Mathematical, Computational and Systems Biology

描述（由申请人提供）：生物学正处于知识的动荡之中。一个由系统识别和表征基因、蛋白质、细胞等组成部分所主导的时代正在迅速让位于一个关注复杂相互作用网络、其设计原理及其在生物体适应性和自然选择背景下的作用的时代。新兴的系统生物学领域不仅在它提出的问题类型上与过去不同，而且在它大量借鉴的各种学科中，包括数学，计算机科学，工程和物理学。在这里，我们概述了第二阶段在数学，计算和系统生物学的培训计划的发展，是根据第一阶段的霍华德休斯医学研究所/NIBIB的“接口”倡议。该计划是一个协调的，跨学科的计划，旨在产生博士学位，为系统生物学的职业生涯做好准备。该计划的亮点包括广泛的教学课程;专注于批判性思维技能;强调协作和协作学习;密切指导，发展职业技能的机会;以及积极的学生参与。38名项目教师来自加州大学欧文分校的11个不同部门和5所学校，并在系统生物学范围内进行各种主题的研究。该计划享有强大的校园支持，并在美国国立卫生研究院支持的国家系统生物学中心在UCI内的行政和智力家园。 相关性：生物学和生物医学研究越来越关注复杂系统。通过以跨学科的方式培养下一代研究人员，将生物学与数学、计算机科学、工程学和物理学相结合，该计划将帮助未来的科学家和教育工作者在这种新的研究环境中有效地发挥作用。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Biology is in the midst of intellectual upheaval. An era dominated by the systematic identification and characterization of parts-genes, proteins, cells-is rapidly yielding to one focused on complex interaction networks, the principles of their design, and their role in the context of organismal fitness and natural selection. The emerging field of Systems Biology breaks with the past not only in the types of questions it asks, but also in the diverse disciplines it draws heavily upon, including mathematics, computer science, engineering, and physics. Here we outline Phase II in the development of a training program in Mathematical, Computational and Systems Biology that was initiated under Phase I of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute/NIBIB "Interfaces" initiative. The program is a coordinated, interdisciplinary program designed to produce Ph.D.s that are prepared for careers in Systems Biology. Highlights of the program include an extensive didactic curriculum; a focus on critical thinking skills; an emphasis on collaboration and collaborative learning; close mentoring, opportunities to develop career skills; and active student involvement. The 38 program faculty members come from eleven different departments and five schools at the University of California, Irvine, and conduct research on diverse topics within Systems Biology. The program enjoys strong campus support and an administrative and intellectual home within an NIH-supported National Center for Systems Biology at UCI. RELEVANCE: Biological and biomedical research are increasingly focused on complex systems. By training the next generation of researchers in an interdisciplinary mode-blending biology with mathematics, computer science, engineering and physics, the proposed program will help future scientists and educators function effectively in this new research environment.