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Statistical Physics and Quantitative Biology
University of Cologne
Physics and Biology of Information
Summer Semester 2020
Course Summary: Information and entropy are key concepts in descibing complex physical and biological systems. The course will give an introduction to the statistical mechanics of information, including the non-equilibrium physics of information processing. We will apply these concepts to modern research questions in physics, cell biology, and evolution.
Course Topics:
- Review of non-equilibrium statmech: path integral, fluctuation calculus and all that
- Information processing in biochemical reactions
- Information in cellular growth
Chemotaxis and infotaxis, adaptation to fluctuating environments - Information in molecular evolution: molecular recognition, error threshold
- Dynamics of pathogens and immune systems
- Information processing in learning and modelling
Credits: 6 CP or 7.5 CP (with optional student's seminar talk)
Course Level: Bachelor: after completion of Statistical Mechanics, can be taken as a follow-up
Master: part of the module Statistical Physics and Biophyscs
Master: part of the module Statistical Physics and Biophyscs