FMAN01 - Biomathematics

About the course

The course in biomathematics is a course in applied dynamical systems with applications to areas in biology. It applies discrete and continuous, linear and non-linear, dynamical systems to problems mainly in ecology, but also to physiology and epidemics of infectious diseases. Such models are crude (nature is infinitely more complicated than we can capture in a few equations) but gives good insight into the possible dynamics of the real systems. A key feature here is how to investigate how the system changes behaviour as we change one or more of the parameters in the model. Most problems discussed need numerical computer investigations to be fully comprehended.

During the course you will learn both how pure mathematical analysis provides an initial qualitative description of the dynamics, and to take the next step and carry out numerical investigations. This part of the course looks at time evolution of whole populations, but in the later part of the course a spatial component is added to the model and we will discuss how this leads to traveling waves (in one space dimension) and pattern formation (like the stripes of zebras and leopards spots) in two space dimension.

Syllabus - Study period - Course literature LTH.se Links to an external site.