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- Mathematical Systems Biology Minor
This information is part of the .
Holm (Chair of the Department of Biology)
Robertson (Chair of the Department of Mathematics)
Mathematical systems biology describes a field of inquiry in which mathematical and computational methods are used to examine complex, large-scale interactions between components of biological systems and to predict how these interactions influence the properties of those systems. The systems examined may range in scale from molecular through cellular and tissue levels to the scale of organisms and entire ecosystems. The unifying feature of this field is quantitative description of interactions between components of biological systems.
The interface between mathematics and biology is one of the most rapidly expanding areas of research in the sciences. The technological development of methods for generating large amounts of biological data — including genome sequence information, total protein analysis, metabolic information, etc. — demands the development of mathematical and computational methods for analyzing these data and for developing predictive models that use such large data sets. The multidisciplinary field of systems biology requires an understanding of both mathematical and biological concepts, insights into interesting questions in biology, and comprehension of the mathematical methods that can be used to address many of those questions. The mathematical systems biology minor provides students with the coursework in mathematics and biology required to begin to gain insights and experience in this important new field.
Minor Requirements
Course requirements are described below (six courses)
Required Courses
Both of the Following
One of the Following
- BIOL 181Ìý-ÌýEvolution, Ecology, and Diversity and BIOL 181LÌý
- BIOL 182Ìý-ÌýMolecules, Cells, and Genes and BIOL 182LÌý
One of the Following
Biology
One additional biology course from the following:
- BIOL 181Ìý-ÌýEvolution, Ecology, and Diversity
- BIOL 182Ìý-ÌýMolecules, Cells, and Genes
- Any 200-, 300-, or 400-level BIOL elective course
Mathematics
One additional mathematics course from the following:
- MATH 240Ìý-ÌýComputational Statistics with R
- MATH 260Ìý-ÌýComputational Mathematics
- MATH 302/BIOL 302Ìý-ÌýSystems Biology Ìý
- MATH 308Ìý-ÌýDifferential Equations
- MATH 310Ìý-ÌýCombinatorial Problem Solving
- MATH 312Ìý-ÌýMath Modeling: Social Sciences
- MATH 313Ìý-ÌýFunctions of a Complex Variable
- MATH 315Ìý-ÌýMathematical Biology
- MATH 316Ìý-ÌýProbability
- MATH 354Ìý-ÌýData Analysis I - Applied Linear Models
- MATH 360Ìý-ÌýGraph Theory
- MATH 376Ìý-ÌýNumerical Analysis
- MATH 408Ìý-ÌýPartial Differential Equations
- MATH 416Ìý-ÌýMathematical Statistics
- MATH 417Ìý-ÌýBrownian Motion & Stochastic Calculus
- MATH 448/PHYS 448Ìý-ÌýNonlinear Dynamics & Chaos Ìý
- MATH 454Ìý-ÌýData Analysis II - Nonlinear Model Inference
- MATH 481/BIOL 481Ìý-ÌýInvestigations in Computational Biology ÌýÌýÌýÌý
- MATH 482Ìý-ÌýSenior Seminar: Applied Mathematics
Note:
Students declaring a minor in mathematical systems biology select an adviser from either the mathematics department or biology department. Those students minoring in mathematical systems biology who have declared a major in either biology or mathematics are required to choose a minor adviser from the department in which they are not majoring. The chair of the minor adviser's department approves and signs the mathematical systems biology minor declaration form. As with any minor at °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê, no more than two of the courses applied to the minor may also be used for a major.
Biology Department
For more information about the department, including Faculty,Ìýtransfer credit, awards, etc.,Ìýplease visit theÌýBiology departmentÌýcatalogÌýpage.
Mathematics Department
For more information about the department, including Faculty,Ìýtransfer credit, awards, etc.,Ìýplease visit theÌýMathematics departmentÌýcatalogÌýpage.