Figure 1: The Launch of the Centre for Biomathematics. 

The Centre, based in the College of Science, provides a cross-community, interdisciplinary focus for experts from across the College of Science and beyond with interests on the interface between mathematics and biology or medicine. Its aim is to foster collaborations which are mutually interesting, leading to new developments in both fields. 

The co-Directors Dr Luca Borger (Biosciences) and Dr Elaine Crooks (Mathematics) said: “By exploiting complementary and wide-ranging knowledge across disciplines, the Centre aims to develop novel biologically-informed predictive mathematical and statistical models and computational approaches to tackle topical questions in biology and medicine and, hopefully, at the same time lead to new theoretical developments in mathematics and computer science”. 

‌One example of a joint PhD project between the Department of Mathematics and the College of Engineering, starting later in 2016/17, is the Multiscale modelling and analysis of cancer growth, invasion and treatments.

Figure 2. Graph of a 2D probability density function of animal locations.‌

Other current joint projects include:  Predicting population and ecosystem responses to environmental change (Department of Biosciences and Department of Mathematics ); Ecological interactions: from fungi towards a general framework (Department of Biosciences and Department of Mathematics) and Mathematical modelling of the spread of heterogeneous populations (Department of Mathematics and Department of Biosciences).

The Centre is also offering a fully-funded Swansea University PhD Scholarship in Mathematical Pharmacology. For more information on the Centre, its scholarships and other College of Science opportunities go to http://www.swansea.ac.uk/media/biomaths-launch_20160505-revised.pdf

• The Centre for Biomathematics is located in the College of Science on Singleton Campus and links the departments of Biosciences, Mathematics and Computer Science, with links also to the College of Engineering and the School of Medicine. Its core members are co-directors Associate Professor Dr Luca Borger, Biosciences Department, College of Science and Associate Professor Dr Elaine Crooks, Mathematics Department, College of Science, together with eight other faculty members, one postdoctoral research associate and four PhD students.