Aimed at postgraduate students in a variety of biology-related disciplines, this volume presents a collection of mathematical and computational single-cell-based models and their application. The main sections cover four general model groupings: hybrid cellular automata, cellular potts, lattice-free cells, and viscoelastic cells. Each section is introduced by a discussion of the applicability of the particular modelling approach and its advantages and disadvantages, which will make the book suitable for students starting research in mathematical biology as well as scientists modelling multicellular processes.

Computational biology, mathematical biology, biology and biomedicine are currently undergoing spectacular progresses due to a synergy between technological advances and inputs from physics, chemistry, mathematics, statistics and computer science. The goal of this book is to evidence this synergy by describing selected developments in the following fields: bioinformatics, biomedicine and neuroscience. This work is unique in two respects - first, by the variety and scales of systems studied and second, by its presentation: Each chapter provides the biological or medical context, follows up with mathematical or algorithmic developments triggered by a specific problem and concludes with one or two success stories, namely new insights gained thanks to these methodological developments. It also highlights some unsolved and outstanding theoretical questions, with a potentially high impact on these disciplines. Two communities will be particularly interested in this book. The first one is the vast community of applied mathematicians and computer scientists, whose interests should be captured by the added value generated by the application of advanced concepts and algorithms to challenging biological or medical problems. The second is the equally vast community of biologists. Whether scientists or engineers, they will find in this book a clear and self-contained account of concepts and techniques from mathematics and computer science, together with success stories on their favorite systems. The variety of systems described represents a panoply of complementary conceptual tools. On a practical level, the resources listed at the end of each chapter (databases, software) offer invaluable support for getting started on a specific topic in the fields of biomedicine, bioinformatics and neuroscience.

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.

This book on mathematical modeling of biological processes includes a wide selection of biological topics that demonstrate the power of mathematics and computational codes in setting up biological processes with a rigorous and predictive framework. Topics include: enzyme dynamics, spread of disease, harvesting bacteria, competition among live species, neuronal oscillations, transport of neurofilaments in axon, cancer and cancer therapy, and granulomas. Complete with a description of the biological background and biological question that requires the use of mathematics, this book is developed for graduate students and advanced undergraduate students with only basic knowledge of ordinary differential equations and partial differential equations; background in biology is not required. Students will gain knowledge on how to program with MATLAB without previous programming experience and how to use codes in order to test biological hypothesis.

This edited volume contains a selection of chapters that are an outgrowth of the - ropean Conference on Mathematical and Theoretical Biology (ECMTB05, Dresden, Germany, July 2005). The peer-reviewed contributions show that mathematical and computational approaches are absolutely essential for solving central problems in the life sciences, ranging from the organizational level of individual cells to the dynamics of whole populations. The contributions indicate that theoretical and mathematical biology is a diverse and interdisciplinary ?eld, ranging from experimental research linked to mathema- cal modeling to the development of more abstract mathematical frameworks in which observations about the real world can be interpreted, and with which new hypotheses for testing can be generated. Today, much attention is also paid to the development of ef?cient algorithms for complex computation and visualisation, notably in molecular biology and genetics. The ?eld of theoretical and mathematical biology and medicine has profound connections to many current problems of great relevance to society. The medical, industrial, and social interests in its development are in fact indisputable.

This is the only book that teaches all aspects of modern mathematical modeling and that is specifically designed to introduce undergraduate students to problem solving in the context of biology. Included is an integrated package of theoretical modeling and analysis tools, computational modeling techniques, and parameter estimation and model validation methods, with a focus on integrating analytical and computational tools in the modeling of biological processes. Divided into three parts, it covers basic analytical modeling techniques; introduces computational tools used in the modeling of biological problems; and includes various problems from epidemiology, ecology, and physiology. All chapters include realistic biological examples, including many exercises related to biological questions. In addition, 25 open-ended research projects are provided, suitable for students. An accompanying Web site contains solutions and a tutorial for the implementation of the computational modeling techniques. Calculations can be done in modern computing languages such as Maple, Mathematica, and MATLAB?.

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.

The result of lectures given by the authors at New York University, the University of Utah, and Michigan State University, the material is written for students who have had only one term of calculus, but it contains material that can be used in modeling courses in applied mathematics at all levels through early graduate courses. Numerous exercises are given as well as solutions to selected exercises, so as to lead readers to discover interesting extensions of that material. Throughout, illustrations depict physiological processes, population biology phenomena, corresponding models, and the results of computer simulations. Topics covered range from population phenomena to demographics, genetics, epidemics and dispersal; in physiological processes, including the circulation, gas exchange in the lungs, control of cell volume, the renal counter-current multiplier mechanism, and muscle mechanics; to mechanisms of neural control. Each chapter is graded in difficulty, so a reading of the first parts of each provides an elementary introduction to the processes and their models.

Computational modeling is emerging as a powerful new approach to study and manipulate biological systems. Multiple methods have been developed to model, visualize, and rationally alter systems at various length scales, starting from molecular modeling and design at atomic resolution to cellular pathways modeling and analysis. Higher time and length scale processes, such as molecular evolution, have also greatly benefited from new breeds of computational approaches. This book provides an overview of the established computational methods used for modeling biologically and medically relevant systems.

Exploring Mathematical Modeling in Biology through Case Studies and Experimental Activities provides supporting materials for courses taken by students majoring in mathematics, computer science or in the life sciences. The book's cases and lab exercises focus on hypothesis testing and model development in the context of real data. The supporting mathematical, coding and biological background permit readers to explore a problem, understand assumptions, and the meaning of their results. The experiential components provide hands-on learning both in the lab and on the computer. As a beginning text in modeling, readers will learn to value the approach and apply competencies in other settings. Included case studies focus on building a model to solve a particular biological problem from concept and translation into a mathematical form, to validating the parameters, testing the quality of the model and finally interpreting the outcome in biological terms. The book also shows how particular mathematical approaches are adapted to a variety of problems at multiple biological scales. Finally, the labs bring the biological problems and the practical issues of collecting data to actually test the model and/or adapting the mathematics to the data that can be collected.