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Helsingin yliopisto
Mathematical methods in biology 1
A practical introduction to mathematical concepts and methods applied in the life sciences. Part 1: Construction of simple models and basic calculus.
3 cr
We learn mathematics through solving problems of biological interest, with emphasis on applicable skills and hands-on experience.
The full course consists of four parts (each can be taken separately):
Mathematical methods in biology, Part 1: Fundamentals (construction of simple models and basic calculus)
Mathematical methods in biology, Part 2: Probability (handling stochastic phenomena, groundwork for statistics)
Mathematical methods in biology, Part 3: Vectors and matrices (applied to population dynamics, genetics and statistics)
Mathematical methods in biology, Part 4: Dynamic models (techniques to analyse models of ecological interactions, biochemical reactions, etc.)
In Part 1, we start from the basics and get familiar with the most commonly used functions. We review the derivative and use it to solve optimization problems (optimal body size and fecundity, optimal foraging) by finding the trait values or behavioural strategies that maximize fitness; we discuss also evolutionarily stable strategies. Next, we use the derivative to build differential equations to model the dynamics of populations (logistic growth, predator-prey systems) and of molecular systems (enzyme kinetics). We discuss how to find the equilibria and establish their stability and study how equilibria can appear or disappear as we vary the parameters of the models.
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Additional information and registration
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Additional information:
Fields
Natural sciences
Scope
3 cr
Code
EEB-011
Organiser
Helsingin yliopisto
Contact details
avoin-student@helsinki.fi