Understanding the languages of cells - network modelling in metabolic systems biology and biotechnology: Why, how and whither

Abstract

Let me start by saying what I am not going to do, and that is to seek to define systems biology! However, it is widely recognized that the chief differences between Systems Biology and traditional molecular biology are (i) the concentration of systems biology (and systems biologists) not on the molecules involved, but on the dynamics of their interactions, and (ii) that systems biology should involve a judicious interplay between modelling, theory, experiment and technology development 1. As the modelling element is really the key, it is this aspect that I stress here. © 2011 The Biochemical Society.