Mathematical Biology: Exploring Biology & Physics Combined

[jmason52]

I have just started back to school studying math and physics prior to chasing an advanced degree when I retire in two years (yeah, but that's a whole nother topic). My original BS was in Biology, and I would like to do research that includes that science. So, as I was looking over a local university flyer for their math graduate dept, I noticed that one of the fields was Mathematical Biology. Can someone give me an idea of what that might be? Is it along the same lines as Biological Physics? Thanks, and btw, this is really a great forum.

 

[R.Mesri]

Mathematical biology is the application of mathematical techniques and models to study biological systems. This includes a range of topics from population dynamics and evolutionary biology, to cellular and molecular biology, to biophysics and physiology. Examples of mathematical models used in this field include dynamical systems theory, network theory, information theory, agent-based modeling, and stochastic processes. As with any mathematical model, these models aim to simplify the complexity of biological systems in order to better understand them.