Algorithmic systems biology-computer science propels systems biology

Abstract

The convergence between computer science and biology occurred in successive waves involving deeper and deeper concepts of computing. The current situation makes computer science a suitable candidate to become a philosophical foundation for systems biology with the same importance as mathematics, chemistry, and physics. Systems biology is a complex and expanding applicative domain that can open completely new avenues of research in computing and eventually help it become a natural, quantitative science. This chapter highlights the benefits of relying on an algorithmic approach to model, simulate, and analyze biological systems. The key techniques surveyed are related to programming languages and concurrency theory as they are themain tools to express in an executable formthe key feature of computing: algorithms and the coupling executor/execution of descriptions. The concentration here is on conceptual tools that are also supported by computational platforms, thus making them suitable candidates to tackle real problems.