Systems biology, according to the team of European academics who authored this volume is "the coordinated study of biological systems by (1) investigating the components of cellular networks and their interactions, (2) applying experimental high-throughput and whole-genome techniques, and (3) integrating computational methods with experimental efforts." In this introduction to systems biology that was written for students of biology, biophysics, and bioinformatics (as well as researchers from different disciplines), the authors begin with discussion of the foundations of the discipline: cell biology, mathematics, and experimental techniques. Next they turn their attention to current strategies of computational modeling and data mining, covering cellular processes such as metabolism, signaling, the cell cycle, and gene expression, as well as the interactions between them. This section addresses how different models can be applied to frequent problems such as how regulation is organized and how data can be interpreted. Finally, they provide an overview of currently available resources on the Internet, including useful modeling tools and databases they find indispensable for information exchange. Annotation ©2005 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
Presenting the main concepts, this book leads students as well as advanced researchers from different disciplines to an understanding of current ideas in the complex field of comprehensive experimental investigation of biological objects, analysis of data, development of models, simulation, and hypothesis generation.
It provides readers with guidance on how a specific complex biological question may be tackled:
- How to formulate questions that can be answered
- Which experiments to perform
- Where to find information in databases and on the Internet
- What kinds of models are appropriate
- How to use simulation tools
- What can be learned from the comparison of experimental data and modeling results
- How to make testable predictions
The authors demonstrate how mathematical concepts can illuminate the principles underlying biology at a genetic, molecular, cellular and even organism level, and how to use mathematical tools for analysis and prediction.
