Bar-Ilan University
The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences
The Computational Biology Program
Sheba Medical Center
Tel-Hashomer
Updated: January 2012
Course Name and Number
Biomathematical Models for Doctors )80-661(
Lecturers' Names
Prof. Avidan Neumann and Prof. Ramit Mehr
Course type: Lecture + Exercise
Year: Advanced degrees
Semester: A
Extent: 2 weekly hours lecture + 1 weekly hour exercise, including the computer lab
Intended for: the "Biomedical Computation" program for doctors
A) Course Goals: Acquiring the understanding of, and ability to build and analyze, bio-medical
mathematical models.
B) Course contents:
Class format: frontal lectures of the theoretical materials and examples of model application to
medical problems from the literature, emphasizing the principles of model construction in biology.
Exercise classes – review the mathematical techniques, computer simulations of the models.
Detailed Lecture contents:
Class
number
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
1
Topic
Lecturer
Remarks
Introduction to population
dynamics modeling. Examples
from HIV. Discrete and Continuous
processes.
Qualitative discrete models, such
as automata. Example – the
theoretical basis for immune
memory.
Introduction: dynamic system with
continuous growth.
Malthusian vs. Logistic population
growth. Steady states and stability
in dynamical systems.
Examples from metabolism.
Two population models –
competition. Examples from
virology.
Two population models –
predator/prey. Examples from
Ecology and Immunology.
Models if viral dynamics upon
primary infection. Models of
antiviral therapy. Implications for
Prof. Avidan Neumann
Includes the exercise
time.
Prof. Avidan Neumann
Practice applying the
model during the
exercise (a discrete
model).
Practice application
during the exercise.
Practice during
exercise ("Madonna"
software).
Prof. Avidan Neumann
Prof. Avidan Neumann
Prof. Avidan Neumann
Prof. Avidan Neumann
Prof. Avidan Neumann
Practice during
exercise (Steady
state, stability).
Practice during
exercise (one more
competition model).
Practice during
exercise (predator/
prey – solution and
8.
9.
personalized treatment.
Models in epidemiology.
Model Building – example from
immunology.
Prof. Yoram Louzoun
(guest lecturer)
Prof. Ramit Mehr
10. Models of cell population
Prof. Ramit Mehr
11.
differentiation and selection –
examples from immunology.
Fitting models to quantitative data.
Prof. Ramit Mehr
12. Models with feedback – examples
Prof. Ramit Mehr
13.
Prof. Ramit Mehr
from hemopoiesis.
Stochastic models – examples
from models of cancer and
chemotherapy.
C) Course requirements:
Pre-requisites: None.
Assignments / tasks: open exam (with all materials allowed).
Final grade components: exam grade (numeral).
D) Bibliography:
Murray - Mathematical Biology
Edelshtein-Keshet – Mathematical Models in Biology
2
investigation).
Practice during
exercise (viral
dynamics – solution
and investigation).
Practice during
exercise
(epidemiology –
solution and
investigation).
Practice during
exercise.
Practice during
exercise (fitting)
Practice during
exercise
Practice during
exercise