Big data, genomics, and quantitative approaches to network-based analysis are combining to advance the frontiers of medicine as never before. Network Medicine introduces this rapidly evolving field of medical research, which promises to revolutionize the diagnosis and treatment of human diseases. With contributions from leading experts that highlight the necessity of a team-based approach in network medicine, this definitive volume provides readers with a state-of-the-art synthesi...

Rapid advances in high-throughput genome sequencing technologies foreshadow a near-future in which millions of individuals will gain affordable access to their complete genome sequence. This promises to offer unprecedented insights into the fundamental biological nature of ourselves and our species: where we came from, how we begin our lives, how we develop and grow, how we interact with our environment, how we get sick, how we get well, and how we age. Personal genomics is an essential co...

New insights into the evolution and nature of proteinsExploring several distinct approaches, this book describes the methods for comparing protein sequences and protein structures in order to identify homologous relationships and classify proteins and protein domains into evolutionary families. Readers will discover the common features as well as the key philosophical differences underlying the major protein classification systems, including Pfam, Panther, SCOP, and CATH. Moreover,...

Toxicology is the study of the adverse effects of chemical, physical, or biological agents on people, animals, and the environment. Toxicologists are trained to investigate, interpret, and communicate the nature of those effects.Over the last ten years the subject of toxicology has changed dramatically, moving from a discipline which was once firmly wedded to traditional methods to one which is keen to embrace the innovative techniques emerging from the developing fields of cell cu...

Using chips composed of thousands of spots, each with the capability of holding DNA molecules corresponding to a given gene, DNA microarray technology has enabled researchers to measure simultaneously gene expression across the genome. As with other large-scale genomics approaches, microarray technologies are broadly applicable across disciplines of life and biomedical sciences, but remain daunting to many researchers. This guide is designed to demystify the technology and inform more biol...

Providing genome-informed personalized treatment is a goal of modern medicine. Identifying new translational targets in nucleic acid characterizations is an important step toward that goal. The information tsunami produced by such genome-scale investigations is stimulating parallel developments in statistical methodology and inference, analytical frameworks, and computational tools. Within the context of genomic medicine and with a strong focus on cancer research, this book describes the i...

Epigenetics is the study of heritable changes in gene expression or cellular phenotype, caused by mechanisms other than changes in the DNA sequence. Examples include DNA methylation and histone modification. These changes may remain through cell divisions and multiple generations. Epigenetic differences among individuals may account for some of the differences between monozygotic (identical) twins. Aberrant DNA methylation is also frequently associated with human aging and diseases, such a...

An essential outline of the main facets of polypharmacology in drug discovery researchExtending drug discovery opportunities beyond the "one drug, one target" philosophy, a polypharmacological approach to the treatment of complex diseases is emerging as a hot topic in both industry and academic research. Polypharmacology in Drug Discovery presents an overview of the various facets of polypharmacology and how it can be applied as an innovative concept for developing medicines for tr...

This book elucidates how genetic, biological and medical information can be applied to the development of personalized healthcare, medication and therapies. Focusing on aspects of the development of evidence-based approaches in bioinformatics and computational medicine, including data integration, methodologies, tools and models for clinical and translational medicine, it offers an essential introduction to clinical bioinformatics for clinical researchers and physicians, medical students a...

Systems biology is a critical emerging field that quantifies and annotates the complexity of biological systems in order to construct algorithmic models to predict outcomes from component input. Applications in medicine are revolutionizing our understanding of biological processes and systems. Systems Biomedicine is organized around foundations, computational modeling, network biology, and integrative biology, with the extension of examples from human biology and pharmacology, to focus on ...

Between the Lines of Genetic Code lays out methodologies and tools for the measurement and evaluation of gene-gene and gene-environment studies and gives perspective on the future of this discipline. The book begins by defining terms for interaction studies, describing methodologies, and critically assessing the viability of current study designs and the possibilities for integrating designs. It then provides recent applications data with case studies in rheumatoid arthritis, multiple scle...

Computational Toxicology: Methods and Applications for Risk Assessment is an essential reference on the translation of computational toxicology data into information that can be used for more informed risk assessment decision-making. This book is authored by leading international investigators who have real-world experience in relating computational toxicology methods to risk assessment. Key topics of interest include QSAR modeling, chemical mixtures, applications...