VIGRE Research Focus Group (2008-2009) on

MATHEMATICAL BIOLOGY

 

Mathematical Biology Seminar Schedule

Mathematical Biology Journal Club Schedule


A Research Focus Group (RFG) in Mathematical Biology will run during 2008-2009 academic year. The group will pursue two goals: (i) prepare students and postdocs to become active participants in the ongoing quantitative revolution in biology, and (ii) give formal structure to UC Davis faculty doing research in Mathematical Biology. The RFG activities will be centered around the diverse research areas of core participating faculty: structure and function of biomolecules, cell biophysics, biofluid dynamics, neurophysiology, evolution and ecology. However, the emphasis of the RFG will be on methods of mathematical modeling and specific mathematical tools - these are the transferable concepts between different areas of Mathematical Biology, and we believe that focusing on them will maximize the cross-fertilization of ideas.

Everyone is welcome to participate. Graduate and undergraduate students are especially encouraged to participate.

 

 


PLANNED RFG ACTIVITIES

 

 

I. Weekly RFG meetings

 

Weekly meetings will run throughout the year on Tuesdays noon-1:30PM in MSB 2112. These meeting will alternate between research seminars and reading seminars (journal club). Lunch or snacks will usually be provided at the meetings.

 

Research seminars: RFG faculty, postdocs and invited speakers will give talks about their research. Most invited speakers will be from UC Davis or the Bay Area, but we will also invite a few prominent scientists from all over the world. When possible, we will arrange for the graduates students to have lunch with invited speakers.

Mathematical Biology Seminar Schedule

 

Reading seminars: We will discuss classic papers or recent landmark papers. All participants will read the papers and graduate students participating in the RFG will take turns leading the discussion. The focus of the discussions will be on modeling methods and mathematical analysis that transcend each specific biological topic.

Mathematical Biology Journal Club Schedule

 

 

II. Sub-group meetings

 

For those interested, the weekly RFG meetings will be complemented by weekly or bi-weekly research group meetings of each participating faculty member. Such meetings will serve as small break-out groups and provide more focus on a specific research area. These meetings will be open to all RFG participants, and participants are welcome to participate in more than one group meeting.

 

PLEASE CONTACT PARTICIPATING FACULTY IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ATTENDING THEIR GROUP MEETINGS:

 

Craig Benham (cjbenham at ucdavis.edu) http://www.math.ucdavis.edu/research/profiles/benham

Bob Guy (guy at math.ucdavis.edu) http://www.math.ucdavis.edu/~guy/

Alan Hastings (amhastings at ucdavis.edu) http://two.ucdavis.edu/~me/amh.html

Alex Mogilner (mogilner at math.ucdavis.edu) http://www.math.ucdavis.edu/~mogilner

Tim Lewis (tjlewis at ucdavis.edu) http://www.math.ucdavis.edu/~tlewis

Sebastian Schreiber (sschreiber at ucdavis.edu) http://www.eve.ucdavis.edu/sschreiber

 

 

 


III. GRADUATE COURSES

 

MAT227 (Fall 2008)

Alex Mogilner will teach the graduate level Math Biology course MAT227. The focus will be on cellular biophysics.

http://www.math.ucdavis.edu/~mogilner/227.html

 

ECL 290 (Fall 2008)

Alan Hastings will be teaching a graduate course ECL290 on Quanitiative Modeling and Assessment of Marine Reserves.

http://two.ucdavis.edu/~me/290fall08.html

 

 

 

 

IV. Mathematical Biology mini-conference/workshop (Spring 2009)

 

The culmination of the RFG will be a 2-day mini-conference in the May 2009 (Friday PM - Saturday). The conference will consist of 2 plenary talks by invited prominent speakers. These talks will be complemented by about 5-10 short talks by RFG participants, a poster session, and a panel discussion.

 

 

 

 

Events for Undergraduate and High School Students

 

V. Graduate student seminars for undergraduate students (Fall 2008, Winter 2009, Spring 2009):

 

We will organize a seminar series in which graduate students talk to undergraduate students and new graduate students about their research and also informal discussion about life as a graduate student in mathematical biology. The seminars will be widely advertised and refreshments will be provided. All graduate students, who are studying mathematical biology and have identified a research topic, will be strongly encouraged to give a talk in this seminar series. Seminars will run throughout the year; we anticipate having 2-3 talks per quarter.

 

VI. MAT180/BIS133 (Fall 2008)

 

Sebastian Schreiber (Evolution and Ecology, GGAM faculty) will teach a special topics course for undergraduate students. Students will explore topics in mathematical biology through readings, extensive problem sets, and collaborative research. Faculty members will guide students during lectures and discussions meetings and will provide background information and readings necessary for solving novel problems that require both mathematical and biological knowledge.

 

VII. Involvement with Explore Math (Fall 2008, Winter 2009)

 

We have arranged with directors of the Math Modeling Experience (Fall 2008) and Math Circle (Winter 2009) programs to have segments on Mathematical Biology. This will involve faculty and graduate students in the RFG giving presentations, supplying mini-projects and providing mentorship to undergraduate and high school students participating in the programs.

 

VIII. REU (Summer 2009):

 

Tim Lewis and Bob Guy will supervise a group of 6-8 undergraduate students in a research project. 2 graduate student mentors will be employed to help run the group. Other RFG faculty are encouraged to lead individual REU projects.

 

 

 

For more information contact Tim Lewis (email: tjlewis at ucdavis.edu).