送交者: 聊斋2 于 2006-4-05, 11:49:06:
回答: I am 由 forcetower 于 2006-4-05, 11:17:44:
then I will not agree with you on "any biologist can publish papers in NS". To publish in Nature and Sciences is extremely difficult. What most people doing is, as you know, to accumulate publications in the specialized journals of their field, and then try to publish in generalized journals if something important popup.
It's not a bad idea to apply mathematics to biosciences. But you should know before doing so that scientist working in bio-related subjects are not easily convinced by pure calculations and modeling-based predictions. One needs experimental results to backup their calculations. That's why I would suggest you, if you don't mind, to identify colleagues (experimentalists) in your institution (or institutions in the same city), who is also highly interested in mathematic approaches. Biological and medical experiments are expensive. The best way is probably to collaborate with an established lab and to be part of their project. Instead, you may also try to apply your own grant as PI with your experimentalist as co-applicant.
Finally, I shall say that biologist and medicines often overlook the importance or potential of mathematics in life science. There are likely two major reasons. One is the uncertainty in life sciences, meaning the lack of solid scientific theory, because of the complexity in biological system. Then it is the tradition of lacking mathematics training in most biological science and medical schools. That may explain why theoretical work has never been the main stream in life sciences. If you want to pursuit in this direction, be prepared stay on sideline for long time.