Jan-Ulrich Kreft
Mainly I teach a course on Modelling in Microbiology and Biotechnology during winter term and a course on Modelling in Ecology and Evolution during the summer term. The winter course has always been for four weeks every day from 9 to 4; the summer course is now also full-time since Martin Rost has joined me to teach the summer course together. These courses introduce basic concepts of mathematical modelling and computer simulations using Matlab or Java as programming languages by way of biological examples from Microbiology/Biotechnology or Ecology/Evolution, respectively.
Together with Wolfgang Alt, I try to introduce students to Theoretical Biology hands on in what we call "Simulation-Studio". The idea is to get biology students drawn into the fascinating world of dynamical systems and their modelling earlier on in their curriculum than before.
During the next few years, these things will change more or less while the University changes over to Bachelor and Master degrees. I plan to give two two-week courses as part of the Masters programme in Molecular Biotechnology organized by the Centre of Molecular Biotechnology (CEMBIO). One course will focus on mathematical modelling of metabolic and regulatory networks within the cell, while the other will focus on mathematical modelling of population dynamics in bioreactors.