University
of Pittsburgh Carnegie Mellon University

Joint CMU-Pitt Ph.D. Program in Computational Biology

Robert F. Murphy and Ivet Bahar, Directors

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Cellular and Systems Modeling Specialization Area

Cellular and Systems Modeling undertakes the ambitious task of studying the dynamics of biological and biomedical processes from a whole system point of view. The observed systems range over orders of magnitude, from tissue to cells to molecular assemblies! Engineering tools are used along with genome-scale information in mathematical and/or computational models that usually adopt a top-down approach. Modeling diseases, entire 'virtual' cells, or subcellular networks of interactions are among typical tasks. Major research topics include the modeling of complex signaling and regulatory networks, transport mechanisms, spatio-temporal evolution of microphysiological events, as well as establishing the links between the development of complex phenotypes and the seemingly unrelated molecular events.

Required Life Sciences Elective (one of the following)

CMU 03-730Advanced Genetics
Pitt BIOSC 2100Advanced Topics in Cell Biology
CMU 03-741Advanced Cell Biology
CMU 03-751Advanced Developmental Biology
CMU 03-740Advanced Biochemistry
CMU 03-742Molecular Biology of Eukaryotes
CMU 42-702Advanced Physiology

Required Quantitative Elective (one of the following)


CMU 10-702 Statistical Machine Learning
CMU 10-708 Probabilistic Graphical Models
CMU 15-750 Algorithms
CMU 21-660Introduction to Numerical Analysis
CMU 21-661Numerical Solution of Partial Differential Equations I
CMU 21-662Numerical Solution of Partial Differential Equations II
CMU 21-732Partial Differential Equations I
CMU 36-705Intermediate Statistics
CMU 36-625Probability and Mathematical Statistics
CMU 36-753/754Probability Theory and Stochastic Processes

Specialization Electives (two of the following)

CMU 03-712Computational Methods for Biological Modeling and Simulation
CMU 15-872ASpecial Topics in Computational Biology: Formal Methods in Biology
Pitt Math 3380Computational Cell Biology
Pitt MSCMP 3780Systems Approach to Inflammation
CMU 42-502Cellular Biomechanics
CMU 21-665Introduction to Mathematical Modeling of Biological Systems