How to learn biomathematics?

Question

I'm currently an undergraduate math student and researching on the internet I discover that exists an area called "biomathematics". Looks so interesting. They use the graph theory and topology to describe the cells and DNA structure. Was love at first sight, because I really love maths and biology.

I'm reading the book "Clinically Oriented Anatomy" of Keith L. Moore and "Essential Cells Biology" of Bruce Alberts, but I don't know if I'm doing right. If anyone know how to start to learn this science I would really appreciate it.

Answer 1

Springer have a series of books called Lecture notes in Biomathematics most of which should be in the maths department library. I don't know if they allow undergraduates in in your university. If they don't then smile nicely at the librarian and sound enthusiastic they sometimes make exceptions.

The best idea is to look through the research interests of the staff in your department and see if anybody's researching math.bio. Then just go and talk to them about it.

Answer 2

I'm currently doing an undergraduate in Biomathematics. It's our university's newest course and quite honestly is compiled in such a manner that could only be described as utter rubbish. It's confused between making this course pure math and Biochemistry. There are no subjects dedicated to it so I've gotten some textbooks together to work through.

Prerequisites: It is important that you have a strong knowledge in the fields of genetics and biochemistry and know how to access the necessary databases and use them. Bio-informatics is also important. Also be fluent in undergraduate calculus and know a programming language to use for the modelling process. If money is not a problem then Mathematica is king followed by Matlab. If you are looking for open source then use Python or Scicoslab package.

Now for the books:

1. Ordinary Differential Equation by Morris Tenebaum

2. Mathematical Modeling by Sandeep Banerjee

3. Dynamic System Biology Modeling and Simulation by Joseph DiStefano

Be warned this book is very good and will get you to a very complete level of doing what you're supposed to be doing. Additional literature:

4. Fundamentals of Systems biology by Markus W. Covert

These will get you to quite a good level in the industry. Oh, and find a good book for solving PDE's.