Biological pathways as communicating computer systems.

Time and cost are the enemies of cell biology. The number of experiments required to rigorously dissect and comprehend a pathway of even modest complexity is daunting. Methods are needed to formulate biological pathways in a machine-analysable fashion, which would automate the process of considering...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kwiatkowska, M, Heath, J
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: 2009
_version_ 1797058771349929984
author Kwiatkowska, M
Heath, J
author_facet Kwiatkowska, M
Heath, J
author_sort Kwiatkowska, M
collection OXFORD
description Time and cost are the enemies of cell biology. The number of experiments required to rigorously dissect and comprehend a pathway of even modest complexity is daunting. Methods are needed to formulate biological pathways in a machine-analysable fashion, which would automate the process of considering all possible experiments in a complex pathway and identify those that command attention. In this Essay, we describe a method that is based on the exploitation of computational tools that were originally developed to analyse reactive communicating computer systems such as mobile phones and web browsers. In this approach, the biological process is articulated as an executable computer program that can be interrogated using methods that were developed to analyse complex software systems. Using case studies of the FGF, MAPK and Delta/Notch pathways, we show that the application of this technology can yield interesting insights into the behaviour of signalling pathways, which have subsequently been corroborated by experimental data.
first_indexed 2024-03-06T19:55:03Z
format Journal article
id oxford-uuid:254587e7-28bf-4c78-833b-2d7ac9def288
institution University of Oxford
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-06T19:55:03Z
publishDate 2009
record_format dspace
spelling oxford-uuid:254587e7-28bf-4c78-833b-2d7ac9def2882022-03-26T11:54:47ZBiological pathways as communicating computer systems.Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:254587e7-28bf-4c78-833b-2d7ac9def288EnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2009Kwiatkowska, MHeath, JTime and cost are the enemies of cell biology. The number of experiments required to rigorously dissect and comprehend a pathway of even modest complexity is daunting. Methods are needed to formulate biological pathways in a machine-analysable fashion, which would automate the process of considering all possible experiments in a complex pathway and identify those that command attention. In this Essay, we describe a method that is based on the exploitation of computational tools that were originally developed to analyse reactive communicating computer systems such as mobile phones and web browsers. In this approach, the biological process is articulated as an executable computer program that can be interrogated using methods that were developed to analyse complex software systems. Using case studies of the FGF, MAPK and Delta/Notch pathways, we show that the application of this technology can yield interesting insights into the behaviour of signalling pathways, which have subsequently been corroborated by experimental data.
spellingShingle Kwiatkowska, M
Heath, J
Biological pathways as communicating computer systems.
title Biological pathways as communicating computer systems.
title_full Biological pathways as communicating computer systems.
title_fullStr Biological pathways as communicating computer systems.
title_full_unstemmed Biological pathways as communicating computer systems.
title_short Biological pathways as communicating computer systems.
title_sort biological pathways as communicating computer systems
work_keys_str_mv AT kwiatkowskam biologicalpathwaysascommunicatingcomputersystems
AT heathj biologicalpathwaysascommunicatingcomputersystems