Introduction To Systems Biology: Mathematical And Computational Modeling Of The Cell

This book is a comprehensive guide to applications of mathematical and computational approaches to cell biology. It provides an accessible entry route into this interdisciplinary field for students and researchers from various specialized backgrounds in biology, mathematics, physics, engineering or computer science. It gives a balanced presentation of the methodology (differential equations, dynamical systems analysis, stochastic processes, networks and optimization) and new, emerging modeling approaches, illustrated through a structured collection of case studies in which the use of mathematical and computational methods combined with experiments leads to new insights into the biological phenomena. At the end of each chapter, this is complemented with a brief overview of the relevant systems biology literature, providing links to reviews and key research publications in the particular area for further reading. In addition to the modeling approaches, the book also describes the relevant mathematical and systems biology software tools, including a set of problems and computational exercises through which the reader can gain a practical knowledge of the wide range of computational tools and model databases currently available.