Systems Biology: Open Challenges and Opportunities for Chemical Engineers

Systems biology involves the analysis of multiple scales of 'control' in biological networks, from the regulation of gene transcription to the homeostatic regulation of metabolism in the whole body. These natural control circuits are paragons of optimality: over millennia, they have been honed to achieve robust regulation of a myriad of processes at the levels of genes, proteins, cells, and entire systems. However, these architectures can be compromised, leading to 'failure' in the circuit, and the ensuing disease state. By taking an integrative or systems viewpoint, in both experimental and modeling approaches, there is promise of increased understanding that can lead to novel approaches for therapeutics and drug discovery. This presentation will demonstrate the role of chemical engineers in systems biology, and show how they help to meet biomedical challenges.