The course will consist of four topics in biological models. Each topic will introduce a biological problem, and a quantitative framework, and demonstrate how the model-based approach results in new insights into biological phenomena.
Mysteries of signaling pathways regulations
Differential equations models
Combinatorics in ligand-receptor systems
Morphogens and patterning
Information theory basics
Information content of morphogenetic proteins
Morphogenesis of epithelial tissues
The basics of vertex models
Vertex models of tissue folding
Multicellular flows in embryonic development
Fundamentals of fluid mechanics
Models of cellular movements during embryo gastrulation
Upon successfully completing this course, students should be able to apply diverse mathematical modeling tools to study key problems in biology.