Introduction to Mathematical Biology: Modeling, Analysis, and Simulations

Introduction to Mathematical Biology: Modeling, Analysis, and Simulations is based on a one-semester course that the authors have been teaching for several years and includes two sets of case studies. The first includes chemostat models, predator-prey interaction, competition among species, the spread of infectious diseases, and oscillations arising from bifurcations. In developing these topics, readers are also introduced to the basic theory of ordinary differential equations, and how to work with MATLAB without having any prior programming experience.

The second set of case studies were adapted from recent and current research papers. Topics were selected based on public health interest, including: the risk of atherosclerosis associated with high cholesterol levels, cancer and immune interactions, cancer therapy, and tuberculosis. Readers experience how mathematical models and their numerical simulations can provide explanations that guide biological and biomedical research.

This book is written for undergraduate students with little background in mathematics and no biological background.