Group of Theoretical Biology
at the IZMB, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Bonn University

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Our Group

is interdisciplinary and consists in its core of one student of mathematics, one graduate student of biology and one in mathematics, two biologists, one physicist and one mathematician working on their PhD, one postdoc researchers, also physicist, and a professor of theoretical biology with docentship ("Habilitation") in mathematics. [more ...]

Featured example of our work

The current bionic example features the simulation of an autonomous robot, which is moving on the inner wall of a tube by using the underlying biophysical principle of the adhesive cell migration as a propulsion system.

The robot model consists of two elastic chains, which are linked by radial segments. The vertices of the outer chain adhere to a surface (the blue line in this two-dimensional animation), which triggers simultaneously the successive alteration of the radial segments' elastic properties: the induced gradient of stiffness from the "sloppy" front to the "stiff" end is motorising the robot (red colouring is indicating stiffer segments). At the rear end the vertex's disruption is caused by reaching a force limit. The same principle is utilised by animal tissue cells (e. g. keratinocytes) as locomotion system on a surface. In this case the adhering cell cortex is inducing the gradient of stiffness by assembling and strengthening of microfilaments.

What is Theoretical Biology?

The aim of theoretical biology is to unveil general principles in the vast multitude of biological phenomena. Theoretical biology is the original and comprehensive term, but other names such as systems biology, integrative biology, and bioinformatics are also used, in particular to highlight special applications. Theoretical biology is inherently interdisciplinary and linked to many related fields, e.g., artificial life, complex adaptive systems, mathematical modelling, kybernetics, informatics, to name a few. [more ...]

Degrees and Teaching

We offer three degree courses, two for undergraduates and one for postgraduates

• Diplom in mathematics with emphasis on applied mathematics, in particular stochastic processes and partial differential equation models for biological systems
• Diplom in biology with major in theoretical biology (combined with an experimental subject such as cell biology, microbiology, botany, and zoology)
• PhD in science (Dr. rer. nat.) with major in theoretical biology

Besides basic instruction on mathematics for students of biology (in cooperation with the Institute of Applied Mathematics), we are offering a hands on course with computers on statistics and a Simulation Studio for students during their first years. Teaching in graduate years is centered on seminars on various subjects of theoretical biology (e.g. on pattern formation and morphogenesis, game theory and evolution, polymer dynamics, swarm dynamics and many particle systems) and practical courses (Block-Praktika) on cellular motion, model aided statistical data analysis, models in microbiology, and ecological models.

Moreover, in the "Interdisziplinäres Kolloquium Komplexe Systeme" invited guests present their work from mathematics, science and humanities. Aiming at the exchange of ideas across subjects, the talks take place regularly, in particular within the studium universale. [more ...]

Research

Our reseach interests focus on modelling, simulation and data analysis of interactive spatial dynamics in biological phenomena of motion, growth, and evolution.

• List of publications

In particular, we employ stochastic many particle models, continuous systems of partial differential equations, adaptive methods of two-dimensional image analysis, and statistical analysis in order to study the following subject areas:

• Cellular motion: the dynamics of cytoplasmic polymer networks (e.g. actin filaments), cell adhesion and migration, cell shape dynamics, as well as movement in cell aggregates (e.g. monolayers of keratinocytes)
• Search strategies and swarm dynamics: perception, motoric control and development of search strategies in chemotaxis (e.g. of brown algae gametes) or homing (e.g. of desert arthropods finding back to their burrow) as well as the interactive dynamics in cell swarms (e.g. of myxobacteria) or bird swarms.
• Biological surfaces and biofilms: The dynamics of the lipid surfactant layer on vertebrate lung alveoles, driven by elastic, friction, and random forces.
  Individual-based modelling of microbial growth in colonies, biofilms, eggs, etc. Structure <-> Function relations, influence of the extracellular matrix, modular organisation, cooperation and competition.
• Evolutionary dynamics: The theoretical basis of the split of a population into reproductively isolated subgroups and the eventual formation of new species (speciation), in particular the influence of extended and heterogeneous habitats for that process.
  Economic use of resources as altruistic behaviour in biofilms.

[more ...]

Last changes: November 24, 2011

Copyright © 1998-2011 by Theoretical Biology, IZMB, University of Bonn, Kirschallee 1-3, 53115 Bonn, Germany. Email: wolf.alt@uni-bonn.de

Design: Andreas Neudecker