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Subject: SMB Digest v12i04
SMB Digest January 25, 2012 Volume 12 Issue 04
ISSN 1086-6566
Editor: Amina Eladdadi eladdada(at)strose(dot)edu
Note:
Information about the Society for Mathematical Biology, including an
application for membership, may be found in the SMB Home Page,
Access the Bulletin of Mathematical Biology, the official journal of SMB, at
Inquiries about membership or BMB fulfillment should be sent to
membership(at)smb(dot)org .
Issue's Topics:
Workshop: Towards Math. Modeling of Neurological..., May/June, Canada
Summer Educational Program: ELME 2012 Call for Applications, MSU
Two PhD stipends: Computational Systems Biology, Max-Plank, Germany
Graduate Fellowship: IGTC Fellowship in Math. Biology for 2012-2013
Postdoc: Mathematical Biology at INRIA (Grenoble), France
SMBnet Reminders
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Date: Wed, Jan 18, 2012 at 9:28 PM
Subject: Towards Mathematical Modeling of Neurological Disease from
Cellular Perspectives - May/June 2012 in Toronto, Canada
Focus Program
"Towards Mathematical Modeling of Neurological Disease from Cellular
Perspectives" May 14- June 15, 2012 Fields Institute, Toronto, Canada
* Pre-workshop tutorials: May 14-18,2012
* Parkinson's Disease Workshop: May 22-23, 2012
* Schizophrenia Workshop: May 24-25, 2012
* Epilepsy Workshop: May 29-30, 2012
* Alzheimer's Disease/Pharmaceuticals Workshop: May 31-June 1, 2012
* Anesthesiology/Sleep Disorders Workshop: Jun 4-5, 2012
Organizing Committee:
* Larry Abbott (Columbia Univ.),
* Sue Ann Campbell (Univ. Waterloo),
* Nancy Kopell (Boston Univ.),
* Frances Skinner (TWRI/UHN and Univ Toronto)
* David Terman (Ohio State Univ.)
REGISTRATION IS OPEN
For more details, see
There is some funding available for PDFs participants.
Special travel awards are available for members of the
Organization for Computational Neuroscience.
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Date: Mon, Jan 23, 2012 at 2:09 PM
Subject: Summer Educational Program: ELME 2012 Call for Applications,
ELME is a summer educational program at the Kellogg Biological Station
devoted to Enhancing Linkages between Mathematics and Ecology.
ELME 2012 will be a sequence of three courses covering: Week 1)
Maximum Likelihood Estimation, week 2) Structural Equation Modeling,
and week 3) Matrix Population Modeling. In this hands-on environment,
students will learn the basics in a lecture setting and cement their
knowledge with independent and collaborative modeling projects using
the computer program R.
Dates: June 4-22, 2012
Hours: Mon-Fri 9-5
Instructors: Week 1) Colin Kremer (Michigan State University), week 2)
Don Schoolmaster (National Wetlands Research Center / USGS), and week
3) Hal Caswell (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute)
Target audience: 12-18 graduate students or exceptional undergraduates
Prerequisites: At least one semester of statistics, undergraduate
calculus, and familiarity with basic matrix manipulations Previous
exposure to theoretical ecology and R useful but not required.
Format: A mixture of lecture, guided computer labs, and
independent/team projects
- your CV a statement of research interests and why you'd benefit from
- the course (< 1 page) a statement of relevant educational/research
- experience, including related coursework (< 1 page) the name of a
- reference who you've asked to email a letter of support
Deadline for applications: March 15, 2012
Preference will be given to students interested in all three courses.
Financial support to cover room and board and help defray
transportation costs is available. Let us know if this is not
necessary. Academic credit, if desired, is available at appropriate
MSU rates. Let us know if this is desired.
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Date: Thu, Jan 19, 2012 at 4:02 AM
Subject: Two PhD stipends in Computational Systems Biology, Max-Planck
Germany
Two PhD stipends are available at the Systems Biology and Mathematical
Modeling Group at the Max-Planck Institute of Molecular Plant
Physiology, Potsdam, Germany.
Deadline: Feb 29, 2012 Tentative start-time: April 01, 2012
The Systems Biology and Mathematical Modeling group at the Max-Planck
Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam-Golm, is seeking two
PhD candidates who are passionate about developing and applying
mathematical methods and computational approaches to solving
biological questions involving (large-scale) biochemical pathway
models and their integration with metabolomics high-throughput data.
The groups research focus is the development, analysis, and
implementation of methods for data-driven qualitative and quantitative
modeling of biochemical networks to understand system
behaviors/functions emerging from molecular interactions (for further
details, see:
Methods include network optimization, mathematical programming, design and
analysis of algorithms, and random processes.
Applicants should have a strong background in mathematics (preferably
optimization and/or modeling) and should show interest in
bioinformatics methods/tools. The candidates will likely be involved
in collaborations with outside academic and industrial research
communities. In addition, the prospective applicants must be proactive
in developing theoretical methods and implementing innovative
solutions, and should be comfortable working in a team.
Interested candidates should provide CV and short statement of
interest to:
Deadline: Feb 29, 2012 Tentative start-time: April 01, 2012
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Date: Mon, Jan 23, 2012 at 1:19 PM
Subject: IGTC Fellowship in Mathematical Biology for 2012-2013
The PIMS International Graduate Training Centre in Mathematical
Biology invites applicants for the IGTC fellowship for 2012-2013
academic year. Fellowships are worth up to $10K a year and are for
students working in mathematical biology at Pacific Institute for
Mathematical Sciences (PIMS) universities (Alberta, British Columbia,
Calgary, Regina, Saskatchewan, Simon Fraser and Victoria).
If you have excellent students, either potential students applying now
or current students, please encourage them to apply.
There are also opportunities for students to enroll in the
programme. All students can benefit from IGTC graduate training
elements including annual research summits, summer courses, new
term-time courses, seminars, graduate student exchanges, and
international visitors.
Full details of the IGTC Programme and application process can be
found here:
have further questions, please contact the IGTC Programme
Application deadline is February 29, 2012.
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Date: Sat, Jan 21, 2012 at 4:20 AM
Subject: Postdoc Position at INRIA (Grenoble), France
Title : From smooth sigmoidal-type interactions to switch-like
behavior
Applications are invited for a postdoctoral position to carry out
theoretical and computational research on discontinuous dynamical
systems (with switch-like interactions). Sigmoidal-type interactions
are ubiquitous in biology, from the firing rate response of neurons
and gene regulatory networks models to the Michaelis-Menten model for
enzymes kinetics. A common approach to analyze such models is to
replace the sigmoid functions by step functions leading to switch-like
nonlinearities. However the use of discontinuous dynamical systems
raises numerical and mathematical problems mainly due to the
occurrence of the so-called sliding motion during which the solution
slides along a threshold. The goal of this project is to compare the
flow induced by the sigmoidal functions with the one created by the
associated nonsmooth system. In particular, one open question is the
link between the limit solution when sigmoids approach step functions
and the solution of the discontinuous system.
The ideal candidate should have a PhD in Applied Mathematics
and should have an interest in applications in biology. The applicant
should be able to perform independent research.
Starting date and length: The position is funded for one-year with a
gross monthly salary of 2264 euros and may be extended for up to 18
months. Located in the earth of the French Alps, Grenoble is an ideal
place for skiing, climbing, hiking and all types of mountains sports.
Application can be made on-line through
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Subject: SMBnet Reminders
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