MBC.A8

Theoretical Systems Biology

Module description 

Module coordinator

Prof. Dr. Stefan Schuster

Requirements for module admission

Enrolment in one basic module 

Module is required for

Specialization module

Type of module

Required elective module, advanced module

Frequency of offer (module cycle)

Yearly (SS) 

Duration of module 

1 Semester

Composition of module / types of components (lecture, exercise, seminar, practical training, excursion) 

Lecture: 4 hours per week per semester

Practical training: 2 hours per week per semester

Exercise: 1 hour per week per semester

Credit points (ECTS credits)

10 cp

Work load in hours:

  • In-class studying
  • Self-study (incl. exam preparation)

105 h

195 h

Contents

The lecture series on ‘Gene Expression Analysis’ gives an overview about chip technologies and their usage; data preprocessing (statistical models and normalization); differential gene expression; supervised learning; unsupervised learning (cluster-based analysis); reverse engineering (reconstruction of gene regulatory networks); databases concerning gene expression analysis; as well as ethical and legal issues.

The lecture series on ‘Metabolic and Regulatory Networks’ covers the topics enzyme kinetics, balance equations, network analysis (including conservation relations and elementary modes), dynamic modeling of metabolic and regulatory networks, metabolic control analysis, modeling of enzyme cascades, ultrasensitivity, bistability, fundamentals of the modelling of signal transduction and calcium oscillations.

During the corresponding practical course, problems are solved by the students in an analytical or numerical manner with the provided computational tools. 

Learning and qualification objectives

Understanding and hands-on skills of the analysis of microarray data and the interpretation of results; Overview of data mining methods to gain knowledge from  high-throughput measurements in molecular biology.

Learning the theoretical background about the mathematical modeling of metabolic and regulatory (intracellular) networks, insights into applications of linear algebra, convex analysis and differential equations for modeling.

Qualification to solve modeling tasks under supervision;  utilization of computational tools to simulate metabolic and regulatory networks.

Requirements for admission to module exam

None

Requirements for the award of credit points; exams (weighting of grades in %)

Oral exam in "Analysis of Gene Expression" (30%)

Oral or written exam in "Metablic and Regulatory Networks (70%)

To fulfill the qualification objectives of the module, the regular participation in the practical course is required. Details are given by the instructors at the beginning of the courses.