Why and How to Expand the Role of Systems Biology in Pharmaceutical Research and Development

摘要: Seen from the perspective of funding organizations, investors, and general public, productivity our world-wide biomedical research enterprise is declining despite increased investment. This opinion piece suggests a cause solution. The enormous complexity human biology pathophysiology. unsolved diseases involve so many interacting variables that single laboratories headed by skilled principal investigators doing innovative experimental work cannot be expected to assemble reductionist pieces into an integrated working model. Systems offers solution, but it will require teamwork. Co-equal teams computational biologists can construct multiscale differential equation models test them against data. A successful model provides actionable evidence-based guidance entire development team. These integrative may, for historical cultural reasons, unsustainable in academia, they seem naturally suited modern pharmaceutical development. One way organize such their workflow described detail.