Concentration:
Computational and Mathematical Biology
background
Computational and Mathematical Biology are important new areas in the
biological sciences. Recognizing this, we have developed at Penn an
undergraduate concentration in Computational Biology, a Computational
Biology/Bioinformatics track in the Master's program in Biotechnology,
and a graduate level program in Computational Biology. We also support
post-doctoral students in this field.
The departments of Biology, Computer and Information Science (CIS),
and Mathematics have each devised undergraduate programs to train students
in Computational and Mathematical Biology. Here we describe only the
program available in the Department of Biology.
Within the Department of Biology there are two possible "concentrations"
aimed at training students in computational and mathematical skills.
These are the concentration in Computational Biology and the concentration
in Mathematical Biology. These concentrations are both designed so that
a student may focus on those areas in which he/she wishes to specialize.
They are described in detail below.
requirements for the Computational Biology Concentration
(16.5 - 18 CU)
Biology (3.5 - 5 CU):
- Introductory Biology (1.5 - 3 cu)
Track 1: BIOL
121 (1.5 cu)
Track 2: BIOL 101 and 102
(or BIOL 121 and 122) (3.0 cu)
OR For Class of 2009 and
earlier: BIOL
091 and BIOL 121 or 122, with appropriate
lab coursework (see Section
6 of the Major Manual).
- BIOL 221 Molecular Biology and Genetics (1 cu)
- BIOL 230 Evolution (1 cu)
|
Computer Science (3 CU):
- CIS 120 Programming Languages and Techniques I (1 cu)
- CIS 121 Programming Languages and Techniques II (1 cu)
- CIS 260 Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science I (1
cu)
|
Other Science / Math (3 CU):
- CHEM 1 Introductory Chemistry I or CHEM
101 General Chemistry I or CHEM
102 General Chemistry II or CHEM 241 Organic
Chemistry I (1 cu)
- MATH 104 Calculus I (1 cu)
- BIOL 446 Statistics for Biologists (1 cu)
(STAT 111 or 102 Statistics
may be substituted for BIOL 446)
|
"Capstone"
Courses (2 CU):
- BIOL 536 Computational Biology (1 cu)
- BIOL 399 Interdisciplinary Research Project (1 cu)
|
One additional Biology
Major course
from the following list (1 CU):
- CHEM 102 General Chemistry II (1 cu)
or PHYS 150 Principles I (1.5 cu)
or CHEM 241 Organic Chemistry (1 cu)
- BIOL 202 Cellular Biology and Biochemistry (1 cu)
- BIOL 215 Vertebrate Physiology (1 cu)
or BIOL 251 Cellular Neurobiology (1 cu)
- BIOL 240 Ecology: From Individuals to Ecosystems(1
cu)
|
An additional four Computational
Biology-related courses from the following list
(4 CU):
Note: At least one
of these must be a
Biology Department Course
- Any 200 level Biology course not counted for the previous
requirement
- BIOL 354 Developmental Biology (1 cu)
- BIOL
402 Biochemistry (1 cu)
- BIOL 410 Evolution (1 cu)
- BIOL 411 Adaptation, Speciation and Systematics (1 cu)
- BIOL 412 Ecology of Organisms and Populations (1 cu)
- BIOL 414 Ecology of Communities and Ecosystems (1 cu)
- BIOL 421 Molecular Genetics (1 cu)
- BIOL 425 Molecular Biology and Genetics lab (1 cu)
- BIOL 480 Advanced Cell Biology (1 cu)
- BIOL 537 Advanced Computational Biology (1 cu)
- CIS 262 Automata, Computability and Complexity (1 cu)
- CIS 320 Introduction to Algorithms (1 cu)
- CIS 330 Design Principles of Information Systems (1 cu)
- CIS 334 Advanced Topics in Algorithms (1 cu)
- CIS 391 Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (1 cu)
- PSYC 441 Genetics, Evolution and Behavior (1 cu)
|
requirements for the Mathematical Biology
Concentration (16.5 - 18 CU)
Same as those
requirements listed for Computational Biology,
with the following alterations:
Replace "Computer Science"
requirements with:
- MATH 114 Calculus, Part II (1
cu)
- MATH 240 Calculus, Part III (1 cu)
- MATH 320 Computer Methods in Mathematical Sciences I (1
cu)
Allow STAT 431 instead of BIOL 446 (1 cu)
|
|
Add to "Additional Computational
Biology-related courses":
- CIS 120 Programming Languages and Techniques I (1 cu)
- CIS 121 Programming Languages and Techniques II (1 cu)
- MATH 241 Calculus, Part IV (1 cu)
- MATH 360 Advanced Calculus (1 cu)
- MATH 361 Advanced Calculus (1 cu)
- MATH 370 Algebra (1 cu)
- MATH 371 Algebra (1 cu)
- MATH 420 Ordinary Differential Equations (1 cu)
- MATH 425 Partial Differential Equations (1 cu)
|
|
how to apply
The contact person for these concentrations is Dr. J. Kim, Department
of Biology, Lynch Lab room 103H, 215.746.5187, junhyong@sas.upenn.edu.
A student
intending to take either the concentration in Computational Biology
or the concentration in Mathematical Biology must meet Dr. Junhyong
Kim to approve his/her choice of courses from this list.
sample curriculum
The sample curriculum below incorporates the requirements of the concentration
in Computational Biology as well as those for the Biology major and
the general requirements for a College undergraduate. A sample curriculum
for the concentration in Mathematical Biology in the Biology major would
be similar, except that it would replace Computer Science courses with
mathematics courses as indicated above:
|
BIOL 121 (1.5 cu)
|
|
MATH 104 (1 cu)
|
| CIS 120 (1 cu) |
|
CIS 121 (1 cu) |
| GE requirement
(a) (1 cu) |
|
GE requirement
(1 cu) |
| GE requirement (1 cu) |
|
GE requirement (1 cu) |
| Total 4.5 CU |
|
Total 4 CU |
|
|
BIOL 221 (1 cu)
|
|
BIOL 230 (1 cu)
|
| CHEM 1 or 101 (1 cu) |
|
Additional CompBio - A
(b) (1 cu) |
| CHEM 53
(.5 cu) |
|
GE requirement (1
cu) |
| GE requirement (1 cu) |
|
GE requirement (1 cu) |
| GE requirement (1
cu) |
|
GE requirement
(1 cu) |
| Total 4.5 CU |
|
Total 5 CU |
|
|
BIOL 446 (1 cu)
|
|
BIOL 536 (1cu)
|
| Additional CompBio - B (1
cu) |
|
Additional CompBio - C (1
cu) |
| GE requirement (1
cu) |
|
GE requirement (1
cu) |
| GE requirement (1 cu) |
|
GE requirement (1 cu) |
| GE requirement (1
cu) |
|
|
| Total 5 CU |
|
Total 4 CU |
|
|
BIOL 399 (1 cu)
|
|
Additional CompBio -
E (1 cu)
|
| Additional CompBio - D (1
cu) |
|
GE requirement (1
cu) |
| GE requirement
(1 cu) |
|
GE requirement
(1 cu) |
| GE requirement (1 cu) |
|
GE requirement (1 cu) |
| GE requirement
(1 cu) |
|
|
| Total 5 CU |
|
Total 4 CU |
|
Notes
(a) The College requires all students to complete the General Education
curriculum. Usually, a total of 20.0 credit units appropriately distributed
for the General Education requirements and free electives are needed.
These requirements include competency in a foreign language. See specific
details at http://www.college.upenn.edu/curriculum/index.php
(b)"Additional CompBio A - E " denotes five courses from
the two sets of additional Biology major and Computational Biology-related
courses listed above.
alternatives to this concentration
Students interested in Computational or Mathematical Biology, but
who are not able to complete all the required courses for either of
these
concentrations, are encouraged to major in Biology and to take as many
of the courses in these concentrations as possible.
Any student leaving either the Computational or Mathematical Biology
Concentration should be aware of the requirements for the Biology
major that will then apply, including that of three or four appropriately
distributed 200-level courses. Further, various courses in Computer
Science and Mathematics which count towards the Computational or Mathematical
Biology Concentrations do not count towards the Biology major.
|
Undergraduate Program