Rigi-Workshop 2015: Mathematical and Computational Modeling in Life Sciences

The Rigi Workshop 2015 will bring together mathematics, computer science and biology. The aim of this workshop is to present interesting, cutting-edge topics from the life sciences which require mathematical modeling to PhD students working at Swiss universities. Mathematical modeling is becoming more and more instrumental in life sciences; the data complexity and the high number of interacting components, from molecules to animals, render intuitive reasoning very difficult. The idea consists in formulating mathematically how certain biological units affect each other and how these interactions affect the whole system. Such quantitative modeling approaches produce mathematical models which are then implemented using computer software.

The resulting computational models use the available biological information and lead to quantitative predictions on the biological process itself. Unknown biological parameters can then be estimated with the modeling framework, and simulations of the model can lead to the discovery of previously unknown biological phenomena.

Interactions between living organisms or chemical molecules are ubiquitous, occur at all scales, and are amazingly complex. Without these constellations of exchanges of matter and information, organisms would not be able to function and reproduce. Interacting components are organized in networks, which lie at the heart of the lectures of this workshop, which focus on systems biology, cellular metabolism and ecology.

Invited speakers (more information):

• Dagmar Iber, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich
• Christian Mazza, Department of Mathematics, University of Fribourg
• Oliver Ebenhöh, Institute for Quantitative and Theoretical Biology, University of Düsseldorf
• Louis-Felix Bersier and Rudolf Rohr, Department of Biology, University of Fribourg

Detailed program

Where?

Rigi-Kulm Hotel

When?

January 18 – 20, 2015

Who?

The workshop is open to PhD students from all Swiss Institutions of Higher Learning. Postdoctoral applications are also considered. Student participation will be competitive. Selection from the pool of applicants will ensure that active, motivated students from different disciplines and institutions attend.

> more information and registration

Registration is open until September 30, 2014.

For further information: biologie@scnat.ch