NBTS Embraces a 'Systems Biology' Approach to Research
Brain tumor research, particularly relating to glioblastoma (GBM), has yielded much data in recent years and revealed so many levels of biological complexities that NBTS is pursuing a systems biology approach to brain tumor research. We are optimistic about the positive impact this new approach will bring and offer more details in our newly released Perspectives in Research.
To lend support to the brain tumor research community NBTS is proud to announce a 2010 Systems Biology RFA - 2010 Systems Biology Application and Guidelines. The revised deadline for this RFA is December 17, 2010 (extended from earlier date to allow for international applicants). For more information, please contact Carrie Treadwell.
NBTS hosted a webinar in July to discuss the systems biology approach to brain tumors and the 2010 RFA. You can view a recording of this webinar here.
What is systems biology?
Systems biology is the study of complex biological problems as integrated and interacting networks of their components, which is used to understand higher-level properties of complex biological systems such as tumors. Systems biology focuses research on biological systems as a whole, rather than pursuing the traditional approach of considering individual genes, proteins, parts of an organism, or the interaction of a limited number of these.
The potential power of systems biology research is exemplified by the report issued in December 2009 by the SCImago Research Group on the evaluation of the impact of scientific research publications (2003 to 2007) from over 2,000 research institutions around the world. Scientific publications from the Institute for Systems Biology (ISB), an independent research institute in Seattle, were deemed to have the highest scientific impact in the United States and the third highest scientific impact worldwide. Its average scientific impact score was greater than twice the average impact score for all institutions in the world. Only three other institutions worldwide had an average impact at the level of twice or greater than the global impact.
The concept of systems biology is being embraced by many universities that have established systems biology departments and programs. The National Human Genome Research Institute (part of The National Institutes of Health) currently funds 10 National Centers for Systems Biology. Independent research institutions such as the ISB are focused on systems biology research and have developed their institutional structures and programs in order to optimize the facilitation of the multidisciplinary nature of systems biology research.
Conferences on systems biology have also been on the rise. In May 2010 the Massachusetts General Hospital, in collaboration with Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet, will convene an international conference in Stockholm entitled "Days of Molecular Medicine 2010: Systems Biology Approaches to Cancer and Metabolic Disease." Recognizing that cancer is a complex multi-factorial disease, the conference will focus on "the application of systems biology to studying cancer and diabetes, and to developing therapeutics and strategies to combat them."
Systems biology and brain tumors
Systems biology is often referred to as a field at the intersection of biology, applied mathematics, engineering, and the physical sciences. The comprehensive genomic/molecular profiling of GBMs by many researchers, including the Cancer Genome Atlas program, reflects this intersection. The collaboration among researchers at UCLA, Caltech, and ISB on characterizing the individual cells of individual brain tumors using nanotechnology and microfluidics also exemplifies this situation.
Brain tumors are dynamic, complex systems whose complexity as described above results from the interaction of different sets of macromolecules, metabolites, biochemical pathways and networks, multiple cells that vary in their genomic/epigenomic/phenotypic characteristics, microenvironments, and interactions with their microenvironments. However, all of this may change over time and in response and adaptation to environmental assaults such as therapeutic agents.
Innovative approaches to understand the dynamic complexity of brain tumors could promote conceptual insights and practical innovations that have major implications in the development of new therapeutic approaches and transform the lives of many individuals with brain tumors. We believe in the potential impact of research that focuses on the interactions among individual elements of a complex biological system that characterizes brain tumors and that epitomizes the need for a systems biology research approach.
