Speaker : Dr. Muhammad Ardiayansyah from University of Jyvaskyla.
Moderator : Muhammad Hasan Sidiq Kurniawan, S.Si, M.Sc.
Date : May 7th, 2025 | Time: 09.30-12.30 WIB
Location : Online: Zoom Meeting and Offline: Conference Room 1, 3rd Floor,
Department of Mathematics, UGM
Topic : From Phylogenetic Models to DNA Denoising
The seminar was a hybrid event, with about 30 people attending in person and 38 people joining online. It was officially opened by Dr. Nanang Susyanto, S.Si., M.Sc., Head of the Mathematics Department, and attended by Prof. Dr.rer.nat. Indah Emilia Wijayanti, M.Si., Head of the Algebra Laboratory, along with other algebra laboratory department members and students.
Dr. Ardiyansyah began by explaining phylogenetics, the study of how different species or genes are related through evolution. He talked about how scientists use data like DNA or body features to make a phylogenetic tree, which shows the relationships between species in a simple tree structure.
He also talked about the difference between a Phylogenetic Tree and a Phylogenetic Network. The phylogenetic tree shows a clear, simple path of how species changed over time. The Phylogenetic Network is more complex and can show events like mixing of genes between species, which a tree cannot show. The Phylogenetic Networks help scientists understand more difficult cases in evolution. He further explained how mathematical framework such as probability theory, algebra, and algebraic geometry are used to support the development of these models, ensuring robustness and reliability in the analysis of large and complex biological datasets.
Another major topic covered was DNA denoising, which refers to the process of eliminating errors or unwanted variations in genetic data. Dr. Ardiyansyah showed how advanced mathematical modeling helps in cleaning noisy DNA sequences, which is essential for making accurate biological inferences.
In the end, the seminar showed how math and biology can work together to solve modern science problems. It encouraged students and researchers to work across different fields.