# Statistical Physics in Biology

An example of a fractal globule is shown in the illustration above (Image courtesy of Professor Leonid Mirny, used with permission).

### Instructor(s)

Prof. Mehran Kardar

Prof. Leonid Mirny

### MIT Course Number

8.592J / HST.452J

### As Taught In

Spring 2011

### Level

Graduate

###

Some Description
Instructor(s) | Prof.
As Taught In | Spring 2002
Course Number | 2.24
Level | Undergraduate/Graduate
Features | Lecture Notes, Student Work

## Course Description

## Course Features

- Lecture notes
- Projects (no examples)
- Assignments: problem sets (no solutions)

## Educator Features

- Instructor insights

## Course Description

Statistical Physics in Biology is a survey of problems at the interface of statistical physics and modern biology. Topics include: bioinformatic methods for extracting information content of DNA; gene finding, sequence comparison, and phylogenetic trees; physical interactions responsible for structure of biopolymers; DNA double helix, secondary structure of RNA, and elements of protein folding; considerations of force, motion, and packaging; protein motors, membranes. We also look at collective behavior of biological elements, cellular networks, neural networks, and evolution.

## Other Versions

## Other OCW Versions

Archived versions:

- 8.592J Statistical Physics in Biology (Spring 2005)

## Related Content

## Course Collections

See related courses in the following collections:

### Cross-Disciplinary Lists

- Life Sciences Courses

### Find Courses by Topic

- Biological Engineering > Biostatistics
- Physics
- Biology > Computation and Systems Biology

Mehran Kardar, and Leonid Mirny. 8.592J Statistical Physics in Biology. Spring 2011. Massachusetts Institute of Technology: MIT OpenCourseWare, https://ocw.mit.edu. License: Creative Commons BY-NC-SA.

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