Modeling methods for medical systems biology. Regulatory dynamics underlying the emergence of disease processes (Q1755457)

This book proposes a systems biology approach to biomedicine that implies integrating transcriptional factors and signal transduction pathways, into dynamical regulatory networks. Basic tools, concepts, and methodologies that are used to construct, validate and analyze these mathematical models are presented. Three biomedical examples are given. The approach put forward here constitutes a first step to explore, with a rigorous and formal basis that explicitly considers a complex systems approach, why and how the modulation of the environment or, more broadly, the lifestyle of an individual, may impact the emergence and progression, and eventually the cure, of complex diseases. The approach here may be a useful step to envision novel approaches in health care policy that may aid diminishing the budgetary and the appearance of antimicrobial resistance and waning vaccination. In the first chapter, the authors use a non-formal language to summarize the key concepts and approaches to be developed in the rest of the book. We identify what we refer to as ``core regulatory network modules''. In Chapter 2, graphical as well as relatively simple examples are given to clarify the tools described. Also, the authors provide sources of code and actual programming resources that the reader can access to be able to use the proposed modeling approach to other examples or conditions under study. In Chapter 3, three case studies are given: epithelial cancer, chronic inflammation and atopic dermatitis.