3 units, Fall
Tuesday/Thursday 12:30-1:45
Biology and medicine are being revolutionized by quantitative methods from mathematics, engineering, physics, and computer science. To engage UA students in quantitative biology, MCB 315 focuses on developing mathematical and computational models in molecular and evolutionary biology and comparing those models with systems biology and genomic data.
Biological topics covered include:
- Cellular growth control and cancer
- HIV infection, treatment, and evolution
- Proofreading of DNA replication
- Molecular evolution and the tree of life
- Human population genomics
Quantitative topics covered include:
- Introduction to Matlab
- Mutation and other random processes
- Tapping into biological databases
- Simulation of cellular networks
- Cluster analysis of microarrays and gene sequences
To see the full schedule for a recent year, click here.
MCB 315 is intended for students in the life sciences interested in quantitative methods. To promote interaction between students from different disciplines, class sessions focus not on lecturing but rather on group exercises involving both pencil-and-paper and computer problem solving.
The mathematical prerequisite for the course is Calculus I. We assume you are familiar with the concepts of calculus, but have forgotten how to take derivatives and integrals. Throughout the course, we will build on this foundation, with a focus on describing random processes within cells and populations.
Questions? Contact Ryan Gutenkunst.
