biologist's Guide to Mathematical Modeling in Ecology and Evolution
Author: Sarah P. Otto
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Total Pages: 745
Release: 2011-09-19
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1400840910

Thirty years ago, biologists could get by with a rudimentary grasp of mathematics and modeling. Not so today. In seeking to answer fundamental questions about how biological systems function and change over time, the modern biologist is as likely to rely on sophisticated mathematical and computer-based models as traditional fieldwork. In this book, Sarah Otto and Troy Day provide biology students with the tools necessary to both interpret models and to build their own. The book starts at an elementary level of mathematical modeling, assuming that the reader has had high school mathematics and first-year calculus. Otto and Day then gradually build in depth and complexity, from classic models in ecology and evolution to more intricate class-structured and probabilistic models. The authors provide primers with instructive exercises to introduce readers to the more advanced subjects of linear algebra and probability theory. Through examples, they describe how models have been used to understand such topics as the spread of HIV, chaos, the age structure of a country, speciation, and extinction. Ecologists and evolutionary biologists today need enough mathematical training to be able to assess the power and limits of biological models and to develop theories and models themselves. This innovative book will be an indispensable guide to the world of mathematical models for the next generation of biologists. A how-to guide for developing new mathematical models in biology Provides step-by-step recipes for constructing and analyzing models Interesting biological applications Explores classical models in ecology and evolution Questions at the end of every chapter Primers cover important mathematical topics Exercises with answers Appendixes summarize useful rules Labs and advanced material available

Mathematical Concepts and Methods in Modern Biology

Mathematical Concepts and Methods in Modern Biology
Author: Raina Robeva
Publisher: Academic Press
Total Pages: 373
Release: 2013-02-26
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 0124157939

Mathematical Concepts and Methods in Modern Biology offers a quantitative framework for analyzing, predicting, and modulating the behavior of complex biological systems. The book presents important mathematical concepts, methods and tools in the context of essential questions raised in modern biology.Designed around the principles of project-based learning and problem-solving, the book considers biological topics such as neuronal networks, plant population growth, metabolic pathways, and phylogenetic tree reconstruction. The mathematical modeling tools brought to bear on these topics include Boolean and ordinary differential equations, projection matrices, agent-based modeling and several algebraic approaches. Heavy computation in some of the examples is eased by the use of freely available open-source software. - Features self-contained chapters with real biological research examples using freely available computational tools - Spans several mathematical techniques at basic to advanced levels - Offers broad perspective on the uses of algebraic geometry/polynomial algebra in molecular systems biology

The Mathematics and Mechanics of Biological Growth

The Mathematics and Mechanics of Biological Growth
Author: Alain Goriely
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 651
Release: 2017-05-29
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 038787710X

This monograph presents a general mathematical theory for biological growth. It provides both a conceptual and a technical foundation for the understanding and analysis of problems arising in biology and physiology. The theory and methods are illustrated on a wide range of examples and applications. A process of extreme complexity, growth plays a fundamental role in many biological processes and is considered to be the hallmark of life itself. Its description has been one of the fundamental problems of life sciences, but until recently, it has not attracted much attention from mathematicians, physicists, and engineers. The author herein presents the first major technical monograph on the problem of growth since D’Arcy Wentworth Thompson’s 1917 book On Growth and Form. The emphasis of the book is on the proper mathematical formulation of growth kinematics and mechanics. Accordingly, the discussion proceeds in order of complexity and the book is divided into five parts. First, a general introduction on the problem of growth from a historical perspective is given. Then, basic concepts are introduced within the context of growth in filamentary structures. These ideas are then generalized to surfaces and membranes and eventually to the general case of volumetric growth. The book concludes with a discussion of open problems and outstanding challenges. Thoughtfully written and richly illustrated to be accessible to readers of varying interests and background, the text will appeal to life scientists, biophysicists, biomedical engineers, and applied mathematicians alike.

A Primer in Mathematical Models in Biology

A Primer in Mathematical Models in Biology
Author: Lee A. Segel
Publisher: SIAM
Total Pages: 435
Release: 2013-05-09
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1611972493

A textbook on mathematical modelling techniques with powerful applications to biology, combining theoretical exposition with exercises and examples.

Mathematical Methods in Biology

Mathematical Methods in Biology
Author: J. David Logan
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 437
Release: 2009-08-17
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0470525878

A one-of-a-kind guide to using deterministic and probabilistic methods for solving problems in the biological sciences Highlighting the growing relevance of quantitative techniques in scientific research, Mathematical Methods in Biology provides an accessible presentation of the broad range of important mathematical methods for solving problems in the biological sciences. The book reveals the growing connections between mathematics and biology through clear explanations and specific, interesting problems from areas such as population dynamics, foraging theory, and life history theory. The authors begin with an introduction and review of mathematical tools that are employed in subsequent chapters, including biological modeling, calculus, differential equations, dimensionless variables, and descriptive statistics. The following chapters examine standard discrete and continuous models using matrix algebra as well as difference and differential equations. Finally, the book outlines probability, statistics, and stochastic methods as well as material on bootstrapping and stochastic differential equations, which is a unique approach that is not offered in other literature on the topic. In order to demonstrate the application of mathematical methods to the biological sciences, the authors provide focused examples from the field of theoretical ecology, which serve as an accessible context for study while also demonstrating mathematical skills that are applicable to many other areas in the life sciences. The book's algorithms are illustrated using MATLAB®, but can also be replicated using other software packages, including R, Mathematica®, and Maple; however, the text does not require any single computer algebra package. Each chapter contains numerous exercises and problems that range in difficulty, from the basic to more challenging, to assist readers with building their problem-solving skills. Selected solutions are included at the back of the book, and a related Web site features supplemental material for further study. Extensively class-tested to ensure an easy-to-follow format, Mathematical Methods in Biology is an excellent book for mathematics and biology courses at the upper-undergraduate and graduate levels. It also serves as a valuable reference for researchers and professionals working in the fields of biology, ecology, and biomathematics.

Mathematical Models in Biology

Mathematical Models in Biology
Author: Leah Edelstein-Keshet
Publisher: SIAM
Total Pages: 629
Release: 1988-01-01
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 9780898719147

Mathematical Models in Biology is an introductory book for readers interested in biological applications of mathematics and modeling in biology. A favorite in the mathematical biology community, it shows how relatively simple mathematics can be applied to a variety of models to draw interesting conclusions. Connections are made between diverse biological examples linked by common mathematical themes. A variety of discrete and continuous ordinary and partial differential equation models are explored. Although great advances have taken place in many of the topics covered, the simple lessons contained in this book are still important and informative. Audience: the book does not assume too much background knowledge--essentially some calculus and high-school algebra. It was originally written with third- and fourth-year undergraduate mathematical-biology majors in mind; however, it was picked up by beginning graduate students as well as researchers in math (and some in biology) who wanted to learn about this field.