Modern Biology and
Applied Mathematics
A Productive Conjunction of Science and Mathematics
Bio-Math Teachers Workshop
Rutgers University
July 9. 2009
Luther S. Williams
Context
 In
an idea or knowledge driven national
and global context--- science and math for
all students becomes mandatory
 The long path toward achievement of this
goal– “National Education Goals, National
Standards –curriculum, instruction and
assessment-Movement, NCLB
 TIMSS, TIMSS-R and NAEP findings
Science Teaching and Learning
 Science-
distinctive character as an inquiry
transaction-i. e., the demand of evidence,
validation by observation, iterative
knowledge construction, understanding in
context, explorations of questions
 One that still is a rarely practice
instructional undertaking
 One dependent upon reasonable
mathematical skills and knowledge.
Conversion of Computational,
Mathematical and Natural Sciences
 The
explosive rate of biological knowledge
generation- owing to genome sequencing,
molecular analyses, site- directed
mutagenesis, simulation of a single
microsecond of protein folding, the
quantum representation of biochemical
reactions involving only three to four
atoms, the complexity of natural systems
and system science has lead to---
a substantial infusion of applied
mathematics for

modeling and simulation of complex processes enabling high end computing; it has become the
third arm of performing science- along with
theory and experimentation
 molecular analyses of complex systems
 handling massive data sets in genomics and
proteomics- bioinformatics ;and the support by
the intersectorial science, engineering and
technology as in DNA nanotechnologies.
Nanoscale Science and Technology

Can design and customize materials, products
and tools- bioreactive- atom by atom
 Conduct studies at the scale at which living and
non-living matter meet, e.g., the study of
nanoscale processes at the surfaces –between
microorganisms and the physical world
 Discover new links between biological, chemical
and geological cycles that support life on Earth
Learning
 “Bright
and Shiny ones and set of Dull
Ones’- Peter Sacks
Learning Research
 How
humans learn
 Interdisciplinary
nexus of neurological,
cognitive and behavioral sciences
 Social
and physical contexts
Science of Learning

Intersection of biological, cognitive,
computational, mathematical, physical and
social science, engineering and education
(issues- memory structure, machine learning,
language, casual analysis, structure of
disciplinary knowledge)
 Neural basis of learning, symbol systems,
learning technologies, computational modeling
(noninvasive tools to study the brain-MRI, PET,
CAT)
Genomics Analyses
 Protoemics-
protein chips on slides of
1000s of proteins – detection, diagnosis
and analyses’
 Sequencing –identify and order
nucleotides in DNA samples
 DNA libraries- unordered collection of
cloned DNAs
 Functional genomics, comparative
genomics, structural genomics
Powerful Utility of Genomics and
Proteomics

The lost of microRNA genes that normally suppress
chronic lymphocytic leukemia
 The discovery that silent mutations are not silent; they
interfere with normal splicing of mRNA transcripts, e.g.,
phenylketonuria
 The rapid identification of Swine Influenza virus (A/HINI)
as being composed of a hybrid genome – 3 sources
 Genetic modifications of the organism that produces an
important drug, e.g., tetracycline
 Full structural analyses of the HIV-1 viral infectivity
factor
TYPICAL GENE
MicroRNA GENE
Messenger RNA
MicoRNA
Directs protein
assembly
Protein
Binds to
messenger
RNA
Protein assembly
is blocked
New Age -System Biology





Genetics, genomics and proteomics – analysis
of genes and proteins that interact
Physical and biological chemistry-measure the
interactions
Imaging tools- to record where and when the
interactions occur
Structural biology- to understand why and how
the molecules interact
Computational expertise- to integrate all the
above elements; build models

Thus, against the incomplete variable
resident in learning outcome intent and
application, the standards- anchored
science and mathematics curriculuminstruction- assessment continuum ,
enabled with one overarching variable
best correlates with student learning, the
science and/o mathematics teacher, must
break rank with the status quo and engage
the present and future conjunction of
biology and mathematics!