Advances in systems biology: measurement, modeling and representation.

ABSTRACT

Systems biology is frequently defined as the study of all of the elements in a biological system and their relationship to one another in response to perturbation. Advances in science and technology are enabling the development of this emerging and cross-disciplinary field by allowing researchers to explore how biological components function as a network in cells, tissues and organisms. Recently, pharmaceutical companies have begun to embrace systems approaches in an effort to better understand physiology, pathogenic processes and pharmacological responses. This review focuses on recent advances within three core areas of systems biology data collection, data analysis, and the integration and sharing of data.