Seminar on Optimization and Control in Physiological Systems (in Englisch, für Naturwissenschaftler und Mediziner)

Seminar on Optimization and Control in Physiological Systems, for Mathematicians and Life Scientists

(2 hours of course credit)

F. Kappel¹, T. Kenner², D. Schneditz², M. Moser², J. Batzel¹, R. Pilgram², D. Auerbach², M. Bachar¹, M. Fink¹

1Department of Mathematics, ²Department of Physiology, Karl-Franzens University, Graz, Austria

Course purpose

This course will examine some important concepts and systems in human physiology both from the perspective of the physiologist and the mathematician. As an end result of this seminar it is hoped that both the physiologist's and the mathematician's perspective will complement each other and advance joint knowledge.

The inspiration for the course stems from a joint Physiology and Mathematics working seminar within the Cardiovascular Respiratory Control Group of the Special Research Center for Optimization and Control at the University of Graz (Spezialforschungsbereich F-003) sponsored by the Austrian Science Fund).

This working group is preparing an international workshop on "Cardiovascular and Respiratory Control Modeling" which will be held from June 14-16, 2001 in Graz. The web page for this workshop can be found from the KFUG Mathematics web page or at:

http://bedvgm.kfunigraz.ac.at:8001/jerry/conference.html

Course organization

The course will meet on Tuesdays from 16.00 to 17:30 in the Seminarraum 11.34 of the Department of Mathematics, Heinrichstrasse 36, third floor.

Twelve lectures will alternate between a physiological topic and a mathematical topic.

Handouts on presented topics and examples will be made available during the course. Please, provide your e-mail address.

For students wishing credit for this course, homework will be periodically assigned. Please, see us after the first meeting if you are planning to take this course for credit.

Schedule

March 13, March 20, March 27
April 03, April 24
May 08, May 15, May 22, May 29
June 5, June 12, June 19

Physiological Topics

Metabolic control

Basic problems in biological systems

Blood pressure and volume control

Dimensional analysis in biological transport

Autonomic control

Respiratory and exercise control

Mathematical Topics

Review of ordinary differential equations

Elements of dynamical systems

Elements of control theory (I)

Elements of control theory (II) and applications of control

Systems involving delay

Bifurcation and chaos