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Mathematical models of physiologic and biophysical systems
Author(s) -
Moore Leon C,
Clausen Chris,
Solomon Irene C
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.5.a212-d
Subject(s) - mathematical model , mathematical and theoretical biology , graduate students , systems biology , computer science , computational model , management science , computational biology , cognitive science , artificial intelligence , biology , bioinformatics , mathematics , engineering , psychology , pedagogy , statistics
As experimental biology generates larger and larger quantities of data, and as our models for understanding biological phenomena become more complex, there is a growing need for computational methods to be integrated with traditional methods of experimental biology. One of the greatest challenges in meeting this need is training since students in the biological sciences are not typically exposed to mathematical/computational methods, and students in computer science and mathematics are rarely exposed to significant problems in biology. To overcome this limitation, we have developed a graduate course that provides our students with an early introduction to mathematical modeling of physiologic processes in cells and tissues, with emphasis on dynamic models of membrane transport, cell homeostasis and regulation, and cell signaling. The students first develop and program a simple‐cell model that they use for assessing the roles of the NKCC and KCC transporters in cell volume regulation. They then identify a biologically interesting problem related to their own research amenable to modeling, formulate the model conceptually, convert their conceptual model into a mathematical model, and use the model to test hypotheses and propose new experiments. The course attracts students from physiology, biophysics, and biomedical engineering. Of the first 8 students to take the class, 5 have incorporated mathematical modeling into their research, and all students report an increased ability to read and understand mathematical modeling papers. Supported by DK66124