![]() During the lecture, students run MATLAB and execute the basic operations described in the lecture. Examples include immunofluorescence images, transcriptional arrays, and results obtained through numerical integration of dynamical models. ![]() The first part of the lecture discusses general concepts related to vectors, arrays, and matrices, and provides examples of biological data that are stored as arrays (Slides 1 to 8). It also makes the program flexible in terms of how variables are defined. Vectorized computing makes it easy to simultaneously manipulate, for instance, all of the values in a two-dimensional array. One of the strengths of MATLAB as a computing tool is the fact that computations are “vectorized,” meaning that the program makes it easy to perform operations on multidimensional mathematical objects. Additional MATLAB tutorials are available from: These materials are intended for instructors who have basic familiarity with MATLAB. For students without this experience, these lectures are a prerequisite to using MATLAB. Because of its introductory nature, students who have prior programming experience may find these lectures to be essentially a review. ![]() The initial lectures emphasize basic principles that apply across all computing languages. However, in our experience, few students have programming experience therefore, most students must be taught fundamentals of programming logic in addition to details that are specific to the MATLAB environment. For students who have previously programmed in C ++, Fortran, or Pascal (for example, engineering, mathematics, or physics majors), learning the nuances of the MATLAB syntax is not particularly difficult. Before students are taught specific models of biological processes, they must first learn the basics of how to program in this language. In the course “Systems Biology-Biomedical Modeling,” which was developed for first- and second-year graduate students in a medical school environment, students implement models in the scientific computing language MATLAB. Teaching computational modeling to students requires them to have a platform in which to implement their models. The principles are illustrated through the analysis of experimental data, specifically measurements of intracellular calcium concentration in live cells obtained using confocal microscopy. The second lecture focuses on the differences between MATLAB scripts and MATLAB functions and describes when one method of programming organization might be preferable to the other. ![]() The students are introduced to basic commands in MATLAB, as well as built-in functions that provide useful shortcuts. Because many types of biological data, such as fluorescence images and DNA microarrays, are stored as two-dimensional objects, processing these data is a form of array manipulation, and MATLAB is especially adept at handling such array objects. The lectures begin with a discussion of vectors, matrices, and arrays. The lectures present basic concepts of computer programming logic that tend to cause difficulties for beginners in addition to concepts that relate specifically to the MATLAB language syntax. Prior computer programming experience is not required. This two-part lecture introduces students to the scientific computing language MATLAB.
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