A First Course in Systems Biology

Abstract

A First Course in Systems Biology is intended to serve as the textbook for a semester-long course in systems biology directed toward advanced undergraduate or graduate students. The book meets this goal admirably. Eberhard O. Voit writes in a style that is both interesting to read and highly informational. A First Course in Systems Biology manages to combine the fields of mathematics, engineering, and biology in a textbook that could be read and assimilated (with varying degrees of difficulty) by students of all three disciplines. The text is broken into three main sections: mathematical modeling, “molecular inventories” of the requisite biological systems, and case studies. Despite the extensive mathematical component, A First Course in Systems Biology is not set up like a traditional mathematics textbook. Instead of long proofs and stark equations, concepts are first introduced intuitively before the equations are formalized, and readers are walked through a concrete example. A number of plots and descriptive images accompany the math, ensuring that even a novice number-cruncher can grasp the basics of Boolean network models, stability analysis, and parameter estimation. The middle third of the text covers the most pertinent biological details required for studying gene regulatory systems, protein interaction networks, metabolic pathways, and cell signaling cascades from a systems biology perspective. The book closes with a series of case studies that focus on the proper selection and application of biological models. For example, in Chapter 12, Voit demonstrates the type of experimental data and computational simulation that would be required for modeling several aspects of heart function, from a physiological model of blood flow through the atria and ventricles to one that examines oscillations of calcium signaling. Throughout, Voit provides clear and concise explanations of the most important and basic modeling and biological concepts without resorting to oversimplification, though explanations can sometimes be vague. Further, some topics, particularly that of epigenetics, are disappointingly terse. However, the brevity is always compensated for with extensive references for the curious reader. Indeed, despite the approachability of the text, this book requires great concentration and interaction on the part of the reader. Frequently, Voit urges that “the reader should confirm” the mathematical conclusions stated in the text. Extensive and open-ended exercises are given at the end of each chapter. These problems are not for the faint of heart and often require additional research, computer coding, or essay writing to complete. While A First Course in Systems Biology does not teach students precisely how to code mathematical models or provide protocols for biological experiments, the book does grant students an entry into the proper mindset of systems biologists. The continual emphasis on determining how to choose an appropriate model for a given problem and understanding what type of information disparate models could provide prepares readers well for generating systems biology questions and models of their own.