RTG: Interdisciplinary Training in Quantitative Biological Modeling

Northwestern University, Evanston IL

Investigators

Abstract

This project is an interdisciplinary Research Training Grant (RTG) on Quantitative Biological Modeling. Postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and undergraduates will gain experience with mathematical modeling, numerical methods, and modern data analysis/statistical tools relevant to biological problems. Trainees will perform individual research in an interdisciplinary environment focusing on the mathematical modeling of current problems in experimental and computational biology. Each trainee will benefit from having two mentors, one from applied mathematics and one from a biological discipline. Trainees will gain knowledge and experience beyond that of their own research areas via regular group meetings organized around specific biological themes, and research internships outside Northwestern University will broaden trainee perspectives. Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows will gain pedagogical experience through creation of new course materials in collaboration with participating faculty. Trainees and undergraduates will also receive coaching in written and oral communication as part of the program. A major goal of this project is to expand the preparation of applied mathematics students and postdoctoral fellows for interdisciplinary research in the life sciences and for their subsequent careers. Research performed as part of this project will focus on mathematical models in fields including neuroscience, developmental biology, evolutionary biology, and ecology. Models will encompass state-of-the art mathematical, computational, and statistical data-analysis methods appropriate for these application areas. New high-throughput experimental techniques have produced a wealth of data from biological systems in recent years, and major efforts are now underway to integrate these datasets to understand fundamental biological mechanisms and functionality. Within an interdisciplinary environment, trainees participating in this project will analyze imaging, sequencing and other data to address pressing biological questions. Co-mentorships and programmatic oversight of students by interdisciplinary faculty, creation of new courses, and development of a new vertical and peer teaching structure will greatly expand undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral training in applied mathematics in the high impact area of biological modeling. This will lead to a new generation of mathematicians, cross-trained and attuned to the particular needs of the field. The project will further connect faculty across Northwestern University and other research institutions, strengthening research progress in the focus areas.