Systems Biology and Network Medicine: From Bench to Bedside

Dear Colleagues,

From single cells to the whole human body, every biological entity must be considered as a complex system where single components interact and influence each other. In this view, both internal and external perturbations, such as disease states or environmental factors, produce effects that can be predicted and interpreted only in the context of a systems biology perspective. This approach entails the use and development of mathematical tools that allow the representation and analysis of biological systems at different levels of complexity; in this context, networks are widely used to represent biological entities (e.g., genes, proteins, metabolites) with their physical and/or functional interactions. The possibility to link the topology and dynamics of such molecular networks to a specific disease state is the basis for the concept of network medicine, which also represents the most important step towards personalized medicine. The aim of the present Topic is to publish original articles and reviews where the use of systems biology and network medicine is highlighted as a tool to identify disease mechanisms and to prevent and to treat complex diseases, suggesting novel approaches and strategies to direct clinical practice.

Prof. Dr. Mauro Fasano
Dr. Marta Lualdi
Topic Editors