From Biofluids to Bionic

This theoretical physics class provides an introduction to the physics of:
• Flow networks across different forms of life
• Flow networks in application
• Fluid physics of flow in a tube
• Physics of flow in networks
• Transport dynamics
• Supply and congestion dynamics
• Optimal flow networks
• Adaptive flow networks
• Self-organization of flows in networks
• Building optimal flow networks

After successful completion of the module the students are able to:

1. Describe the physics of flows in networks and how they impact life and engineering applications from our vasculature to solar panels.
2. Exemplify and discuss strategies which goals flow networks can optimize for and how they can achieve this optimization.
3. Explain and compare different mechnisms how transport within flow networks can be controlled.
4. Elaborate different application inspired by biofluid problems.
5. Explain the prerequisits, causes, mechanisms how networks can self-optimize.
6. Use the basic methods of literature retrieval, condense their knowlegde from scientific papers into a presentation and obtain presentation skills.

No preconditions in addition to the requirements for the Master’s program in Physics.

This module consists of a lecture and a seminar.

In the thematically structured lecture the theoretical contents are developed and discussed. Relevant experimental results from biology, biophysics and engineering are also presented. Building on that the theoretical models for their description are developed on the blackboard or using a slideshow together with the students. A dialogical structure of the lecture is emphasized to advance the analytic-physics intellectual power of the students and to encourage a critical scrutinization of the chosen approaches.

In the framework of the seminar students have the opportunity to learn under the supervision of a tutor how to retrieve scientific literature, critically read and extract the relevant information from research articles, and condense this information into a presentation understandable to a broad audience. They subsequently present their findings and recieve feedback on their presentation skills.

There will be an oral exam of 25 minutes duration. Therein the achievement of the competencies given in section learning outcome is tested exemplarily at least to the given cognition level using comprehension questions and sample calculations.

For example an assignment in the exam might be:

• Explain how a vasculature could potentially self-organize to be most efficient
• • Discuss how heat transfer in a solar panel is facilitated and which physical parameters are governing it.