LMS Research School: Mathematics Of Multiscale Biology

The Centre for Mathematical Medicine and Biology is organising a Research School, funded by the LMS, at the University of Nottingham, 2-6 July 2018. On the theme "the mathematics of multiscale biology", this school is open to all PhD students and postdoctoral researchers with a mathematical background and an interest in this actively evolving field.

Biological systems are very diverse and, by essence, each is unique. However, one feature which is very widely shared is the multiplicity of spatial and temporal scales which are inextricably linked in most if not all biological systems. This multi-scale nature is at the source of various mathematical developments, which constitute the theme of this Research School.
This viewpoint will be embodied in three lecture series (LS):

  (LS1) the mathematics of microscopic biological systems

LS1.1: Deterministic models of gene expression
LS1.2: Genetic feedback: homeostasis, switching & oscillations
LS1.3: Stochastic models of gene expression
LS1.4: Biological examples of genetic regulatory networks

  (LS2) the mathematics of macroscopic biological systems

LS2.1: reaction diffusion, tissue and population patterning
LS2.2: Beyond reaction diffusion: juxtacrine patterning, active transport of auxin
LS2.3: computational methods for tissue dynamics
LS2.4: l-systems and rewriting rules

  (LS3) mathematics across biological scales.

LS3.1: systems with multiple time scales; quasi-steady state, singular perturbations
LS3.2: systems with multiple spatial scales: homogenisation
LS3.3: from discrete to continuous: PDE limits of large ODE systems
LS3.4: from continuous to discrete: piecewise-linear and Boolean dynamical systems

In addition to these three coordinated series of lectures, two guest lectures will illustrate the use of mathematics to understand multi-scale biological systems:

Guest Lecture 1: “Multiscale organization of human genome”
Annick Lesne, Research Director, Laboratoire de Physique Théorique (Paris) and Institut de Génétique Moléculaire (Montpellier), France.

Guest Lecture 2: “Addressing spatial disorder in multiscale physiological models”.
Oliver Jensen, Sir Horace Lamb Professor, University of Manchester.

At the end of the week, students who participate will have learned about:

• The main classes of mathematical frameworks used to model biological systems at several scales;
•  Important mathematical techniques used to tackle the intricacies of truly multi-scale phenomena;
•  Key computational tools for the simulation and analysis of multi-scale biological systems;
•  Successful case studies described by leading experts.

Practical Sessions will take place each day, focusing on a progression of computational techniques relevant to the school. Most sessions will rely on Python’s scientific libraries.

The typical topics that these practicals will cover are:

• cellular and super-cellular models: numerical integration of differential equations
• sub-cellular models: stochastic simulation algorithms
• methods of continuation, numerical analysis of bifurcations
• implementing and analysing spatial models
• using experimental data: methods for parameter fitting

Target audience: Open to all. PhD students and postdoctoral researchers with a mathematical background interested in this recent and growing field.

Applications by 9 April 2018

Registration fees will apply, at a rate of £150 for PhD students and £250 for Early Career Researchers. This includes lectures as well as on-campus accommodation and catering for the duration of the school.

Applications to the school will be subject to review, follow the links below for the application form itself and a form where a reference should be submitted.

Application Form: www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/RS37ApplnForm 
Referee Form: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/RS-37RefForm

Further information can be found here