Master of Mathematics in Applied Mathematics - Mathematical Medicine and Biology

University of Waterloo

The application of mathematics to medicine is an exciting and novel area of research within the discipline of Applied Mathematics. One aspect of this research, in which our department is actively involved, is the creation of mathematical models of various disease processes, taking into account the interactions between the different components of the complex biological system that underlies the process. This research has two main goals. Firstly, one hopes to increase our understanding of the onset of the disease and of how it progresses. Secondly, one hopes that the mathematical analysis of the available treatment strategies will enable one to identify one that is optimal in each situation. The research in mathematical medicine, which is carried out in collaboration with physicians at the Hospital for Sick Children and Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto, includes the following topics: Mathematical modeling of ovarian cancer treatments and the sequencing of surgery and chemotherapy, Effects of surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy on the treatment of brain tumours,Mathematical modeling of hydrocephalus, syringomyelia, and brain tumours.