Mathematical Biology

What Hacker News says

1. j7akeOct 2020
   Agreed! The hyper focus on solving by hand puts the wrong emphasis on ODEs. They’re supposed to be used as a tool to do quick modelling of a process to get qualitative insights to the behaviour of the system.

   I recommend James Murray mathematical biology book for nice examples of how ODEs can quickly give insights into complex phenomena.

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2. SereneMay 2010
   This book has even better reviews: http://books.google.com/books?id=VmCQ28GWqE0C Mathematical Biology: Spatial models and biomedical applications By James Dickson Murray. Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Mathematical-Biology-Introduction-Inte...

   Mathematical approaches differ greatly depending on the area of biology. I could recommend a good review if I knew your favorite area.

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3. sampoSep 2018
   Almost all textbooks named "Mathematical Modeling" should have chapters on modelling continuous change with differential equations, hopefully also a chapter on how to model systems of interacting variables with a system of differential equations.

   Then also textbooks with names like "Mathematical Models in Biology" or "Mathematical Biology" should have chapters on population growth, a two-species predator-prey model, diseases and epidemiology, and sometimes also a chapter on chemical kinetics (these are all modelled with differential equations).

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4. xerulaMay 2015
   Apart from the Romanesque cauliflower, these images mostly just show examples of phyllotactic spirals, which are not really fractals.

   Fractal models can generate patterns reminiscent of some organic structures, particularly branching structures, but their importance in doing so is often overstated. Generally speaking, they don't capture the underlying biological processes giving rise to the structures; models that do (reaction-diffusion, optimal transport networks, models of specific genetic developmental programmes...) achieve more realism.

   "The problem with a field such as fractal theory, which can be visually dramatic and practised without much background and sophistication, is that uninformed proselytising and inappropriate use can raise unrealistic expectations as to its relevance and applicability. ...Although chaos and fractal theory have been proposed by some as biological panaceas fortunately there are enough realists to counter this view and generally keep them in perspective." –– JD Murray, Mathematical Biology

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5. justlearningMay 2010
   HNers: could you suggest me a book or two in 'Mathematics in Biology'. Beginners or intermediate is what I am looking at.

   I was intrigued by "Essential Mathematical Biology" http://www.amazon.com/reader/185233536X).

   I usually pick a book based on amazon ratings. I also pour through HN comments and find it equally rated.(eg: "random walk thru walk street" on amazon vs the comments here at HN)

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