While conflict disrupted academic engagement and limited opportunities for collaboration, faculty at the Department of Computer Science and Mathematics at LAU’s School of Arts and Sciences initiated a platform for exchange, discovery, and collaboration with their counterparts worldwide through a universal language: mathematics.  

On March 27, 2026, they launched the first Virtual Scientific Day, titled New Trends in Mathematical Biology, bringing together seven distinguished international speakers from diverse fields of expertise to discuss groundbreaking applications of mathematics in the life sciences.

The school’s Mathematics Professor Dumitru Baleanu and Data Science Professor Seifedine Kadry were joined by Mathematics Professor at Anand International College of Engineering, India, Praveen Agrawal; Dr. Ali Akgül, professor of mathematics at University Polytechnic Valencia, Spain; Dr. Shumaila Javeed, associate professor of mathematics at COMSATS University, Islamabad, Pakistan; Dr. Yeliz Karaca, associate professor of mathematics at the University of Massachusetts (UMass), US; and Dr. Soukaina Zayat, assistant professor of mathematics at the Lebanese University.

For six hours straight, ideas flowed across screens and continents as the speakers shared their insights with a captive audience, taking more than 120 participants from over 30 countries on deep dives into cutting-edge topics that combine mathematics and biology.

For a long time, the two disciplines have been relatively distinct, but today, mathematics has become one of the key tools driving breakthroughs in the life sciences and medicine. From laboratories to hospitals, mathematical thinking is helping researchers uncover patterns that would otherwise remain invisible, transforming the way we understand living systems and human health.

One example is fractional calculus, an advanced branch of mathematics that enables scientists to model biological systems with “memory,” where past states continue to shape future behavior. This approach is advancing research in neuroscience, tissue mechanics, and population dynamics by helping scientists better understand how the brain processes information, how tissues respond to stress and how populations evolve.

Mathematical models are also transforming biology by converting complex living systems into simulations that can be studied, tested and predicted. From tracking individual cells to mapping entire ecosystems, equations help reveal the hidden mechanisms that govern life. Processes that once required years of observation can now be explored through sophisticated computational models capable of predicting biological behaviors.

In medicine, the influence of mathematics is tangible. Data science and machine learning allow healthcare professionals to analyze vast datasets, identify patterns and make informed decisions. Inspired by the structure of the human brain, neural networks are increasingly used in clinical image evaluation and diagnosis. At the same time, mathematical and computational models are helping scientists identify early signs of disease outbreaks, allowing them to predict their spread and take swift action against the threat.

For Dr. Kadry, the seminar “was more than an event. It was a statement of resilience, a commitment to academic excellence, and a vision for global collaboration.” Participants praised not only the depth and relevance of the presentations, but also the seamless organization and interdisciplinary spirit of the event, he added in a shared statement with Drs. Baleanu and Zayat.

Inspired by this achievement, the organizers are already looking ahead to a second edition, one that, in their words, “promises to further elevate the university’s role in advancing interdisciplinary research and strengthening international academic ties.”