Master CMB, Parcours : Bio-informatique

CMB is an international Master of science dedicated to the analysis and the modelling of complex biological systems, created as a part of the graduate school of the Turing Center of living systems (CENTURI). It is shared by the departments of mathematics and biology, and aims at gathering students with a high potential coming from different backgrounds and at benefiting from the interdisciplinary synergies between training experts in that scientific area on the rise.

CMB offers a program by and for scientific research, with many opportunities for pursuing studies towards a PhD or obtaining a job in numerous companies having a research department.

The bioinformatics option of the CMB master will focus on the analysis of interaction networks involved in different types of biological processes (embryonic developmental, nervous system, immune response) in order to understand the relationship between network structure and the behaviour of complex biological systems.

As this Master is a highly selective research-focused study path, a BSc in   biology or eventually computational science  obtained with Honors is required. Students with a BSc in biology are requested to have already minored in either mathematics or computer science. A good command of English is compulsory : courses are taught in English and the master is open to international students.

This Master is structured around 2 different 2-year degrees (belonging to three mention):

• Mathematical modeling or Statistics (Mention Mathematics and applications or Mention Applied mathematics, Statistics)

• Computational biology (Mention Bio-informatics).

• SCIENCES, Marseille Luminy

This Master of science relies on the activities and skills of the laboratories that compose the Turing center of living systems (CENTURI).

All students will be taught the basics in biology required to understand the actual challenges in biology, mathematical tools for modelling (discrete and continuous dynamical systems), statistical tools for interpreting biological data, Other computational courses will be given to form them to the simulation of the models.

Students of major bioinformatics will deepen their knowledge in the analysis of interaction networks involved in the function and regulation of different biological processes (embryonic developmental, nervous system, immune response) in order to understand the relationship between network structure and the behaviour of complex biological systems.

For all students. Collaborating to a research activity as a part of an interdisciplinary group.

Using and mastering the statistical methods and tools to analyse biological experimental data or help confronting mathematical models and biological systems.

For the math students. Acquiring the biological concepts required to model living systems. Using and mastering the computational and mathematical methods and tools to elaborate and analyse models of biological systems (Ordinary differential equations, stochastic differential equations, partial differential equation, discrete dynamical systems). Choosing and implementing the methodology adapted to the modelling of a given problem / biological system. Evaluating the feasibility and the efficiency of a computational choice for the analysis of a complex system.

Group projects and internships in research laboratories will lead students to apply interdisciplinary approaches and interact directly with researchers from the institutes of the Turing Center for Living Systems (CENTURI).

CMB Master students are expected to carry out two internships during their Master's:

• One internship lasting at least six weeks, during the first year of the Master

• Another internship lasting 4 to 6 months during the second year of the Master

Internships abroad are possible in M2.

The Master Computational and Mathematical Biology, entirely taught in English, combines theoretical and practical courses of mathematics, computer sciences and biology. It provides an interdisciplinary training oriented towards modelling of complex biological systems.

The master includes 4 Ues of pre-professionalization. One of the Ues aims at discovering professional careers at the interface of mathematics and biology. Two other Ues allow students to discover current research challenges in these interdisciplinary area by encouraging them to participate in seminars of the CENTURI convergence institute. These three Ues are a source of inspiration for their internship research. Finally, a last Ues initiates students to the reading and writing of scientific articles.

Students can do their second year internship abroad.

Students are selected on the basis of their application (étude en France or e-candidat) and possibly on the basis of an oral interview.

The letter of motivation and the oral interview, if any, must demonstrate a strong interest in the interdisciplinary field of mathematics-statistics-biology.