Physics of Living Systems

3 units

One of the grand challenges in contemporary biophysics is placing our understanding of cellular systems on a firm quantitative footing. How does the collective activity of molecules enable the cell to sense its environment, make decisions, grow and develop? This course, aimed at physical and life science students, will serve as an introduction to the physical principles and mathematical techniques underlying the analysis of systems and synthetic biology. Topics will include modeling gene and signaling networks, the regulation of intracellular structures, and pattern formation in development. Students in this course can expect to learn both analytical and computer simulation approaches to fundamental problems in biology, biophysics, and biotechnology. Graduate students will explore the subject in more depth.