If you are motivated by scientific challenges that are interdisciplinary in nature and require connecting small scale dynamics to large scale systems, then you are the kind of student who would succeed in one of the Bio-Physical Sciences programs and find them intellectually rewarding.
Program Overview
Quantitative Biology
Interdisciplinary research that draws from the natural and physical sciences is an important aspect of modern biology. The Quantitative Biology option is designed for students with a deep interest in biology who wish to gain a strong grounding in physical sciences and their application to biological questions.
The Quantitative Biology option has two streams: an ecology and evolutionary biology stream, and a physical biology stream. Both streams provide a balance of theory and experimental components.
Program advisors: nancy.nelson [at] mcgill.ca (Nancy Nelson) or Coordinator of the QB Option: jackie.vogel [at] mcgill.ca (Dr. Jackie Vogel)
More details: Undergraduate Studies, Department of Biology, McGill University
Visit the Quantitative Biology Initiative website.
Consult the eCalendar entry for
Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) - Major Biology - Quantitative Biology
Biology–Mathematics
The Joint Major in Biology and Mathematics is built on a selection of mathematics and biology courses that recognize mathematical biology as a field of research, with three streams within biology: Ecology and Evolutionary Ecology, Molecular Evolution, and Neurosciences. This program shares similarities with the Quantitative Biology option, but with a stronger emphasis on mathematics. While the QB option leads to a Biology degree with strong training in relevant quantitative skills to address biological questions. The Joint Major in Biology and Mathematics leads to a degree in both Biology and Mathematics, and therefore must satisfy the requirements for a major program in both disciplines.
The streams within the program identify important areas of research where biology and mathematics are well integrated, and that open many research and job opportunities, from pharmaceutical/biomedical research to environmental assessment, to fundamental research in neuroscience and evolutionary biology. The Joint Major in Biology and Mathematics provide an ideal training for students interested in Graduate programs in quantitative biology such as the McGill Integrated PhD Program in Quantitative Life Sciences.
Program advisors: fred.guichard [at] mcgill.ca (Frederic Guichard) (Biology) and axel.hundemer [at] mcgill.ca (Axel Hundemer) (Mathematics).
More details: Undergraduate Studies, Department of Biology, McGill University
Consult the eCalendar entry for
Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) - Major Biology and Mathematics
Computer Science–Biology
This program will train students in the fundamentals of biology and will give them computational and mathematical skills needed to manage, analyze, and model large biological datasets. Integrative features of the program include interdisciplinary introductory and seminar courses in bio-physical sciences, and a joint independent studies project.
Contact: blanchem [at] cs.mcgill.ca (Mathieu Blanchette)
More details: Undergraduate Studies, Department of Biology, McGill University
Consult the eCalendar entry for
Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) - Major Computer Science and Biology
Physiology–Mathematics
Physiology–Physics
Mathematicians and physicists have been at the forefront of advances in the physiological and medical sciences for many decades. One only must look at this roster of illustrious names from twentieth century (some of whom are Nobel Laureates) to realize the tremendous contribution made by leading quantitative scientists: A.V. Hill (muscle mechanics, oxygen binding by hemoglobin), Katz (synaptic transmission), Nernst, Planck and Cole (membrane ion transport), Hodgkin, Huxley and FitzHugh (nerve excitation), Neher (single ion channel identification), Hartline (simple neural circuit dynamics), Delbruck (bacteriophage, DNA replication), Watson, Crick, Wilkins (structure of DNA), Benzer, Brenner and Gilbert (gene regulation), Schrodinger (the father of both quantum mechanics and molecular biology), Fisher (statistics), Lander (human genome project, founding director of the MIT Broad Institute), etc. These have made, in collaborations with experimentalists, breakthroughs in either physics and/or mathematics to decipher the dynamics of physiological systems and understand their implications on human health. This will not only continue, but accelerate in the foreseeable future, with leading experts in the physiological and medical sciences coming from an elite pool of people comfortable in mathematics and physics as well as in physiology.
The Majors Physiology and Mathematics (since 1993) and Physiology and Physics (since 1972) programs have been designed to cater to this ever-important and expanding cohort of students and produce leaders of the future. This is accomplished by rigorous training in mathematics and physics as well as in the physiological sciences (including immunology, neurology, respiratory, renal and cardiovascular physiology) at the molecular and system levels, with concrete examples showing how interdisciplinary approaches to problems in the life sciences, employing quantitative and computational techniques, are more profitable, and complementary to, traditional educational approaches emphasizing only physiology. These programs are for students capable of absorbing and benefiting from training in a diverse range of subjects with ambitions to pursue careers in industry and/or academia. Both have a long track record of producing the very best quantitative physiologists.
If you:
- love mathematics and/or physics, and are really good in these subjects;
- enjoy learning about physiology too, and do so by designing structures and frameworks to understand physiological concepts rather than by simply memorizing facts;
- are motivated by scientific challenges that are interdisciplinary in nature and require connecting small scale dynamics to large scale systems;
then you are the kind of student who would succeed in the Major Programs Physiology and Mathematics or Major Physiology and Physics Programs and find them intellectually rewarding. Come and see an advisor!
Program advisors: anmar.khadra [at] mcgill.ca (Anmar Khadra) or glass [at] cnd.mcgill.ca (Leon Glass)
More details:
Consult the eCalendar entry for
Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) - Major Physiology and Mathematics
Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) - Major Physiology and Physics
Chemistry–Biophysical Chemistry (NEW)
The Biophysical Chemistry programs give students the training they need to apply physical chemical theory and the tools of organic synthesis in order to better understand living organisms at the molecular level, and to repurpose the components of living systems for new technological applications. The courses are designed to build a strong foundation in Mathematics and Biophysics while at the same time providing comprehensive coverage of Physical, Synthetic Organic, Inorganic, and Analytical Chemistry. Both the Honours and Majors programs feature approximately 100 hours per semester in teaching laboratories and the Honours program includes a 2-semester research project, giving students significant hands-on preparation for both academic and industrial careers.
Program advisor: anthony.mittermaier [at] mcgill.ca (Anthony Mittermaier)
More details: Consult the eCalendar entry for Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) - Major Chemistry: Biophysical Chemistry
Physics–Biological Physics (NEW)
The Physics Major program with a concentration in Biological Physics keeps a strong core of foundational physics and specializes through adding courses in biology, mathematics, physiology, computer science and chemistry. Specifically, the program adds five to seven courses in biology which provide background in molecular and cell biology, a course in computer science, a course in organic chemistry, and the introductory and advanced biophysics courses offered by the Physics Department, which will function as integrative courses. This program provides students with the skills necessary to continue on to graduate studies in biophysics/biological physics, or for a research career in hospital, Industrial, or university settings.
The Physics Honours program with a concentration in Biological Physics will give a more rigorous preparation, with additional research experience, for students with a strong interest in biophysics. In the final year of this program students will have an opportunity to carry out a research project within a biophysics lab in the department. This program will provide a very strong foundation for any student wishing to pursue graduate studies in biophysics, as well as a research career in industrial, hospital, or academic laboratory settings.
Program advisor: paulf [at] physics.mcgill.ca (Paul François)
More details: Consult the eCalendar entry for Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) - Major Physics: Biological Physics
