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Modular Analysis of Biological Networks

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Advances in Systems Biology

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 736))

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Abstract

The analysis of complex biological networks has traditionally relied on decomposition into smaller, semi-autonomous units such as individual signaling pathways. With the increased scope of systems biology (models), rational approaches to modularization have become an important topic. With increasing acceptance of de facto modularity in biology, widely different definitions of what constitutes a module have sparked controversies. Here, we therefore review prominent classes of modular approaches based on formal network representations. Despite some promising research directions, several important theoretical challenges remain open on the way to formal, function-centered modular decompositions for dynamic biological networks.

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Acknowledgment

Financial support by the EU FP7 project UNICELLSYS is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, CH-4058, Basel, Switzerland

    Hans-Michael Kaltenbach & Jörg Stelling

Authors
  1. Hans-Michael Kaltenbach
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  2. Jörg Stelling
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Correspondence to Jörg Stelling .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Crichton Street 10, Edinburgh, EH89AB, UK

    Igor I. Goryanin

  2. School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh, EH93JR, UK

    Andrew B. Goryachev

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Kaltenbach, HM., Stelling, J. (2012). Modular Analysis of Biological Networks. In: Goryanin, I.I., Goryachev, A.B. (eds) Advances in Systems Biology. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 736. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-7210-1_1

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