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

Fall 2025

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


TENTATIVE OUTLINE

Thursday September 4
L1: (MK) Introduction and evolving probabilities

Tuesday September 9
L2: (MK) Forward Kolmogorov equation

Thursday  September 11
L3:  (LM) Elements of population genetics

Tuesday  September 16
L4: (LM) Fitness landscapes

Thursday  September 18
L5: (MK) Backward Kolmogorov equation

Tuesday  September 23
L6: (LM) Evolutionaty biology of cancer

Thursday  September 25
L7: (LM)  Protein structure and folding

Tuesday September 30
L8:  (MK) Phases of polymers

Thursday  October 2
L9: (MK) Compact polymers and REM

Tuesday October 7
L10: (MK)  DNA

Thursday  October 9
L11: (MK) RNA

Tuesday  October 14
L12: (MK) Microtubules

Thursday October 16
L13: (MK) Molecular motors

Tuesday  October 21
L14: (LM)  Protein-DNA energetics/interactions

Thursday October 23
L15:  (LM) Protein-DNA kinetics 

Tuesday  October  28
L16:  (LM) Protein-DNA kinetics 

Thursday October 30
L17:  (LM)  Cooperativity, Hemoglobin  

Tuesday November 4 
L18: (MK)  Adaptive immunity, thymic selection

Thursday  November 6  
L19: (MK)  Adaptive immunity, affinity maturation

Thursday November 13 
L20: (MK) Elements of networks

Tuesdsy November 18
L21:  (MK) Dynamics on a network, Hopflied memories

Thursday  November 20 
L22: (MK) Oscillations, clocks, synchronization

Tuesday November 25
L23: (MK)  Turing patterns

Tuesday December 2
L24: (LM)  Chromatin 1

Thursday  December 4
L25: (LM)  Chromatin 2

Tuesday December 9
L26: (LM) Chromatin 3 / Final project presentations

Thursday December 11  Final project presentations


  • 8.592 Course Outline - last update     9/16/2025     by M. Kardar