Evolutionary Genomics and Systems Biology

The genomic revolution has opened up systematic investigations and engineering designs for various life forms. Systems biology and synthetic biology are emerging as two complementary approaches, which embody the breakthrough in biology and invite application of engineering principles. Systems Biology and Synthetic Biology emphasizes the similarity between biology and engineering at the system level, which is important for applying systems and engineering theories to biology problems. This book demonstrates to students, researchers, and industry that systems biology relies on synthetic biology technologies to study biological systems, while synthetic biology depends on knowledge obtained from systems biology approaches.

Current applications and recent advances in genomics and proteomics Genomics and Proteomics Engineering in Medicine and Biology presents a well-rounded, interdisciplinary discussion of a topic that is at the cutting edge of both molecular biology and bioengineering. Compiling contributions by established experts, this book highlights up-to-date applications of biomedical informatics, as well as advancements in genomics-proteomics areas. Structures and algorithms are used to analyze genomic data and develop computational solutions for pathological understanding. Topics discussed include: Qualitative knowledge models Interpreting micro-array data Gene regulation bioinformatics Methods to analyze micro-array Cancer behavior and radiation therapy Error-control codes and the genome Complex life science multi-database queries Computational protein analysis Tumor and tumor suppressor proteins interactions

An integrative view of the evolution of genetics and the natural world Even in this advanced age of genomics, the evolutionary process of unicellular and multicellular organisms is continually in debate. Evolutionary Biology, Cell–Cell Communication, and Complex Disease challenges current wisdom by using physiology to present an integrative view of the nature, origins, and evolution of fundamental biological systems. Providing a deeper understanding of the way genes relate to the traits of living organisms, this book offers useful information applying evolutionary biology, functional genomics, and cell communication studies to complex disease. Examining the 4.5 billion-year evolution process from environment adaptations to cell-cell communication to communication of genetic information for reproduction, Evolutionary Biology hones in on the «why and how» of evolution by uniquely focusing on the cell as the smallest unit of biologic structure and function. Based on empirically derived data rather than association studies, Evolutionary Biology covers: A model for forming testable hypotheses in complex disease studies The integrating role played by the evolution of metabolism, especially lipid metabolism The evolutionary continuum from development to homeostasis Regeneration and aging mediated by signaling molecules Ambitious and game-changing Evolutionary Biology suggests that biology began as a mechanism for reducing energy within the cell, defying the Second Law of Thermodynamics. An ideal text for those interested in forward thinking scientific study, the insights presented in Evolutionary Biology help practitioners effectively comprehend the evolutionary process.

This advanced textbook is tailored for an introductory course in Systems Biology and is well-suited for biologists as well as engineers and computer scientists. It comes with student-friendly reading lists and a companion website featuring a short exam prep version of the book and educational modeling programs. The text is written in an easily accessible style and includes numerous worked examples and study questions in each chapter. For this edition, a section on medical systems biology has been included.

Comprehensive coverage of the many different aspects of systems biology, resulting in an excellent overview of the experimental and computational approaches currently in use to study biological systems. Each chapter represents a valuable introduction to one specific branch of systems biology, while also including the current state of the art and pointers to future directions. Following different methods for the integrative analysis of omics data, the book goes on to describe techniques that allow for the direct quantification of carbon fluxes in large metabolic networks, including the use of 13C labelled substrates and genome-scale metabolic models. The latter is explained on the basis of the model organism Escherichia coli as well as the human metabolism. Subsequently, the authors deal with the application of such techniques to human health and cell factory engineering, with a focus on recent progress in building genome-scale models and regulatory networks. They highlight the importance of such information for specific biological processes, including the ageing of cells, the immune system and organogenesis. The book concludes with a summary of recent advances in genome editing, which have allowed for precise genetic modifications, even with the dynamic control of gene expression. This is part of the Advances Biotechnology series, covering all pertinent aspects of the field with each volume prepared by eminent scientists who are experts on the topic in question.

The first book to focus on comprehensive systems biology as applied to drug discovery and development Drawing on real-life examples, Systems Biology in Drug Discovery and Development presents practical applications of systems biology to the multiple phases of drug discovery and development. This book explains how the integration of knowledge from multiple sources, and the models that best represent that integration, inform the drug research processes that are most relevant to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. The first book to focus on comprehensive systems biology and its applications in drug discovery and development, it offers comprehensive and multidisciplinary coverage of all phases of discovery and design, including target identification and validation, lead identification and optimization, and clinical trial design and execution, as well as the complementary systems approaches that make these processes more efficient. It also provides models for applying systems biology to pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and candidate biomarker identification. Introducing and explaining key methods and technical approaches to the use of comprehensive systems biology on drug development, the book addresses the challenges currently facing the pharmaceutical industry. As a result, it is essential reading for pharmaceutical and biotech scientists, pharmacologists, computational modelers, bioinformaticians, and graduate students in systems biology, pharmaceutical science, and other related fields.

Since publication of the first edition, huge developments have taken place in sensory biology research and new insights have been provided in particular by molecular biology. These show the similarities in the molecular architecture and in the physiology of sensory cells across species and across sensory modality and often indicate a common ancestry dating back over half a billion years. Biology of Sensory Systems has thus been completely revised and takes a molecular, evolutionary and comparative approach, providing an overview of sensory systems in vertebrates, invertebrates and prokaryotes, with a strong focus on human senses. Written by a renowned author with extensive teaching experience, the book covers, in six parts, the general features of sensory systems, the mechanosenses, the chemosenses, the senses which detect electromagnetic radiation, other sensory systems including pain, thermosensitivity and some of the minority senses and, finally, provides an outline and discussion of philosophical implications. New in this edition: Greater emphasis on molecular biology and intracellular mechanisms New chapter on genomics and sensory systems Sections on TRP channels, synaptic transmission, evolution of nervous systems, arachnid mechanosensitive sensilla and photoreceptors, electroreception in the Monotremata, language and the FOXP2 gene, mirror neurons and the molecular biology of pain Updated passages on human olfaction and gustation. Over four hundred illustrations, boxes containing supplementary material and self-assessment questions and a full bibliography at the end of each part make Biology of Sensory Systems essential reading for undergraduate students of biology, zoology, animal physiology, neuroscience, anatomy and physiological psychology. The book is also suitable for postgraduate students in more specialised courses such as vision sciences, optometry, neurophysiology, neuropathology, developmental biology. Praise from the reviews of the first edition: «An excellent advanced undergraduate/postgraduate textbook.» ASLIB BOOK GUIDE «The emphasis on comparative biology and evolution is one of the distinguishing features of this self-contained book. .... this is an informative and thought-provoking text…» TIMES HIGHER EDUCATIONAL SUPPLEMENT

Groundbreaking, long-ranging research in this emergent field that enables solutions to complex biological problems Computational systems biology is an emerging discipline that is evolving quickly due to recent advances in biology such as genome sequencing, high-throughput technologies, and the recent development of sophisticated computational methodologies. Elements of Computational Systems Biology is a comprehensive reference covering the computational frameworks and techniques needed to help research scientists and professionals in computer science, biology, chemistry, pharmaceutical science, and physics solve complex biological problems. Written by leading experts in the field, this practical resource gives detailed descriptions of core subjects, including biological network modeling, analysis, and inference; presents a measured introduction to foundational topics like genomics; and describes state-of-the-art software tools for systems biology. Offers a coordinated integrated systems view of defining and applying computational and mathematical tools and methods to solving problems in systems biology Chapters provide a multidisciplinary approach and range from analysis, modeling, prediction, reasoning, inference, and exploration of biological systems to the implications of computational systems biology on drug design and medicine Helps reduce the gap between mathematics and biology by presenting chapters on mathematical models of biological systems Establishes solutions in computer science, biology, chemistry, and physics by presenting an in-depth description of computational methodologies for systems biology Elements of Computational Systems Biology is intended for academic/industry researchers and scientists in computer science, biology, mathematics, chemistry, physics, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical science. It is also accessible to undergraduate and graduate students in machine learning, data mining, bioinformatics, computational biology, and systems biology courses.

This fascinating book draws it subject matter from a range of relevant disciplines that extend from molecular nutrition, nutritional sciences, and nutrition dietetics through to genetics, genomics, and anthropology. It presents a vital portrait of the absolutely fundamental role that nutrition has played and continues to play in shaping who and what human beings are, as well as where they evolved from, and where they may be heading as a species. Molecular Nutrition: Nutrition and the Evolution of Humankind: Blends coverage of the molecular mechanisms that underpin nutrient-gene interactions with evolutionary theory Takes a molecular biological approach to problem solving, and moves nutrition away from its dietetic and anthropological origins to the front lines of genomic research Covers key concepts in molecular biology; the –omics revolution and bioinformatics; recent human evolution; molecular mechanisms of gene-nutrient interactions; the importance of nutrients and genomics in disease; the evolution of micronutrient metabolism, protein structure, and human disease; nutrients and the human lifecycle; contemporary dietary patterns; leading-edge laboratory tools in nutrigenomics and human evolutionary studies Written by an internationally recognised expert in the field, Molecular Nutrition: Nutrition and the Evolution of Humankind is an invaluable text and reference book for a wide range of teachers, students, and researchers.

Plant research has stood at the forefront of the genomics revolution. One of the first genome projects, the sequencing of the commonly used model organism Arabidopsis, has already yielded important results for the study of a broad array of crops such as corn and soybeans. With crop and food bioengineering only in its infancy, the need to understand the fundamental genetic mechanisms of plants will only become more pressing. A comprehensive guide to this fascinating area of genomics, Plant Genomics and Proteomics presents an integrated, broadly accessible treatment of the complex relationship between the genome, transcriptome, and proteome of plants. This clearly written text introduces the reader to the range of molecular techniques applicable to investigating the unique facets of plant growth, development, and response to the environment. Coverage includes: Functional and structural genomics addressed within the context of current techniques and challenges to come How to utilize DNA and protein sequence data Practical considerations for choosing and employing the most commonly available computer applications A review of applications for biotechnology, including genetic modification and defense against pathogens Bioinformatics tools and Web resources Numerous examples from the latest research throughout Assuming no specialized knowledge of plant biology on the part of its reader, Plant Genomics and Proteomics provides an invaluable resource for students and researchers in biotechnology, plant biology, genomics, and bioinformatics.