Systems Biology Resources

Introduction

Since the advent of high-throughput technologies toward the end of the twentieth century, the life sciences are experiencing decades of “data deluge” and “information explosion.” Respected researchers in fact speak of “data-driven science” as a new era of science, citing the life sciences as the newest example (Hey 2010). This scenario highlights the need for appropriate resources and tools to help life scientists extract the knowledge useful for their research.

This need is perhaps even greater in the field of Systems Biology: it not only displays the typical dynamics of an emerging field but also an unusually broad multidisciplinary character largely due to its highly integrative approach. The field may be viewed currently as a highly dynamic “network of disciplines” (at least seven according to the Institute of Systems Biology in Seattle) and simultaneously tightly coupling computational and experimental efforts (a novelty in most of the life sciences!). These factors...