SYSTEMS THINKING IN BIOLOGY

The course is classified as one of the educational activities for the Master Degree in Physical Engineering. It is aimed first of all at the development and comprehension of the approaches derived from Systems Thinking in the field of Biology and then that of Medicine. This allows the student to integrate the acquired knowledge of the methodologies for the study, both theoretical and applied, of complex biomedical systems. A further aspect considered throughout the course is its integration with other systemic approaches, in particular, those using methodologies based on the use if Network Analysis, big data e machine learning. The study is also framed in a general perspective of integrated sustainability of the considered applications.

The instructional goals of the course are:
1) development of the capability to apply the Systems Thinkig approach to the study of biological and bio-medical systems;
2) development of an integrated quantitative description of biological and bio-medical systems suitable to address the creation of computational simulators;
3) development of the capability to link concepts and theories to the experimental activity of characterization and study of the complex diseases, also with reference to other courses with experimental character.

1. Knowledge and understanding
1.1. To know and understand the main concepts derived from the General Systems Theory.
1.2. To know and understand the methods and the symbolic language of Systems Thinking.
1.3. To know and understand the application of the studied systemic approach in the field of Life Sciences.

2. Capability of applying knowledge and comprehension
2.1. To use the learned methods and concepts in the study of the dynamics of biological and bio-medical systems.
2.2. To be able to design a computational simulator of a systemic dynamics.

3. Capability of judgement
3.1. To evaluate and choose critically the most suitable experimental approaches for the study of the considered systems, pointing out the possible need for complementary techniques to guarantee the logical consistency and the reliability of the study.
3.2. To integrate the study based on Systems Thinking with the information obtainable by different approaches, or related to different theoretical frameworks.
3.3. To frame the application potential of the study within a general perspective of integrated sustainability.

4. Communication skills
4.1. To communicate both the knowledge and the effects of its application using the proper scientific language.
4.2. To interact with the teacher and with the other students in a constructive way, in particular during the working groups activity.

5. Capability of learning
5.1. To take comprehensive and rigorous notes, even by the interaction with the other students.
5.2. To properly select the bibliographic references for the study, even by the interaction with the teacher, most of all for those contents that are not easily found in a single textbook.

Having achieved the learning outcomes of the fundamental courses of Mathematics and Physics of a STEM Bachelor Degree course. Knowing the basic concepts of Biology.

0. Presentation of the course and its contextualization within the learning process. Peculiarities of the course as a curricular one.
1. General Systems Theory and Systems Thinking. Short history of the devlopment of systemic thinking.
2. Orgin of the systemic complexity.
3. Symbolic language in the representation of complex systems: stocks, flows, processes.
4. Feedback networks and dynamic complexity.
5. Symbolic representation by stock-flow diagrams.
6. Mini-models and systemic archetypes.
7. The algebra of complexity.
8. Understanding the systemic complexity.
9. The contribution by Jay W. Forrester and Howard T. Odum.
10. Verbal models, abstract models and computational simulators.
11. Systems Thinking and Biology: an unexplored field.
12. From the Reductionism to the Systems Dynamics.
13. Diagramming the biological systems.
14. Descriptions and predictions: answering the "What if?" questions by the systemic analysis.
15. Bio-medical systems: the "complex diseases".
16. Case studies: Immune System, self-immune diseases, virus-host interaction, blood cancer forms.
17. Choice of the systems for the final exams and related group discussions.
18. Potential and research perspectives.

A textbook specifically dedicated to the Systems Thinking approach in Biology does not exist (yet), but much material is accessible as scientific articles and papers. The teacher will provide all the indications for its download, also depending on the systems selected as case-studies for the final exam. The teacher will aslo provide a booklet with a general introduction to Systems Thinking.

The method used to assess the knowledge and skills acquired is one mandatory oral examination, in which the student presents a study/project (different for any student), carried on also during the course, on a biological or biomedical system selected together with the teacher. The student has to demonstrate both his/her acquisition of knowledge and the capability to present it in a formal rigorous way. The oral exam will last 30 to 45 minutes, and must be undergone within the official exam sessions.

oral

Lowest acceptable mark of 18/30 and a highest achievable mark of 30/30.

The teaching activity is organized in lecture-style presentations at the blackboard, inegrated by 3 to 6 powerpoint presentations about examples of optical properties of materials.
Furthermore, in the moodle platform of the University are present the didactic material presented as powerpoint projections in the classroom, as well as specific notes prepared by the teacher concerning topics difficult to find (e.g., non-linear optics) and further material (simulations, videos and conferences).

Accessibility, Disability and Inclusion
Accommodation and support services for students with disabilities and students with specific learning impairments:
Ca’ Foscari abides by Italian Law (Law 17/1999; Law 170/2010) regarding support services and accommodation available to students with disabilities. This includes students with mobility, visual, hearing and other disabilities (Law 17/1999), and specific learning impairments (Law 170/2010). In the case of disability or impairment that requires accommodations (i.e., alternate testing, readers, note takers or interpreters) please contact the Disability and Accessibility Offices in Student Services: disabilita@unive.it.

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Human capital, health, education" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development