Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
applications of mathematics in view. Biologists use mathematics to derive quan-
titative data from medical studies, such as estimating the number of genes that are
involved in inheriting a particular trail from the parents to the child.
Today, the concepts and theories of mathematics are being applied to almost all
aspects of medical sciences. However, there are some fields of study under medical
sciences where mathematics has found greater scope. These fields are clinical
research, biotechnology, and genetics. In general, mathematics and its sub-bran-
ches play an important role in the study of genetics.
In the study of genetics, the two most important subsections of mathematics that
play a major role are statistics and probability. Probability, its formula, and its
applications are used by people working in genetics to understand the mechanism of
meiosis, forming of egg cells and the sperm, and the process of inheritance, among
others. They also get an understanding of how phenotypes (observable diseases) and
genotypes (the DNA sequences) are related to each other through the study of
probability distributions. They also conduct the analysis and study of genetic
determinants through the applications of statistics and its methods and principles.
Another advantage that the study of mathematics in medicine and biology pro-
vides is to mathematical modeling. Mathematical modeling refers to looking and
studying the biological systems and the medical phenomena through the study of
mathematics by applying its principles and theorems. Mathematics has also shown
its worth in testing out new ideas in the field of medicine. This has been of high
importance in the study of cancerous and tumor cells. Medical practitioners have
been successful in understanding the direction in which cancerous cells potentially
grow inside the living body with the help of a model strictly based on mathematics.
Many health organizations are now using online systems and software appli-
cations to manage their patient records and keep a check on the remedial steps for
each patient, coordinating with practitioners and other hospital staff on a regular
basis along with many more things. All these online systems and software
applications are developed keeping mathematics as the platform.
In biotechnology as well, mathematics is seen to play a major role. The study of
mathematics is needed to understand concepts such as concentration/dilution,
calibration, molarity, molality, solution preparation, serial dilution, radioactive
decay and decomposition, absorption, and cell growth, among others. In clinical
research, the understanding of DNA, thumb impressions, and markups, among
others are also carried out based on the study of mathematics.
Mathematics in Medical Imaging
Tomography
Tomography refers to imaging by sections or sectioning, through the use of any kind
of penetrating wave. A device used in tomography is called a tomograph, while the
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