Scientific challenges in systems biology

Abstract

Systems biology is the study of biological systems at the system level. Such studies are made possible by progress in molecular biology, genomics, computer science, and other fields that deal with the complexity of systems. For systems biology to grow into a mature scientific discipline, there must be basic principles or conceptual frameworks that drive scientific inquiry. The author argues that understanding the robustness of biological systems and the principles behind such phenomena is critically important for establishing the theoretical foundation of systems biology. It may be a guiding principle not only for basic scientific research but also for clinical studies and drug discovery. A series of technologies and methods need to be developed to support investigation of such theorydriven and experimentally verifiable research. © 2007 Humana Press Inc.