Course Description
Statistical Physics in Biology is a survey of problems at the interface of statistical physics and modern biology. Topics include: bioinformatic methods for extracting information content of DNA; gene finding, sequence comparison, and phylogenetic trees; physical interactions responsible for structure of biopolymers; …
Statistical Physics in Biology is a survey of problems at the interface of statistical physics and modern biology. Topics include: bioinformatic methods for extracting information content of DNA; gene finding, sequence comparison, and phylogenetic trees; physical interactions responsible for structure of biopolymers; DNA double helix, secondary structure of RNA, and elements of protein folding; considerations of force, motion, and packaging; protein motors, membranes. We also look at collective behavior of biological elements, cellular networks, neural networks, and evolution.
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![a sphere composed of different colors of tubes coiled together.](/courses/8-592j-statistical-physics-in-biology-spring-2011/29cab1075cd18f731334b92c858a94ee_8-592s11.jpg)
An example of a fractal globule is shown in the illustration above (Image courtesy of Professor Leonid Mirny, used with permission).