An Introduction to Systems Biology: Design Principles of Biological Circuits (Chapman & Hall/Crc Mathematical and Computational Biology Series)

Thorough and accessible, this book presents the design principles of biological systems, and highlights the recurring circuit elements that make up biological networks. It provides a simple mathematical framework which can be used to understand and even design biological circuits. The textavoids specialist terms, focusing instead on several well-studied biological systems that concisely demonstrate key principles. An Introduction to Systems Biology: Design Principles of Biological Circuits builds a solid foundation for the intuitive understanding of general principles. It encourages the reader to ask why a system is designed in a particular way and then proceeds to answer with simplified models. Praise for the first edition: ... superb, beautifully written and organized work that takes an engineering approach to systems biology. Alon provides nicely written appendices to explain the basic mathematical and biological concepts clearly and succinctly without interfering with the main text. He starts with a mathematical description of transcriptional activation and then describes some basic transcription-network motifs (patterns) that can be combined to form larger networks. – Nature [This text deserves] serious attention from any quantitative scientist who hopes to learn about modern biology ... It assumes no prior knowledge of or even interest in biology ... One final aspect that must be mentioned is the wonderful set of exercises that accompany each chapter. ... Alon's book should become a standard part of the training of graduate students. – Physics Today Written for students and researchers, the second edition of this best-selling textbook continues to offer a clear presentation of design principles that govern the structure and behavior of biological systems. It highlights simple, recurring circuit elements that make up the regulation of cells and tissues. Rigorously classroom-tested, this edition includes new chapters on exciting advances made in the last decade. Features: Includes seven new chapters The new edition has 189 exercises, the previous edition had 66 Offers new examples relevant to human physiology and disease The book website including course videos can be found here: https://www.weizmann.ac.il/mcb/UriAlon/introduction-systems-biology-design-principles-biological-circuits. [publisher-supplied Data] This Book Presents Recently Discovered Design Principles That Govern The Structure And Behavior Of Biological Networks Such As Gene Circuits, Highlighting Simple, Recurring Circuit Elements That Make Up The Network. It Provides A Quantitative Theory For Which Circuits Are Found In A Given Environment And A Mathematical Framework For Understanding And Even Designing Biological Circuits. The Book Requires Only Basic Mathematics And Includes A Review Of The Necessary Background Material. It Fills A Significant Need For A Textbook And Introduction To The Concepts, Principles, And Mathematical Tools That Will Form The Basis Of Future Developments In The Field. Ch. 1. Introduction -- Ch. 2. Transcription Networks : Basic Concepts -- Ch. 3. Autoregulation : A Network Motif -- Ch. 4. The Feed-forward Loop Network Motif -- Ch. 5. Temporal Programs And The Global Structure Of Transcription Networks -- Ch. 6. Network Motifs In Developmental, Signal Transduction, And Neuronal Networks -- Ch. 7. Robustness Of Protein Circuits : The Example Of Bacterial Chemotaxis -- Ch. 8. Robust Patterning In Development -- Ch. 9. Kinetic Proofreading -- Ch. 10. Optimal Gene Circuit Design -- Ch. 11. Demand Rules For Gene Regulation -- Ch. 12. Epilogue : Simplicity In Biology. Uri Alon. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 271-293) And Index. Written for students and researchers, the second edition of this best-selling textbook continues to offer a clear presentation of design principles that govern the structure and behavior of biological systems. It highlights simple, recurring circuit elements that make up the regulation of cells and tissues. Rigorously classroom-tested, this edition includes new chapters on exciting advances made in the last decade. Features: Includes seven new chapters; The new edition has 189 exercises, the previous edition had 66; offers new examples relevant to human physiology and disease. -- From back cover Presents design principles that govern the structure and behavior of biological networks such as gene circuits, highlighting simple, recurring circuit elements that make up the network. This book provides a quantitative theory for which circuits are found in a given environment and a mathematical framework for understanding biological circuits. Written for students and researchers in systems biology, the second edition of this best-selling textbook continues to offer a clear presentation of design principles that govern the structure and behavior of biological networks, highlighting simple, recurring circuit elements that make up the regulation of cells and tissues.