A practice-oriented survey of techniques for computational modeling and simulation suitable for a broad range of biological problems. There are many excellent computational biology resources now available for learning about methods that have been developed to address specific biological systems, but comparatively little attention has been paid to training aspiring computational biologists to handle new and unanticipated problems. This text is intended to fill that gap by teaching students how to reason about developing formal mathematical models of biological systems that are amenable to computational analysis. It collects in one place a selection of broadly useful models, algorithms, and theoretical analysis tools normally found scattered among many other disciplines. It thereby gives the aspiring student a bag of tricks that will serve him or her well in modeling problems drawn from numerous subfields of biology. These techniques are taught from the perspective of what the practitioner needs to know to use them effectively, supplemented with references for further reading on more advanced use of each method covered. The text, which grew out of a class taught at Carnegie Mellon University, covers models for optimization, simulation and sampling, and parameter tuning. These topics provide a general framework for learning how to formulate mathematical models of biological systems, what techniques are available to work with these models, and how to fit the models to particular systems. Their application is illustrated by many examples drawn from a variety of biological disciplines and several extended case studies that show how the methods described have been applied to real problems in biology.

This edited volume contains a selection of chapters that are an outgrowth of the - ropean Conference on Mathematical and Theoretical Biology (ECMTB05, Dresden, Germany, July 2005). The peer-reviewed contributions show that mathematical and computational approaches are absolutely essential for solving central problems in the life sciences, ranging from the organizational level of individual cells to the dynamics of whole populations. The contributions indicate that theoretical and mathematical biology is a diverse and interdisciplinary ?eld, ranging from experimental research linked to mathema- cal modeling to the development of more abstract mathematical frameworks in which observations about the real world can be interpreted, and with which new hypotheses for testing can be generated. Today, much attention is also paid to the development of ef?cient algorithms for complex computation and visualisation, notably in molecular biology and genetics. The ?eld of theoretical and mathematical biology and medicine has profound connections to many current problems of great relevance to society. The medical, industrial, and social interests in its development are in fact indisputable.

Data-driven dynamical systems is a burgeoning field?it connects how measurements of nonlinear dynamical systems and/or complex systems can be used with well-established methods in dynamical systems theory. This is a critically important new direction because the governing equations of many problems under consideration by practitioners in various scientific fields are not typically known. Thus, using data alone to help derive, in an optimal sense, the best dynamical system representation of a given application allows for important new insights. The recently developed dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) is an innovative tool for integrating data with dynamical systems theory. The DMD has deep connections with traditional dynamical systems theory and many recent innovations in compressed sensing and machine learning. Dynamic Mode Decomposition: Data-Driven Modeling of Complex Systems, the first book to address the DMD algorithm, presents a pedagogical and comprehensive approach to all aspects of DMD currently developed or under development; blends theoretical development, example codes, and applications to showcase the theory and its many innovations and uses; highlights the numerous innovations around the DMD algorithm and demonstrates its efficacy using example problems from engineering and the physical and biological sciences; and provides extensive MATLAB code, data for intuitive examples of key methods, and graphical presentations.

Analytical methods are the essential enabling tools of the modern biosciences. This book presents a comprehensive introduction into these analytical methods, including their physical and chemical backgrounds, as well as a discussion of the strengths and weakness of each method. It covers all major techniques for the determination and experimental analysis of biological macromolecules, including proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and nucleic acids. The presentation includes frequent cross-references in order to highlight the many connections between different techniques. The book provides a bird's eye view of the entire subject and enables the reader to select the most appropriate method for any given bioanalytical challenge. This makes the book a handy resource for students and researchers in setting up and evaluating experimental research. The depth of the analysis and the comprehensive nature of the coverage mean that there is also a great deal of new material, even for experienced experimentalists. The following techniques are covered in detail: - Purification and determination of proteins - Measuring enzymatic activity - Microcalorimetry - Immunoassays, affinity chromatography and other immunological methods - Cross-linking, cleavage, and chemical modification of proteins - Light microscopy, electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy - Chromatographic and electrophoretic techniques - Protein sequence and composition analysis - Mass spectrometry methods - Measuring protein-protein interactions - Biosensors - NMR and EPR of biomolecules - Electron microscopy and X-ray structure analysis - Carbohydrate and lipid analysis - Analysis of posttranslational modifications - Isolation and determination of nucleic acids - DNA hybridization techniques - Polymerase chain reaction techniques - Protein sequence and composition analysis - DNA sequence and epigenetic modification analysis - Analysis of protein-nucleic acid interactions - Analysis of sequence data - Proteomics, metabolomics, peptidomics and toponomics - Chemical biology

This book develops the mathematical tools essential for students in the life sciences to describe interacting systems and predict their behavior. From predator-prey populations in an ecosystem, to hormone regulation within the body, the natural world abounds in dynamical systems that affect us profoundly. Complex feedback relations and counter-intuitive responses are common in nature; this book develops the quantitative skills needed to explore these interactions. Differential equations are the natural mathematical tool for quantifying change, and are the driving force throughout this book. The use of Euler’s method makes nonlinear examples tractable and accessible to a broad spectrum of early-stage undergraduates, thus providing a practical alternative to the procedural approach of a traditional Calculus curriculum. Tools are developed within numerous, relevant examples, with an emphasis on the construction, evaluation, and interpretation of mathematical models throughout. Encountering these concepts in context, students learn not only quantitative techniques, but how to bridge between biological and mathematical ways of thinking. Examples range broadly, exploring the dynamics of neurons and the immune system, through to population dynamics and the Google PageRank algorithm. Each scenario relies only on an interest in the natural world; no biological expertise is assumed of student or instructor. Building on a single prerequisite of Precalculus, the book suits a two-quarter sequence for first or second year undergraduates, and meets the mathematical requirements of medical school entry. The later material provides opportunities for more advanced students in both mathematics and life sciences to revisit theoretical knowledge in a rich, real-world framework. In all cases, the focus is clear: how does the math help us understand the science?