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The Dynamics of Biological Systems pp 35–62Cite as

Modeling of Molecular Networks

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Part of the book series: Mathematics of Planet Earth ((MPE,volume 4))

Abstract

In biomolecular systems, various non-identical molecules interact in diverse ways. The field of systems biology aims to understand how the components and interactions of biological systems give rise to the system’s behavior and phenotypes. Researchers have used molecular networks and dynamic models to represent and understand biological systems. In this chapter, we introduce the network representation and the graph measures that quantify its topological properties. We describe how to build a discrete dynamic (Boolean) model of a biological system from experimental data, and how to use the model to provide insights into emergent phenomena and make useful predictions. We also introduce methods to bridge the network’s topological and dynamical properties. We use real biological system involved in complex disease to demonstrate the theoretical framework. Discrete dynamical models, especially Boolean networks, benefit from the current high-throughput technologies and large amounts of qualitative data and provide insight to large-scale systems, where continuous modeling is not possible yet.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA

    Gang Yang & Réka Albert

Authors
  1. Gang Yang
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  2. Réka Albert
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Correspondence to Réka Albert .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada

    Arianna Bianchi

  2. Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada

    Thomas Hillen

  3. Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada

    Mark A. Lewis

  4. Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada

    Yingfei Yi

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Yang, G., Albert, R. (2019). Modeling of Molecular Networks. In: Bianchi, A., Hillen, T., Lewis, M., Yi, Y. (eds) The Dynamics of Biological Systems. Mathematics of Planet Earth, vol 4. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-22583-4_2

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