Systems Biology (SB) is a suite of technologies and methodologies that
resulted, conceptually from the merging of two basic paradigms,
reductionism and holism with the goal of identifying its emergent
properties and defining, quantitatively, molecular, cellular, tissue,
organ and whole body processes. One manifestation of SB is as a tool for
hypothesis generation about a system that is typically too large and
complex to understand by simple reasoning.
The US is currently well ahead of the rest of the world in the
development and application of SB and its principles especially as they
pertain to basic medical research and development. This lead is largely
due to its earlier start in the academic arena. However, there is
evidence of rapid development in both the UK/EU and Japan, and the gap
is narrowing, particularly in the UK. From an industrial point of view,
the Pharmaceutical Industry based in the US and UK can capitalize on
these opportunities and gain the benefits of this technology. Many
educational institutions (particularly their medical divisions) at
present are heavily business-oriented, realize that in this particular
industrial environment, that every dollar counts.
This book intends to educate Cell and Molecular Biologists in the use of
the quantitative tools that are available to them to help solve the
critical problems they face. It is important that biologists recognize
early in their research the use and benefits of SB and how this approach
can help to generate new therapeutic leads and substances useful for
human health. Educational curricula in the life sciences have typically
been based on the belief that one can dissect complex systems into their
components and that a detailed investigation of each these components
individually will in itself lead to novel biological insights, and
indeed this is true in numerous instances. However, increasing
acknowledgment of the importance of studying whole systems, as well as
their components, has led to an emphasis on teaching not just a
reductionist view of biology, but also a complementary constructionist
view.
