8.592J-HST.452J: Statistical Physics in Biology

Fall 2024

NB. This outline is subject to change as term progresses.


TENTATIVE OUTLINE

Thursday September 5
L1: (MK) Introduction and evolving probabilities

Tuesday September 10
L2: (LM) Elements of population genetics

Thursday  September 12
L3:  (LM) Fitness landscapes

Tuesday  September 17
L4: (MK) Forward Kolmogorov equation

Thursday  September 19
L5:  (MK) Backward Kolmogorov equation

Tuesday  September 24
L6: (MK) Phases of polymers

Thursday  September 26
L7: (MK) Compact polymers and REM

Tuesday October 1
L8:  (LM) Evolutionaty biology of cancer

Thursday  October 3
L9: (LM)  Protein folding energetics

Tuesday October 8
L10: (LM)  Protein folding kinetics

Thursday  October 10
L11: (MK)  DNA

Thursday  October 17
L12: (MK) RNA

Tuesday October 22
L13:  (LM)  Protein-DNA energetics 

Thursday  October 24
L14: (LM) Protein-DNA interactions 

Tuesday October 29
L15:  (MK) Microtubules  

Thursday  October  31
L16:  (LM) Protein-DNA kinetics  

Tuesday November 5
L17: (LM)  Cooperativity, Hemoglobin

Thursday  November  7 
L18: (MK) Molecular motors

Tuesday November 12 
L19: (MK)  Adaptive immunity, thymic selection

Thursday  November 14 
L20: (MK)  Adaptive immunity, affinity maturation

Tuesday November 19 
L21:  ( (MK) Elements of networks(MK)

Thursday  November 21 
L22: Dynamics on a network, Hopflied memories

Tuesday November 26 
L23: (MK) Oscillations, clocks, synchronization
Tuesday December 3
L24: (LM)  Chromatin 1

Thursday  December 5
L25: (MK)  Turing patterns (Flex)

Tuesday December 10
L26: (LM) Chromatin 2


  • 8.592 Course Outline - last update     10/25/2024     by M. Kardar