The role of theorem proving in systems biology.

ABSTRACT

Theorems offer a rarity in biology, a guarantee that something will always be true if certain conditions are met. We show that modeling and theorem proving are distinct while playing mutually supporting roles in understanding cellular phenomena. Using two recently proven theorems from systems biology as examples, we demonstrate that theorems are not an alternative to mechanistic models. Rather, theorem proving, in conjunction with conventional mathematical (mechanistic) modeling, is an essential tool for a deeper understanding in systems biology.