1. Research in mathematical biology
Biological question
Feedback
Identify unresolved biological question: typically I study questions related to cancer growth and treatment
Understand the biology well enough to develop a mathematical model of the biological problem
Compare model predictions to biological data
Re-work model until it well- describes biological data
Use model to seek answers to unresolved biological question
Develop mathematical model
Feedback
Compare to data and make predictions

2. Biological questions and mathematical techniques
Biological Problems
Mathematical & Statistical Techniques (
Prereq :
BIO 201 or strong interest in, (
Prereq
: Differential Equations or
and willingness to learn, biology)
Mathematical
Biology, CSC 220)
Can we describe how cancer grows
Systems of ordinary (and
sometimes
using mathematical equations?
partial) differential equations
Can
we predict how a tumor will respond
Agent -
based models: computer -
based
to a particular treatment?
models that describe tumors at the
single -
cell level
Can we identify which factors contribute
Parameter
estimation techniques: a
most significantly to treatment response?
combination of mathematics and
statistics to test if your model well -
describes a real data set
Can we find
optimal ways to treat cancer
Sensitivity
and bifurcation analysis
using certain drugs?
Optimization techniques
Likely no availability for students in , but definitely looking for students for onward!